Prayer and Food
Total Hadiths 22
Authentic Hadiths on the Rulings of Prayer and Food in Islam
These authentic prophetic accounts clarify the relationship between consuming food and performing formal prayers in Islam. According to Islamic scholars, a primary takeaway from these narrations is that eating cooked food—whether it is meat from a shoulder or simple roasted barley porridge (Sawiq)—does not invalidate your wudu (ablution). On multiple occasions, the Prophet Muhammad and his companions ate meals right before the prayer became due, merely rinsed their mouths out of cleanliness, and immediately lined up to pray without performing a fresh ablution. Additionally, these text passages highlight the beautiful custom of hosting neighbors and sharing food after joint home prayers. When the Prophet visited a companion with failing eyesight to bless a section of his home as a designated praying space, the family naturally held him back to enjoy a specially prepared meal of Khazira, showing that communal eating and spiritual fellowship go hand in hand.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ تَعَرَّقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَتِفًا، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى، وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) ate of the meat of a shoulder (by cutting the meat with his teeth), and then got up and offered the prayer without performing the ablution anew.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5404In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 32USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 316
وَعَنْ أَيُّوبَ، وَعَاصِمٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ انْتَشَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَرْقًا مِنْ قِدْرٍ فَأَكَلَ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى، وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) took out a bone with meat on it from a cooking pot and ate of it, and then offered the prayer without performing ablution anew.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5405In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 33USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 316
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَمُسَدَّدٌ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالَ أَحْمَدُ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى الْقَطَّانُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا وُضِعَ عَشَاءُ أَحَدِكُمْ وَأُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلاَ يَقُومُ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ " . زَادَ مُسَدَّدٌ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِذَا وُضِعَ عَشَاؤُهُ أَوْ حَضَرَ عَشَاؤُهُ لَمْ يَقُمْ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ وَإِنْ سَمِعَ الإِقَامَةَ وَإِنْ سَمِعَ قِرَاءَةَ الإِمَامِ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When the evening meal is brought before one of you and the congregational prayer is also ready, he should not get up until he finishes(eating). Musaddad’s version adds: When the evening meal was put before ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar, or it was brought to him, he did not get up until he finished it, even if he heard call to prayer(just before it), and even if he heard the recitation of the Qur’an by the leader-in-prayer.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3757In-book reference : Book 28, Hadith 22English translation : Book 27, Hadith 3748
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ وَحَضَرَ الْعَشَاءُ فَابْدَءُوا بِالْعَشَاءِ ". قَالَ وُهَيْبٌ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ " إِذَا وُضِعَ الْعَشَاءُ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the Iqama for (`Isha') prayer is proclaimed and supper is served, take your supper first."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5465In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 94USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 374
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى بْنُ أَسَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا وُضِعَ الْعَشَاءُ وَأُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَابْدَءُوا بِالْعَشَاءِ ".
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, If supper is served and the Iqama for (Isha) prayer is proclaimed, start with you supper first."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5463In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 92USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 373
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْلَى الْكُوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَنْبَسَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْقُرَشِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عَلاَّقٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " تَعَشَّوْا وَلَوْ بِكَفٍّ مِنْ حَشَفٍ فَإِنَّ تَرْكَ الْعَشَاءِ مَهْرَمَةٌ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ مُنْكَرٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . وَعَنْبَسَةُ يُضَعَّفُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَعَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عَلاَّقٍ مَجْهُولٌ .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Take The 'Asha' Meal, Even If It Is Just With A Handful Of Something To Fill. For Indeed Avoiding The 'Asha' Is From Senility." [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Munkar, We Do Not Know Of It Except From This Route. 'Anbasah Was Graded Weak Is Hadith. 'Abdul-Malik Bin 'Allaq Is Unknown.
[1] Dinner or supper.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1856In-book reference : Book 25, Hadith 73English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 1856
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مَنْصُورٍ - عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُؤَخِّرِ الصَّلاَةَ لِطَعَامٍ وَلاَ لِغَيْرِهِ " .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Prayer should not be postponed for taking meals nor for any other thing.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3758In-book reference : Book 28, Hadith 23English translation : Book 27, Hadith 3749
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمِصْرِيُّ أَبُو الْحَارِثِ الْمُرَادِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كُنَّا زَمَانَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا نَجِدُ الطَّعَامَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ وَجَدْنَاهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَنَا مَنَادِيلُ إِلاَّ أَكُفَّنَا وَسَوَاعِدَنَا وَأَقْدَامَنَا ثُمَّ نُصَلِّي وَلاَ نَتَوَضَّأْ . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ غَرِيبٌ لَيْسَ إِلاَّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
During the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we often did not find anything to eat, and if we did, we did not have handkerchiefs, except our hands, arms and feet. Then we would pray without performing ablution.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3282In-book reference : Book 29, Hadith 32English translation : Vol. 4, Book 29, Hadith 3282
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الطُّوسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْحَنَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي فِي زَمَانِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ إِلَى جَنْبِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ عَبَّادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا أَنَّهُ، يُبْدَأُ بِالْعَشَاءِ قَبْلَ الصَّلاَةِ . فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَيْحَكَ مَا كَانَ عَشَاؤُهُمْ أَتُرَاهُ كَانَ مِثْلَ عَشَاءِ أَبِيكَ .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
Abdullah ibn Ubaydullah ibn Umayr said: I was with my father in the time of Ibn az-Zubayr sitting beside Abdullah ibn Umar. Then Abbad ibn Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said: We have heard that the evening meal is taken just before the night prayer. Thereupon Abdullah ibn Umar said: Woe to you! what was their evening meal? Do you think it was like the meal of your father?
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3759In-book reference : Book 28, Hadith 24English translation : Book 27, Hadith 3750
وَعَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ. وَعَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ تَعَشَّى مَرَّةً وَهْوَ يَسْمَعُ قِرَاءَةَ الإِمَامِ.
Nafi Narrated from:
Once Ibn Umar was taking his supper while he was listening to the recitation of (Quran by) the Imam (in the Isha prayer).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5464In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 93USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 373
