Zaid ibn Khalid Al-Juhani reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “He who provides a fasting person with something to break his fast, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Hibban, and classified as authentic by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban]

The wording reported by Ibn Khuzaimah and An-Nasa’i: “He who equips a Ghazi (fighter in the way of Allah or a pilgrim, looks after the dependants of a Ghazi or a pilgrim in their absence, or provides a fasting person with something to break his fast, will earn the same reward, without diminishing in any way their reward.”

Overview of the Hadith:

One of the blessings which Allah, the Almighty, has bestowed on His believing servants is that He has prescribed cooperation in righteousness and piety. Allah, the Almighty, says: {And cooperate in righteousness and piety.} [Quran 5: 2] Allah grants rewards for inviting people to good and righteousness. Among the acts for which Allah grants rewards is providing the fasting person with something to break his fast, because the fasting person is enjoined to hasten to break his fast. Therefore, if a Muslim provides the fasting person with something to break his fast (whether voluntary or obligatory fasting), he will earn the same reward of the fasting person, without diminishing in any way the reward of the later.

Imam Al-Manawi mentioned in his book “Fayd Al-Qadir” that the Hadith: “He who provides a fasting person with something to break his fast, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast” means that the one who provides something to a fasting person to break his fast will receive the same reward as the fasting person, not that the fasting person will gain the reward earned by the person who provides him with something to break his fast. The reward here means the reward of fasting, which is a general reward that will be gained by the person who is able to provide the fasting person with something to break his fast.

It was said that providing the fasting person with something to break his fast means providing the least amount of food with which the fasting person breaks his fast, such as one date. It was also said that it means providing the fasting person with food that makes him sated, because this will benefit the fasting person throughout the night and may make him in no need of the predawn meal. However, the apparent meaning of the Hadith is that if one provides a fasting person with even one date to break his fast, he will receive the same reward of the fasting person. This is not difficult for Allah.

While explaining the wording of Ibn Khuzaimah and An-Nasa’i, Imam At-Taibi said, “The fasting person was mentioned along with the fighter in the cause of Allah because both of them are engaged in Jihad against Allah’s enemies, and the greater Jihad was given precedence.” The fasting person strives against his own self when he abstains from food, drink, and sexual desire, out of obedience to Allah’s command.

Ibn Battal reported that Imam At-Tabari said, “This Hadith indicates that whoever helps a believer with any good act, will gain the same reward of the person he helps.” Therefore, how happy the people who help others do pious and good acts will be! Accordingly, we should be keen to provide the fasting people with something to break their fast, especially if they are poor or do not have anyone to prepare food for them to break their fast.