Quora Answer: Which Du’a Should be Read before Ifthar?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Which du’a should be read before ifthar?” 

The following is the most common du’a, with some variations in the ending.  This version is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud. 

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ 

Allahumma innii laka sumtu wa bika amantu wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu wa ‘alaa rizqika afthartu 

O Allah!  I fasted for You, and I believe in You, and I put my trust in You, and I break my fast with Your Sustenance. 

The following is based on an atsar, a saying attributed to a swahabah, but not directly to the Prophet (s.a.w.).  It has been narrated that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) used to say the following when he would break his fast: 

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْنَا وَ عَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْنَا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ 

Bismillah Allaahumma laka swumnaa wa ‘alaa rizqika aftharnaa fataqabbal minnaa innaka anta as-Samii’u al-‘Aliim 

In the Name of Allah!  O Allah, we fast, and with the food You Gives us, we break the fast, an obligation we fulfill, and You are the Hearer, and Knower.