# Tackling the Beast of Iftar Expectations | Sh. Belal Assaad **Author:** Sh. Belal Assaad **Series:** Ramadan Reflections (2025) **Published:** 2025-03-02 **YouTube:** https://youtu.be/06rJ2marnCU **URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-reflections-2025/tackling-the-beast-of-iftar-expectations-ramadan-reflections **Topics:** Acts of Worship, Sharia ## Description The Prophet ﷺ taught us to share iftar—but have we turned it into a burden instead of a blessing? In this video, Sh. Belal Assaad shares practical tips on how to revive the Sunnah of feeding others without overwhelming those who cook—often women and mothers. Less stress, more barakah. Keep iftar... ## Transcript **[0:00]** As-salaamu alaykum brothers and sisters, Ramadan is a time for family to get together and to share our food. And the Prophet ﷺ taught us a sunnah to share our food with people who are fasting. **[0:17]** So he said whoever breaks the fast of another Muslim who is fasting will have a share of their reward for the day without that fasting person's reward diminishing. However, at times, especially if we come from strong cultures, the excitement of bringing **[0:34]** family every day and to share our food in big party-like structures in Iftar is a highlight of Ramadan and it's quite joyous. At the same time, it can bring a little bit of stress, it can bring a lot of overworking, **[0:49]** especially by certain family members throughout the entire day. And so some people may miss out on their worship, on their good deeds which they could have earned during the day, even though preparing food is a form of worship to prepare for the family. **[1:05]** However, the idea is to minimize it a little bit and take some breaks during the weeks and during the day. So husbands, wives, children, take it easy on your family, especially the mum because we are used to the mothers preparing food for the entire family all the time. **[1:20]** Minimize the amount of food that you do make for your Iftar. As the days go by, we all know that the stomach shrinks and the need for the body for food becomes less and less. In fact, we become sicker and sicker and we're not able to get up to pray our Taraweeh and **[1:36]** to pray our night prayers. And the whole idea is to keep ourselves fit, healthy and ongoing and for the family to bond in a healthy way. So every now and then, share your food with some other people such as to send it to the masjid or to ask any Islamic organizations around you if they have a program where they **[1:55]** will accept food that you can share it. It could be a neighbor that you can share a plate with. It doesn't have to be a big feast all the time. May Allah help our families to stay bonded and make Ramadan a time for the family to come together, to switch off the social media, switch off our phones and come to spend more **[2:13]** time with family in Ibadah and worship and food only to be a blessing enough for our health and a way to train us to be grateful for the blessings that we have and the family that we love. 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