Question: Is it obligatory to break the fast with an odd number of dates?

Answer by Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al- ‘Uthaymin (rahimahullah):

It is not obligatory, rather not even sunnah for an individual to break their fast with an odd number of dates whether that be three, five, seven or nine dates. Except on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr, then one should do so, as it has been authentically narrated that the Prophet ﷺ would not go out to the Eid prayer on Eid al-Fiṭr until he ate an odd number of dates. As for other occasions then the Prophet ﷺ would not intentionally eat dates in odd numbers.

Source: Nūr ‘alá al-Darb (tape no. 354)

Originally published: 13 April 2021