The Sunnah of Iftar: Dates, Dua and Breaking the Fast

Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at sunset. It is also one of the most clearly described sunnahs of the whole month: the Prophet (peace be upon him) broke his fast at a particular moment, with particular food, said a particular dua, and then prayed. Following that order is easy and costs nothing. This guide lays it out step by step with the times for 2027.

1. Break the fast as soon as the sun sets

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that people will remain in goodness as long as they hasten to break the fast (Sahih al-Bukhari 1957; Sahih Muslim 1098). The fast ends when the sun's disc disappears below the horizon, which is the Maghrib time on your timetable. There is no virtue in waiting for the sky to darken.

Practically: have dates and water on the table five minutes early, watch the clock, and eat at the printed minute. If you are in the mosque, break the fast at the adhan. If you are driving or at work, a date and a sip of water at the right minute count as iftar; the meal can wait.

The Ramadan timetable gives Maghrib for your city. On 8 February 2027 it is expected at 18:36 in Istanbul (Diyanet), 17:01 in London, and 18:14 in Makkah. By 8 March those become 19:02, 17:51 and 18:27. See suhoor and iftar times for how the minute is computed.

2. Dates, or water

Anas reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if there were none, with dry dates; if there were none, he would take a few sips of water (Sunan Abu Dawud 2356; Jami' al-Tirmidhi 696).

So the order of preference is:

1. Fresh dates (rutab), if you can get them.
2. Dry dates (tamr), the ordinary dates in shops.
3. Water.

An odd number of dates (one, three, five) is a widespread custom based on the Prophet's general practice with dates on Eid; it is not required. Three dates and a glass of water is the typical iftar that follows the sunnah and also happens to be what dietitians recommend: quick sugar, fluid, then a pause before the main meal.

3. Say the dua

After breaking the fast, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would say:

Dhahaba al-zama'u, wabtallat al-'uruqu, wa thabata al-ajru in sha Allah. "The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills." (Sunan Abu Dawud 2357, graded hasan)

Notice that it is said after the first sip, not before: the thirst "has gone". Before eating, say "Bismillah" as for any meal. Another commonly recited wording, "Allahumma laka sumtu wa 'ala rizqika aftartu" (O Allah, for You I fasted and with Your provision I break my fast), is reported by Abu Dawud with a weak chain; many scholars allow its use as a general dua. Both are fine; the first is the better-attested.

Then make your own dua. The moment of iftar is a time when dua is accepted (reported by Ibn Majah and others). Keep a short list: forgiveness, family, the sick, a specific need. More in duas for Ramadan.

4. Pray Maghrib

Having broken the fast lightly, pray Maghrib, in the mosque if you can. Maghrib's time is short, so the sunnah order (dates, prayer, meal) makes sure the prayer is not delayed by a long dinner. If the main meal is already on the table and hunger would distract you from the prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said there is no prayer when food is served (Sahih Muslim 560); in that case eat with calm, then pray within the time.

5. Eat the main meal, moderately

The Qur'an says, in meaning, eat and drink but do not be excessive (7:31). After a day of fasting the stomach is small; a large, oily meal eaten fast leads to heaviness at tarawih and poor sleep. A simple pattern:

• Dates and water at Maghrib.
• Pray.
• Soup or a light starter, then a balanced plate: vegetables, protein, a modest portion of rice or bread.
• Water through the evening rather than a litre at once.
• Fruit or a small sweet after tarawih if you want it.

The NHS advises fasting people to break the fast with fluids and slow-release foods and to avoid fried, sugary meals; see healthy suhoor for the other end of the day.

6. Feed others

Whoever gives a fasting person iftar has a reward like his without diminishing the fasting person's reward (Jami' al-Tirmidhi 807). This is the reason mosques lay out hundreds of plates, families invite neighbours, and people hand out dates at traffic lights. You do not need to host a dinner: a box of dates for the mosque, a meal delivered to a student, or paying for a charity's iftar programme all count. For practical hosting, see hosting an iftar.

Iftar at the mosque or a gathering

• Arrive 15 minutes before Maghrib; find the dates and water first.
• Break the fast at the adhan, say the dua, pray Maghrib in congregation.
• Eat, then help clear up. Leave time for Isha and tarawih.

A note on Ja'fari (Shia) practice

Ja'fari jurisprudence places Maghrib when the redness has left the eastern sky, typically 10 to 20 minutes after sunset, so iftar is correspondingly later. Timetables computed with the Tehran or Qum methods already include this. If your community follows it, break the fast at its stated Maghrib.

The expected dates of the month, including the first iftar on Monday 8 February 2027, are on Ramadan 2027. Dates are expected; the actual date in your country depends on moon sighting or the local authority and may differ by a day.