Question 2105: Is going out of the house on an empty stomach prohibited (Nahi)?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following traditions:
1 عَنْ حُسَیْنِ بْنِ نُعَیْمٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْداللَّهِ قَالَ: یَنْبَغِی لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ لَا یَخْرُجَ مِنْ بَیْتِهِ حَتَّی یَطْعَمَ فَإِنَّهُ أَعَزُّ لَهُ.
📚 Al-Mahasin, p. 449
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'It is appropriate for the believer not to leave his house until he has eaten something, for this brings him greater honor!'
2 عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِی عُمَیْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ فِی حَاجَةٍ فَکُلْ کِسْرَةً بِمِلْحٍ فَهُوَ أَعَزُّ لَکَ وَ أَقْضَی لِلْحَاجَةِ.
📚 Al-Mahasin, p. 449
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'When you want to go out for a task, eat a piece (of bread) with salt, for this brings you greater honor and helps to fulfill your need better!'
3 رَوَی حَرِیزٌ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ علیه السلام قَالَ لَا تَخْرُجْ یَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ حَتَّی تَطْعَمَ شَیْئاً وَ لَا تَأْکُلْ یَوْمَ الْأَضْحَی شَیْئاً إِلَّا مِنْ هَدْیِکَ وَ أُضْحِیَّتِکَ إِنْ قَوِیتَ عَلَیْهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَقْوَ فَمَعْذُورٌ.
📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 1, p. 508
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: 'Do not go out on the day of Eid al-Fitr until you have eaten something, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, if you have the strength and ability, do not eat until you eat from your sacrifice, and if you do not have the strength, you are excused!'
4 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ سَعِیدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَیْدٍ عَنْ جَرَّاحٍ الْمَدَائِنِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (علیه السلام) قَالَ: لِیَطْعَمْ یَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ یُصَلِّیَ وَ لَا یَطْعَمْ یَوْمَ أَضْحًی حَتَّی یَنْصَرِفَ الْإِمَامُ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 168
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'A person should eat something on the day of Eid al-Fitr before he prays the (Eid) prayer, and on the day of Eid al-Adha, he should not eat anything until the Imam has finished the (Eid) prayer!'
5 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْفَجْرَ فَكُلْ كِسْرَةً تُطَيِّبُ بِهَا نَكْهَتَكَ وَ تُطْفِئُ بِهَا حَرَارَتَكَ وَ تُقَوِّمُ بِهَا أَضْرَاسَكَ وَ تَشُدُّ بِهَا لِثَتَكَ وَ تَجْلِبُ بِهَا رِزْقَكَ وَ تُحَسِّنُ بِهَا خُلُقَكَ
📚 Da'awat al-Rawandi, p. 61
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'When you have performed the Fajr prayer, eat a piece of bread so that you may sweeten your breath with it, extinguish your heat with it, strengthen your teeth with it, firm up your gums with it, attract your sustenance with it, and improve your morals with it!'
✅ In the above traditions, it is observed that the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them all) have recommended that a person should eat something, even if it is just a piece of bread, before leaving the house and going out for work, as this brings more honor and better fulfills the need.
In general, eating a piece of bread after the Fajr prayer also has multiple benefits, which you can see in the above traditions.
✅ Of course, the day of Eid al-Adha is an exception, and it is recommended to first go to the Eid prayer and then partake of one's sacrifice after the Eid prayer.
✅ The above traditions also discourage the complete omission of breakfast and the morning meal, and they indicate and recommend eating breakfast at the very beginning of the day.
✅ Unfortunately, some people have become accustomed to skipping breakfast and sometimes even consider it a point of pride, whereas it is appropriate for a person to eat something before leaving the house.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر