On the authority of Zayd ibn Khalid al Juhani, he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever provides Iftar to a fasting person will have a reward like his, without that diminishing anything from the reward of the fasting person.” Narrated by al Tirmidhi.
The righteous predecessors would give great importance to feeding others and regarded it as among the best acts of worship.
Some of the Salaf said: To invite ten of my companions and feed them food they desire is more beloved to me than freeing ten slaves from among the children of Ismail.
Many of the Salaf would give preference to others with their own Iftar while they themselves were fasting. Among them were Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, Dawud al Ta’i, Malik ibn Dinar, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Ibn Umar would not break his fast except in the company of orphans and the needy.
Some of the Salaf would feed their brothers while they themselves remained fasting, sitting and serving them. Among them were al Hasan and Ibn al Mubarak.
Abu al Siwar al Adawi said: There were men from Banu Adi who prayed in this mosque, and none of them would ever break his fast alone. If he found someone to eat with him, he would eat. If not, he would take his food out to the mosque and eat with the people, and they would eat with him.
The act of feeding others gives rise to many forms of worship. Among them is cultivating affection and love towards those who are fed, which becomes a cause for entering Jannah. As the Prophet ﷺ said:
“You will not enter Jannah until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another.” Narrated by Muslim 54.
It also leads to companionship with the righteous and seeking reward for assisting them in acts of obedience that they are strengthened to perform through the food you provide.
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