❖ Question by Qari Usama bin Abdul Salam (ḥafiẓahullāh):
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
What are the authentic supplications to recite at the time of iftar according to the Qur’an and Sunnah? Please clarify.
❖ Answer:
Wa ʿAlaykum as-Salām wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for what follows:
According to authentic Hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ, it is established that only “Bismillāh” should be recited before eating or performing ablution. The complete phrase “Bismillāh ar-Raḥmān ar-Raḥīm” is not proven by the Prophet’s sayings or actions in this context.
Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ used to recite the following authentic supplication after breaking his fast:
"ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ"
"Thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills."
— Sunan Abī Dāwūd (2357), Sunan ad-Dāraqutnī (25)
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) stated in “at-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr” (2/202) that Dāraqutnī graded its chain as ḥasan.
Furthermore, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"The supplication of a fasting person at the time of iftar is not rejected."
Ibn Abī Mulaykah reported that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنهما) used to say the following supplication at iftar:
"اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي"
"O Allah! I ask You by Your mercy, which encompasses all things, to forgive me."
— Ibn Mājah (Hadith 1753), Irwā’ al-Ghalīl (4/41), Hadith 921
Shaykh Zubayr ʿAlī Zaʿī graded it as ḥasan.
Important Note:
The widely circulated supplication recited by many at the time of iftar:
"اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ، وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ"
"O Allah! I fasted for You and with Your sustenance I broke my fast."
— is not authentic. It is a mursal (disconnected) and weak Hadith, reported from Muʿādh bin Zahrah.
Reasons for weakness:① The narrator Muʿādh is “līn al-ḥadīth” (weak in narration).
② The narration is mursal (the chain is disconnected).
Shaykh al-Albānī and Shaykh Zubayr ʿAlī Zaʿī both graded it weak.
In Taqrīb at-Tahdhīb (6731), Muʿādh bin Zahrah is listed as “majhūl” (unknown), and only Ibn Ḥibbān vouched for him.
❖ Conclusion:
The following two authentic supplications are to be recited at the time of iftar:
① "ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ"
② "اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي"
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
What are the authentic supplications to recite at the time of iftar according to the Qur’an and Sunnah? Please clarify.
❖ Answer:
Wa ʿAlaykum as-Salām wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for what follows:
According to authentic Hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ, it is established that only “Bismillāh” should be recited before eating or performing ablution. The complete phrase “Bismillāh ar-Raḥmān ar-Raḥīm” is not proven by the Prophet’s sayings or actions in this context.
Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ used to recite the following authentic supplication after breaking his fast:
"ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ"
"Thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills."
— Sunan Abī Dāwūd (2357), Sunan ad-Dāraqutnī (25)
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) stated in “at-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr” (2/202) that Dāraqutnī graded its chain as ḥasan.
Furthermore, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"The supplication of a fasting person at the time of iftar is not rejected."
Ibn Abī Mulaykah reported that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنهما) used to say the following supplication at iftar:
"اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي"
"O Allah! I ask You by Your mercy, which encompasses all things, to forgive me."
— Ibn Mājah (Hadith 1753), Irwā’ al-Ghalīl (4/41), Hadith 921
Shaykh Zubayr ʿAlī Zaʿī graded it as ḥasan.
Important Note:The widely circulated supplication recited by many at the time of iftar:
"اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ، وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ"
"O Allah! I fasted for You and with Your sustenance I broke my fast."
— is not authentic. It is a mursal (disconnected) and weak Hadith, reported from Muʿādh bin Zahrah.
Reasons for weakness:① The narrator Muʿādh is “līn al-ḥadīth” (weak in narration).
② The narration is mursal (the chain is disconnected).
Shaykh al-Albānī and Shaykh Zubayr ʿAlī Zaʿī both graded it weak.
In Taqrīb at-Tahdhīb (6731), Muʿādh bin Zahrah is listed as “majhūl” (unknown), and only Ibn Ḥibbān vouched for him.
❖ Conclusion:
The following two authentic supplications are to be recited at the time of iftar:
① "ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ"
② "اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي"
