I have read a hadith that it is undesirable act to perform prayer if food is served. In what way? I normally do that, I pray during the food is being served. After my prayer then I eat. How about during meetings? Can we leave for prayer during a meeting? Please reply asap as I hate to go against the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

There are authentic narrations about the dislikeability of performing the prayer while the food is served; this is in regard to a person who wants to eat and is hungry. This is because he would start the prayer while his heart is attached to the food, so he will be distracted from fulfilling the submissiveness in the prayer, and it might be that he would perform the prayer very quickly and causes a deficiency in Tuma'neenah [submissiveness and tranquillity as defined in Fatwa 90057] which is one of the pillars of the prayer; the same thing applies to the one who has an urgent need to relieve himself (urinate or defecate).

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 85420.

The religion of Islam is merciful, it does not contradict with the person's needs, and the prayer is the most important pillar of religion after the Two Testimonies of Faith. Islam combines between achieving the benefit of the human being and performing the prayer in the most complete manner.

As regards meetings, it is not permissible to delay the prayer because of a meeting, unlike in the case of food. Rather one is obliged to answer the call to the prayer if he/she knows that the meeting will last long until the time of the prayer is over. Delaying the prayer because of food does not apply to work or meetings at work; a person is not preoccupied and attached to the meeting in the same way he is attached to the food. Rather, it is the contrary, one gets bored from work and from a meeting and he/she needs some time to relay and rest his body and soul. The prayer is a means of resting and relaxation, and that's why the Prophet says: "O Bilaal, comfort us with the prayer." [Abu Daawood]    

Allaah Knows best.