Things that break the fast (41) Apart from hayd (menstruation) and nifaas (post-natal bleeding), other things that can break the fast are only considered to do so if the following three conditions apply: if a person knows that it breaks the fast and is not ignorant; if he is aware of what he is doing and has not forgotten that he is fasting; if he does it of his own free will and is not forced to do it.
Among the things that break the fast are actions that involves the
expulsion of
bodily fluids, such as intercourse, vomiting, menstruation and cupping,
and actions
that involve ingesting matter, such as eating and drinking. (Majmoo’
al-Fataawa,
25/148)
(42) Among the things that break the fast are things that are classified
as being like
eating or drinking, such as taking medicines and pills by mouth, or
injections of
nourishing substances, or blood transfusions.
Injections that are not given to replace food and drink but are used to
administer
medications such as penicillin and insulin, or tonics, or vaccinations,
do not break
the fast, regardless of whether they are intra-muscular or intravenous.
(Fataawa Ibn
Ibraaheem, 4/189). But to be on the safe side, all these injections
should be given
during the night.
Kidney dialysis, whereby the blood is taken out, cleaned, and put back
with some
chemicals or nourishing substances such as sugars and salts added, is
considered to
break the fast. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/190).
According to the most correct view, suppositories, eye-drops, ear-drops,
having a
tooth extracted and treating wounds do not break the fast. (Majmoo’
Fataawa Shaykh
al-Islam, 25/233, 25/245).
Puffers used for asthma do not break the fast, because this is just
compressed gas
that goes to the lungs – it is not food, and it is needed at all times,
in Ramadaan and
at other times.
Having a blood sample taken does not break the fast and is permissible
because it is
something that is needed. (Fataawa al-Da’wah: Ibn Baaz, no. 979).
Medicines used by gargling do not break the fast so long as they are not
swallowed.
If a person has a tooth filled and feels the taste of it in his throat,
this does not
break his fast. (From the fataawa of Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz,
issued verbally).
The following things do NOT break the fast:
Having the ears syringed; nose drops and nasal sprays – so long as
one
avoids swallowing anything that reaches the throat.
Tablets that are placed under the tongue to treat angina and other
conditions - so long as one avoids swallowing anything that reaches
the
throat.
Anything inserted into the vagina, such as pessaries, douches,
scopes or
fingers for the purpose of a medical examination.
Insertion of a scope or intra-uterine device (IUD or “coil”) and
the like
into the uterus.
Insertion into the urethra – for males or females – of a catheter,
opaque
dye for diagnostic imaging, medication or solutions for cleansing
the
bladder.
Dental fillings, tooth extractions, cleaning of the teeth, use of
siwaak or
toothbrush - so long as one avoids swallowing anything that reaches
the
throat.
Rinsing, gargling or applying topical mouth sprays - so long as one
avoids swallowing anything that reaches the throat.
Subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous injections – except for
those
used to provide nourishment.
Oxygen.
Anaesthetic gases – so long as the patient is not given nourishing
solutions.
Medications absorbed through the skin, such as creams and patches
used to administer medicine and chemicals.
Insertion of a catheter into veins for diagnostic imaging or
treatment of
blood vessels in the heart or other organs.
Use of a laparoscope (instrument inserted through a small incision
in the
abdomen) to examine the abdominal cavity or to perform operations.
Taking biopsies or samples from the liver or other organs – so long
as
this is not accompanied by the administration of solutions.
Gastroscopy – so long as this is not accompanied by the
administration
of solutions or other substances.
Introduction of any instrument or medication to the brain or spinal
column.
(43) Anyone who eats and drinks deliberately during the day in Ramadaan
with no
valid excuse has committed a grave major sin (kabeerah), and has to
repent and
make up for that fast later on. If he broke the fast with something
haraam, such as
drinking alcohol, this makes his sin even worse. Whatever the case, he
has to
repent sincerely and do more naafil deeds, fasting and other acts of
worship, so as
to avoid having any shortfall in his record of obligatory deeds, and so
that Allaah
might accept his repentance.
(44) “If he forgets, and eats and drinks, then let him complete his
fast, for Allaah
has fed him and given him to drink.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no.
1933).
According to another report, “He does not have to make the fast up later
or offer
expiation (kafaarah).”
If a person sees someone else who is eating because he has forgotten
that he is
fasting, he should remind him, because of the general meaning of the
aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “… Help one another in righteousness
and
piety…” [al-Maa’idah 5:2], and the hadeeth, “if I forget, remind me”;
and
because of the principle that this is an evil action (munkar) that must
be changed.
