DELAYING MAGHRIB DUE TO IFTAAR

It is Mustahab and desirable to hasten the Maghrib Salaah on normal days. It is Makrooh e Tanzeehi to delay the Maghrib Salaah for more than the duration of two Raka’ats and it is Makrooh e Tahreemi to delay the Maghrib Salaah without a valid excuse to such an extent that the stars are seen close together (i.e. the clusters of stars are visible) but if someone is traveling or hungry or food is before him (i.e. the food has been placed before him) then these are all valid excuses for a delay. In the month of Ramadaan after the Adhaan of Maghrib, there is no harm in performing the Maghrib Salaah ten minutes late due to being occupied in Iftaar. This is because in Ramadaan, the interval of seven to ten minutes between the Maghrib Adhaan and the Maghrib Salaah is due to the regard and indulgence of the fasting person, so that the fasting person can join the congregation after breaking the fast with satisfaction. When the food is in front or if it has been placed in the front then one should eat the food as much as needed and offer the Salaah. There is a Hadith of Bukhari Shareef:

Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Anas bin Maalik Radi Allahu Anh that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمsaid: When the dinner is placed before you, then eat it before performing the Maghrib Salaah and do not hurry for Salaah by leaving the food. While explaining the above mentioned Hadith, the annotator of the Bukhari Shareef, the great jurist of India, Hazrat Allamah Mufti Muhammad Shareef ul Haq Amjadi Alaihir Rahma writes in Nuzhatul Qaari: "In this Hadith, there is a restriction regarding the time of Maghrib Salaah but this rule is common to all Salaahs. The reason behind the restriction of the time of Maghrib Salaah is that there is very little time for the time of Maghrib Salaah which is not Makrooh. There is serious risk in it that whilst eating, the Makrooh time may occur or because the Arabs used

to eat at sunset in that era. That is why, there often used to be a clash of food and Salaah in it." (Nuzhatul Qaari, Volume 3, page number 146, Chapter of Adhaan/Daairul Barkaat Ghosi Shareef) It is in Durr e Mukhtaar with Raddul Muhtaar:

Translation: And delaying the Maghrib Salaah to such an extent that many stars are visible is Makrooh, not an action (Salaah), because it has been ordered. It is Makrooh e Tahreemi except if due to an excuse (that is if there is an excuse then it is not Makrooh e Tahreemi) such as being on a journey and having a meal.... "Al-Imdaad" etc. sufficed by mentioning the exception in Maghrib Salaah and the texts of it are as follows: But because of an excuse (i.e. if there is an excuse then it is not Makrooh e Tahreemi) such as travel, illness, the food being placed on the eating mat or the weather being cloudy.... and the inclination of the sensual appetite towards the food (in Salaah) causes abomination in Salaah, because it has been mentioned in the Hadith Shareef: When the Salaah starts and the dinner arrives then eat first. This Hadith has been narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. (Durr e Mukhtaar with Raddul Muhtaar volume 2 page 27-28/Chapter of Salaah/DKI Beirut Lebanon) It is in Bahaar e Shariat: with exception of when the weather is cloudy and overcast, it is Mustahab to perform Maghrib Salaah promptly (i.e. without delaying it). To delay Maghrib Salaah for more than the duration of two Raka'ats, is Makrooh e Tanzeehi. However, it is Makrooh e Tahreemi to delay the Maghrib Salaah without a valid reason of journey or illness etc. up to such a time that the stars are seen close together (i.e. clusters of stars are visible). (Bahaar e Shariat part 3, page 19/Qadri Kitaab Ghar, Bareilly Shareef). It is in Fataawa Taajush Shariah as follows: It is mustahab to hasten in breaking the fast after sunset, and there is nothing wrong with a slight delay in it and delaying it extensively until it becomes very dark is the resemblance of the Rawaafid (shia) which must be avoided. (Fataawa Taajush Shariah volume 3 page number 174/Chapter of Salaah)

In brief, there is nothing wrong with performing Maghrib Salaah ten minutes late due to being occupied in Iftaar after the Maghrib Adhaan. However, delaying more than ten minutes is not advisable at all.