The prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:

( وللصائم فرحتان: فرحة عند فطره، و فرحة عند لقاء ربه ).

And the fasting person has two joys, joy when he breaks his fast and joy when he meets his Lord.

(Bukhari & Muslim)

As for his joy upon breaking his fast, then the soul is inclined to incline to that which pleasures it from food, drink and sexual relations. So if the soul is prevented from any if these at any time then allowed to perform them at another time, he is joyful in being able to perform that which he was prevented from especially if he has a dying need for it. Naturally the soul is happy with this so if this is loved by Allaah then it’s legislatively loved also.

As Allaah has made it unlawful for the one fasting to carry out these desires during the day, he has allowed him to perform them during the night. Rather it is loved by Him (Allaah) that he hastens to perform them ( eating and drinking ) at Dawn until the end of the night. The most beloved servants to Him are those who are the most hasty in breaking their fasts and Allaah and His angels send salutations upon those observing the pre morning meal.

The fasting person abstains from his desires for Allaah’s sake during the day in order to draw close to Allaah and in obedience to Him, likewise he rushes to perform them during the night in order to draw close to Allaah and in obedience to Him.
He does not abstain from it except  by his Lord’s command and likewise he doesn’t return to it except by his Lord’s command. So he is obedient in both cases and because of this he is prohibited from lengthening his fast.

So if the fasting person hastens to break his fast out of seeking to please his Lord, and he eats, drinks and praises Allaah then it is hoped that he will attain Allaah’s forgiveness and pleasure because of that. The prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

( إن الله ليرضى عن عبده أن يأكل الأكلة فيحمده عليها و يشرب الشربة فيحمده عليها )

Allaah is pleased with his servant when he eats and praises Him for it, and when he drinks he praises Him for it.

Maybe his supplication is answered because due to what the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم، said,

( إن للصائم عند فطره دعوة ما ترد )

The fasting person’s supplication is not rejected upon breaking his fast.

If he also intends by his eating and drinking to strengthen his body to be capable of fasting again then he is rewarded, just as if he was to sleep in the night and day to give him strength to perform good deeds then his sleep is considered to be worship.

The prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

( نوم الصائم عبادة )

The sleep of a fasting person is worship.[1]

Hafsa bint seereen said that Abu al-Aaliyah said, the fasting person is always in a state of worship as long as he doesn’t indulge in backbiting even if he is asleep on his bed.
Hafsa used to say, I love the fact that I’m in a state of worship while I’m asleep in my bed.

So the fasting person night and day is in the state of worship and his supplications are answered while fasting and upon breaking his fast. In the day he is fasting and patient and at night he eats and is thankful.

The prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

( الطاعم الشاكر بمنزلة الصائم الصابر )

The one who eats and is thankful is like one who fasts and is patient.

And whoever understands that which we have mentioned earlier, he will gain more than just the joy of breaking his fast when breaking his fast, for his breaking his fast is upon the way which we mentioned from Allaah’s blessings and mercy, then he enters into the saying of Allaah.

<< قل بفضل الله و برحمته فبذلك فليفرحوا هو خير مما يجمعون >>

Say, by the blessings and mercy of Allaah, so let them rejoice. That is better than what they amass. 

[Soorah Yoonus 10:58]

But all of this is on the condition that his breaking of his fast ( the food ) is halal. If his breaking of the fast is done with haram he is from those who did not fast upon that which Allaah made lawful and broke his fast with that which Allaah made unlawful, his supplication is not answered as the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said about the one who is on a long journey and stretches his hands out to the sky saying ‘O my Lord! O my Lord! While his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his provisions are unlawful, how will his supplication be answered?!

________________________

[1]:

Please note that this hadeeth is weak – as pointed out by Sh al-Albaanee rahimahullaah in Silsilat-ul-ahadeeth-ud–Da’eefah:

<<نومُ الصائمِ عبادةٌ، وسكوتُه تسبيحٌ، ودعاؤُهُ مُستَجابٌ، وعملُه مُتَقَبَّلٌ>>
الراوي:عبدالله بن أبي أوفى المحدث:الألباني – المصدر: السلسلة الضعيفة – الصفحة أو الرقم: 4696
خلاصة حكم المحدث: ضعيف

Taken from taa’iful Ma’aarif by Ibn Rajab

Translated by Abu Salmaan Talha ibn William