Delaying the Salaah in Jamaa'ah because of Preparing Meals

Q: Saum-36: To attain rewards. many people in our area arrange for Naan meat, Kichra, Pilow, Kari. gravies and other types of food to be fed in the Masjid. This however leads to an eight to ten minute delay in the Maghrib salaah. Someone has mentioned that rather than earning rewards. the people are responsible for committing a sin because they are delaying the salaah. He says that this program should therefore be called off. The food that the poor were therefore receiving in the name of Iftaar has therefore been stopped. Is it really a sin to delay the salaah by ten minutes?

Answer: The Iftaar needs to be made brief . Inshaa Allaah, the same Reward will be attained if the poor are fed after the salaah. In fact, even ten minutes are inadequate to finish a course that included foods like Noon meat, Kichra, Pilow, Kari and gravies. Many people will miss several Rakaahs of salaah in this manner. if not the entire salaah altogether. The program should rather be postponed for after the salaah. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.3