When the prayer and the evening meal are both ready, which comes first

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the time of prayer comes and, on the other hand, food has been served, eat first."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When food is brought and, on the other hand, the prayer is established (the iqamah is called), eat first."

It is narrated from Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When food is brought and, on the other hand, the time of prayer comes, eat first."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When food is placed before you and the prayer is established, eat first, and do not hurry to finish the meal." Nafi' says: When food was placed before Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and, on the other hand, the prayer was established, he would not go to the prayer until he had finished eating, even though he could hear the imam's recitation in the meantime.

It is narrated from the father of Iyas bin Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the time of prayer comes and, on the other hand, food has been served, eat first."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When food is brought and, on the other hand, the time of prayer comes, eat first."

The same is reported through another chain, but in it this saying is not attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

It is narrated from Abu Qilabah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When food is brought and, on the other hand, the prayer is established (the iqamah is called), eat first."

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Once we were eating a meal when the time of prayer came. Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) kept me back to eat.

Abu al-Malih says: We were with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him); he was setting out for the Maghrib prayer, and the mu'adhdhin had already given the adhan. Just then a bowl of tharid and meat was brought. He said: "Sit down and eat it, for food is made only so that it may be eaten." He also ate from it, then called for water, washed his hands with it, rinsed his mouth and prayed.

Ali bin Ubaydullah says: Yasar bin Numayr invited us to a meal at the time of Maghrib and said: Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: "Eat your food first, then free yourselves for your prayer."

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "When food is served and the prayer is established (the iqamah is called), eat first."

Qannan bin Abdullah al-Nahmi reports from his elders, who said: We were with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when the time of breaking the fast came in Ramadan. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to us: "Break your fast first, for that is better for your prayer."

Sayyiduna al-Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say: "Eating supper before the prayer drives away the self-reproaching soul (al-nafs al-lawwamah)."

Ziyad says: We were with Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and something of his was roasting in the oven. Meanwhile the time of prayer came, and we asked his permission to go to the prayer. He said: "No, we will go after we have eaten, so that this food does not trouble us in our prayer."

Abdullah bin al-Harith says: When your food is brought and the call to prayer has been given, eat first, then pray.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I returned from Iraq, and food was served to Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) and some Companions who were with him. He said to me: "Come and eat." I said: "I will eat after I have prayed." He said: "You have adopted the habits of the people of Iraq! Come and eat."