(Majlis Shahr Ramadaan, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p.70)
(45) Those who need to break their fast in order to save someone whose
life is in
danger, may break their fast and should make it up later on. This
applies in cases
where someone is drowning, or when fires need to be put out.
(46) If a person is obliged to fast, but he deliberately has intercourse
during the day
in Ramadaan, of his own free will, where the two “circumcised parts”
(genitals)
come together and the tip of the penis penetrates either the front or
back passage,
his fast is broken, whether or not he ejaculates, and he has to repent.
He should still
fast for the rest of the day, but he has to make up the fast later on,
and offer
expiation (kafaarah), because of the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah
(may
Allaah be pleased with him): “Whilst we were sitting with the Messenger
of Allaah
peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man came to him and said:
‘O
Messenger of Allaah, I am doomed!’ He said, ‘What is the matter with
you?’ He
said, ‘I had intercourse with my wife whilst I was fasting.’ The
Messenger of
Allaah said, ‘Do you have a slave whom you could set free?’ He said,
‘No.’ He
said, ‘Can you fast for two consecutive months?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said,
‘Do you
have the wherewithal to feed sixty poor people?’ He said, ‘No’…”
(Reported by
al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 4, no. 1936). The same ruling also applies in
cases of zinaa
(adultery or fornication), homosexuality and bestiality.
[Translator's Note: Having Intercourse from the back passage, adultery,
homosexuality, and bestiality are major sins in Islam and are magnified
if done
during the day of Ramadhan.]
If a person has intercourse during the day on more than one day during
Ramadaan,
he must offer expiation for each day, as well as repeating the fast for
each day. Not
knowing that kafaarah is obligatory is no excuse. (Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa’imah,
10/321).
(47) If a man wants to have intercourse with his wife but he breaks his
fast by
eating first, his sin is more serious, because he has violated the
sanctity of the
month on two counts, by eating and by having intercourse. It is even
more certain
in this case that expiation is obligatory, and if he tries to get out of
it, that only
makes matters worse. He must repent sincerely. (See Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,
25/262).
(48) Kissing, hugging, embracing, touching and repeatedly looking at
one’s wife or
concubine, if a man is able to control himself, is permissible, because
it is reported
in al-Saheehayn from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the
Prophet
peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to kiss and embrace his
wives
whilst he was fasting, but he was the most in control of his desire.
With regard to
the hadeeth qudsi, “he keeps away from his wife for My sake”, this is
referring to
intercourse. But if a person get aroused quickly and is unable to
control himself,
then it is not permissible for him to kiss or embrace his wife, because
that will lead
to him breaking his fast, as he cannot be sure that he will be able to
avoid
ejaculating or having intercourse. Allaah says in a hadeeth qudsi: “and
he leaves his
desire for My sake.” The Islamic guideline is that anything that leads
to haraam is
also haraam.
(49) If a person is engaged in the act of intercourse and dawn comes, he
is obliged
to withdraw, and his fast will be valid even if he ejaculates after
withdrawal, but if
he continues having intercourse until after dawn, he has broken his
fast, and he
must repent, make the fast up later, and offer expiation.
(50) If morning comes and a person is in a state of janaabah (impurity
following
sexual intercourse), this does not affect his fasting. He or she is
permitted to delay
doing ghusl, whether it is for janaabah or following menstruation or
post-natal
bleeding, until after the sun has come up, but it is better to hasten to
do ghusl so
that one can pray.
(51) If a person who is fasting sleeps and experiences a wet dream, this
does not
break his fast, according to scholarly consensus (ijmaa’), so he should
complete his
fast. Delaying doing ghusl does not break the fast, but he should hasten
to do ghusl
so that he can pray and so that the anegls will draw close to him.
(52) If a person ejaculates during the day in Ramadaan because of
something that
he could have refrained from, such as touching or repeatedly looking at
a woman,
he must repent to Allaah and fast for the rest of the day, but he also
has to make up
that fast later on. If a person starts to masturbate but then stops, and
does not
ejaculate, then he has to repent but he does not have to make the fast
up later on,
because he did not ejaculate. The person who is fasting must keep away
from
everything that may provoke his desire, and he must repel any bad
thoughts that
come to him. However, according to the most correct opinion, if he emits
prostatic
fluid (madhiy), this does not break his fast.
