If The Meal Is Ready, Eat And Then Pray

Question :

Is it true what some people say, that if dinner is ready and it is time for 'Isha' prayer, one should eat before praying? Many people rush to apply this principle, but I do not know whether it is true or not?

Answer:

This principle is correct and is founded on an authentic Hadith:
"If dinner is served, then begin with it before you pray the Maghrib prayer."

When dinner is served, one obviously desires to eat, and were he to pray before eating that meal, his mind would be occupied in his abandoned meal, a state of mind that takes away from humility and concentration during prayer. For this reason the Prophet ﷺ said,

There is no prayer when food is served, and there is no prayer when one is fighting off the two impurities (i.e., when one has to urinate or defecate)." But it is necessary to mention here that one should avoid the habit of always having dinner at the time for prayer, because this will result in not praying in congrega- tion.

Read more:

He Swore to Divorce in a Fit of Anger

Question : I swore to divorce in a fit of anger so that I would not do a certain...

If the Resident prays behind the Traveller

If a person went out on a journey and wished to pray the Zuhr prayer in congrega...

Whoever was unable to wash a Part of His Body or wipe over it, should make Tayammum for it?

If there is an injury to a part of the body which is normally washed during Wudh...

The Ruling on going out on an Excursion on a Friday

Question :What is the ruling on some people going out for an excursion to the de...