Question
If a person feels intense hunger, should he eat first or pray, when the time for prayer has come?
Answer
If food has been brought and placed in front of him, he should eat first.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When the evening meal is ready and the prayer is also called to begin, eat the meal first.
Reference: (Bukhari, Kitab al-Adhan, Bab idha hadar al-ta’am wa uqimat al-salah; Muslim, Kitab al-Masajid, Bab karahiyat al-salah bi hadrat al-ta’am; Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Salah, Bab ma ja’a idha hadarat al-‘isha wa uqimat al-salah, fa-abda’u bil-‘isha)
The Prophet ﷺ said: When food is placed before a person and the congregational prayer is also about to begin, he should partake of the food first.
Reference: (Muslim, Kitab al-Masajid, Bab karahiyat al-salah bi hadrat al-ta’am)
