Is it upon the Mu'adhin to break his fast first or call to the prayer?

Sheikh Ahmad An-Najmee (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

'We have a mu'adhin (one who calls to the prayer) upon whom the people rely on in the adhaan of Maghrib with respect to as soon as the sun starts to set.  Is it upon him to break his fast (first) and then call to the prayer, or should he call to the prayer and then break his fast due to the people relying upon him in that?'

So, he replied:

'All of that is permissible if it is certain that the sun has started to set. So, if he wanted to break his fast whereby he eats a date or drinks a sip of water and then calls to the prayer (then this is permissible). And if he wanted to call to the prayer and then break his fast, then all of this is permissible. And the latter is more appealing to me.'


Fathur-Rabbil-Wudood Fil-Fataawa War-Rasaail War-Rudood, Volume 1, page 326, Maktabatul-Furqaan, Ajman, 1423/2002.