Two of the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who never stop to pursue the good
Authentic hadithعن أبي عطية، قال: دخلت أنا ومسروق على عائشة رضي الله عنها ، فقالَ لها مسروقٌ: رجلانِ من أصحابِ محمدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم كِلاَهُمَا لا يَألُو عَنِ الخَيْرِ؛ أحَدُهُمَا يُعَجِّلُ المَغْرِبَ وَالإفْطَارَ، وَالآخر يؤخِّر المغرب وَالإفْطَارَ؟ فَقَالَتْ: مَنْ يُعَجِّلُ المَغْرِبَ وَالإفْطَار؟ قالَ: عبدُ اللهِ -يعني: ابن مسعود- فقالتْ: هَكذا كانَ رسولُ اللهِ يَصْنَعُ.
Abu ‘Atiyyah reported: I and Masrūq went to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Masrūq said to her: "There are two of the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who never stop to pursue the good; but one of them hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast, while the other delays the Maghrib prayer and breaking the fast." She said: "Who hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast?" He said: '‘Abdullāh', meaning: Ibn Mas‘ūd. She said: "This is what the Messenger of Allah used to do."
Explanation
Abu ‘Atiyyah and Masrūq asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who was right among two of the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); the one who hastened to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast when the time comes, or the one who delayed the Maghrib prayer and breaking the fast. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked who was the one who would hasten to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast. The answer was ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him). Then she noted that this – hastening to pray the Maghrib and break the fast – is what the Messenger of Allah used to do. Thus, this is a practical Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings upon him) which shows that it is better to hasten to break the fast.
Source · Narrated by Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).