Is it obligatory to sit down to eat food that has been prepared before going to the mosque for prayer, even if one has no desire to eat, in compliance with the two hadiths: "There is no prayer in the presence of food" and "When dinner is served for one of you and the prayer is called, start with the dinner"?
Prayer is disliked when food that the worshiper desires is present, because this causes preoccupation of the heart and imperfect devotion. However, if he does not desire it and his heart is not attached to it, then there is no dislike in praying at that time, as the reason for the prohibition is absent.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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