Leaving everything you're doing for solat

Question

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu Please find what so clarification on solat. In my upbringing I was told that when the iqama is said you have to leave everything you are doing for the prayer but today someone quote an Hadith for me that:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If the Iqama for (`Isha') prayer is proclaimed and supper is served, take your supper first."
(Sahih al-Bukhari and other variations in Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Bukhari and elsewhere)

The prophet of Allah said 'if dinner is ready and iqama is said, you should start with the dinner first'

So I want to ask is eating food better than praying

Jazakumul llahu khayran

Answer 1

What this hadith signifies is that khushoo' (focus) in prayer is more important than catching the congregation or praying at the earliest time. Scholars have explained that the reason behind the instruction of the prophet ﷺ is hunger, because when you leave food to pray first you might remain constantly distracted due to your desire, and so it is better to eat first and then pray in tranquility.

There are also other similar ahadith which excuse a person while they are distracted due to natural function of their body, for example while suppressing gas, or while under the dominance of sleep.

هذه الأحاديث كراهة الصلاة بحضرة الطعام الذي يريد أكله لما فيه من اشتغال القلب به وذهاب كمال الخشوع وكراهتها مع مدافعة الأخبثين وهما البول والغائط ويلحق بهذا ما كان في معناه مما يشغل القلب ويذهب كمال الخشوع

^{— Sharah Sahih Muslim ~ al-Nawawi}