Tirmidhi

English Commentary:
1:
By "khayr" (goodness) is meant the well-being of both religion and worldly life.

2:
To "hasten in breaking the fast" does not mean to break the fast before the sun has set; rather, it means not to delay breaking the fast after the sun has set, as is done nowadays under the pretext of precaution.

Hadith Commentary:
That is, after the time has come, one should not delay in breaking the fast.

Abu Dawud has narrated from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Jews and Christians delay (in breaking the fast). In the narration of Al-Hakim, it is stated: "My Ummah will remain upon my Sunnah as long as they do not wait for the appearance of the stars to break the fast."

Ibn Abd al-Barr said: The hadiths regarding hastening to break the fast and delaying the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) are authentic and mutawatir (mass-transmitted).

Abd al-Razzaq has narrated that the companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would break the fast earlier than all other people and would delay the pre-dawn meal more than others.

However, in our times, generally people delay breaking the fast and eat the pre-dawn meal early; it is for this reason that calamity is befalling them.

The statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was indeed correct.

Since the Muslims abandoned the Sunnah, their decline has continued day by day.

(Wahidi)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar states: Ibn Abd al-Barr said, "The hadiths regarding hastening the breaking of the fast and delaying the pre-dawn meal are authentic and mutawatir." And with Abd al-Razzaq and others, with a sound chain from Amr ibn Maymun al-Azdi, it is narrated: "The companions of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam were the quickest of people in breaking the fast and the slowest in taking the pre-dawn meal." (Fath al-Bari)

That is, the hadiths regarding breaking the fast are authentic and mutawatir.

And the scholars are agreed that the time for breaking the fast is when the setting of the sun is firmly established, either by sighting or by the testimony of two upright witnesses, and according to the more correct opinion, even one upright witness suffices. Ibn Daqiq al-'Id said regarding this hadith: "This is a refutation of the Shia for their delaying (the breaking of the fast) until the appearance of the stars." (Fath)

That is, the scholars agree that the time for breaking the fast is when the setting of the sun is firmly established, or when two upright witnesses testify; if there are not two, then even one upright witness is sufficient.

In this hadith, there is a refutation of the Shia, who wait for the appearance of the stars to break the fast, which is the practice of the Jews and Christians, regarding which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam expressed his utmost displeasure.

Hadith Commentary:
The Jews and Christians delay breaking their fast.
We have been commanded to oppose them, therefore, waiting further after sunset under the pretext of caution is a violation of the Shariah.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“As long as people hasten to break the fast, the religion will remain dominant, because the Jews and Christians delay breaking their fast.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 2/450)
It is narrated from Amr ibn Maymun that the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were the quickest among people to break the fast and the latest to eat the pre-dawn meal (suhoor).
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 4/238)

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
The secret to a person's worldly and hereafter success and well-being lies in adhering to and observing the principles and regulations of Islam, while failure and disappointment result from adopting excess or negligence regarding them.
Whoever delays eating the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and hastens in breaking the fast (iftar), and after the appointed time does not delay out of exaggeration or excess, then he is upholding the Islamic principles and does not make himself a legislator.
Therefore, he remains on the path of goodness in this world and the Hereafter and is not deprived of the way of moderation.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
To exceed the limits set by the Shariah in acts of worship is a cause of loss in this world and the Hereafter.

➋
The meaning of hastening to break the fast is that, after the sun’s disk has set below the horizon, one should not delay further under the pretext of caution, but rather break the fast immediately.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه البخاري 1957، من حديث مالك به، و مسلم 1098/48، من حديث ابي حازم به]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ Hastening to break the fast immediately after sunset is a sign of the people of faith.
➋ Those who deliberately delay breaking the fast are not upon goodness but rather upon evil. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «لا یزال الدین ظاھرًا ما عجّل الناس الفطر لأن الیھود والنصاری یؤخرون۔»
The religion will remain dominant as long as people hasten to break the fast, because the Jews and Christians delay it. [سنن ابي داود : 2353 وسنده حسن، و صححه ابن خزيمه : 2060، وابن حبان، الموارد : 889، والحاكم عليٰ شرط مسلم 431/1 ووافقه الذهبي]
➌ When the sun set, (Sayyiduna) Umar (radi Allahu anhu) handed a vessel to the person next to him and said: Drink. Then he said: Perhaps you are among the «مُسَوِّفين» (those who delay breaking the fast) who say: “A little while later, a little while later”? ! [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه 13/3 ح 8958، و سنده صحيح، دوسرا نسخه 23/4 ح 9043]
◄ Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu used to write and send orders to his governors, instructing them not to be among those who procrastinate regarding breaking the fast, and not to wait for the gathering of the stars for the prayer. [ابن ابي شيبه 3/12 ح8946، وسنده حسن، دوسرا نسخه 4/21 ح9031]
➍ Ibrahim al-Nakha’i rahimahullah said: Hastening to break the fast is from the Sunnah. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه 13/3 ح 7954، و سنده صحيح]
➎ There is no value to one’s self-invented “caution” in opposition to the statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; rather, this is a satanic whispering from which it is necessary to abstain.

Lexical Explanation 534:
مَاعَجَّلُو الفِطْرَ — "عَجَّلُو" is derived from "تعجیل" (to hasten). The meaning is that as long as they hasten in breaking the fast, that is, when it is established with certainty that the sun has set, then one should immediately break the fast. Hastening in breaking the fast is a distinguishing mark (shi‘ar) of the people of Islam, whereas the People of the Book delay breaking the fast. There is also an aspect of ease in this. This is also what obedience and compliance demand. Therefore, upholding the symbols of Islam, availing oneself of the facilitation given by the Shari‘ah, and avoiding hardship and difficulty in matters are causes of goodness and blessing, and this matter needs no further clarification.

Benefits and Issues 534:
➊ Our esteemed researcher has declared the narration of Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi from Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu to be weak in its chain of transmission. However, in Sunan Ibn Majah, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu regarding this issue as follows: He reports that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "People will remain upon goodness as long as they hasten in breaking the fast. Break the fast quickly, for the Jews delay it." [سنن ابنِ ماجه ، الصيام ، حديث : 1698]
Therefore, if the horizon is clear, there is no dust or clouds, and certainty of sunset is achieved, then it is not permissible to delay breaking the fast without a valid reason.
➋ Delaying the breaking of the fast is the way of the People of the Book — the Jews and Christians. And in Sharh al-Masabih, it is also mentioned that delaying iftar is a sign of the people of innovation (ahl al-bid‘ah). Therefore, one should break the fast immediately after sunset.