The emission of wadiy, a thick sticky substance that comes out after
urination, with
no sense of physical pleasure, does not break the fast, and a person
does not have
to do ghusl, but he does have to do istinjaa’ (clean his private parts)
and do
wudoo’. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/279)
(53) “Whoever vomits unintentionally does not have to make up the fast
later on,
but whoever vomits on purpose does have to make up the fast.” (Saheeh
hadeeth
narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3/89). A person who vomits deliberately, by
sticking his finger
down his throat or applying pressure to his stomach, or deliberately
smelling a
repulsive odour, or looking at something that could make him vomit, is
obliged to
make up the fast later on. If he feels that he is about to vomit, but
then it subsides
by itself, this does not break his fast, because it is not something
that he can
control, but if the vomit comes into his mouth and he swallows it back
down, this
does break the fast. If a person feels sick in his stomach, he does not
have to
suppress the urge to vomit, because this could cause him harm. (Majaalis
Sharh
Ramadaan, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 67).
If a person unintentionally swallows something that is stuck between his
teeth, or if
it is so small that he could not tell it was there or spit it out, this
is counted as being
part of his saliva and it does not break his fast. But if it is big
enough to spit out, he
should spit it out. If he spits it out, this is OK, but if he swallows
it, this breaks his
fast. If it can be diluted in the mouth, in whole or in part, and it has
an added taste
or sweetness, it is haraam for him to chew it. If any of this substance
reaches the
throat, this breaks the fast. If a person spits out water after rinsing
his mouth, his
fast is not affected by any moisture or wetness that is left behind,
because he
cannot help it.
If a person suffers from a nosebleed, his fast is still valid, because
this is something
that is beyond his control. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/264).
If he has gum ulcers or his gums bleed after using the siwaak (tooth
stick), it is not
permissible for him to swallow the blood; he has to spit it out.
However, if some
blood enters his throat by accident, and he did not mean for that to
happen, there is
no need to worry. Similarly, if vomit rises in his throat then goes back
down to his
stomach without him intending for this to happen, his fast is still
valid. (Fataawa
al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/254).
With regard to mucus coming from the head (nose and sinuses) and phlegm
coming
from the chest by coughing and clearing the throat, if it is swallowed
before it
reaches the mouth, this does not break a person’s fast, because it is a
problem
which all people have; but if it is swallowed after it reaches the
mouth, this does
break the fast. However, if it is swallowed unintentionally, it does not
break the
fast.
Inhaling water vapours, as may happen to people working in desalination
plants,
does not break the fast. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/276).
It is disliked (makrooh) to taste food unnecessarily, because this
carries the risk that
the fast may be broken. Examples of cases where it is necessary to taste
food
include a mother chewing food for an infant when she has no other way to
feed
him, tasting food to make sure that it is OK, and tasting something when
making a
purchase. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “There is nothing wrong
with
tasting vinegar or anything that one wishes to buy.” (Classed as hasan
in Irwa’
al-Ghaleel, 4/86; See al-Fath, commentary on Baab Ightisaal al-Saa’im,
Kitaab al-Siyaam).
(54) Using siwaak is Sunnah for the one who is fasting at all times of
the day, even
if it is wet. If a person who is fasting uses a siwaak and detects some
heat or other
taste from it and swallows it, or if he takes the siwaak out of his
mouth and sees
saliva on it then puts it back in his mouth and swallows the saliva,
this does not
break his fast. (al-Fataawa al-Sa’diyyah, 245). He should avoid any
substance that can
be diluted, such as the green siwaak, or siwaak that has any extra
flavour added to
it, like lemon or mint. He should spit out any small pieces that come
off the siwaak
in his mouth; he should not swallow them deliberately, but if he
swallows them
accidentally, there is no harm done.
(55) If a fasting person is injured or suffers a nosebleed, or gets
water or petrol in
his mouth by accident, this does not break his fast. If he gets dust,
smoke or flies in
his mouth by accident, this does not break his fast either. Things that
one cannot
avoid swallowing, like one’s own saliva, or dust from grinding flour, do
not break
the fast. If a person gathers a lot of saliva in his mouth then swallows
it on purpose,
this does not break the fast, according to the most correct opinion.
(al-Mughni by Ibn
Qudaamah, 3/106).
If tears reach one’s throat, or if a person applies oil to his hair or
moustache, or
uses henna, and then detects the taste of it in his throat, this does
not break his fast.
Using henna, kohl or oil does not break the fast. (See Majmoo’
al-Fataawa, 25/233,
25/245). This also applies to creams used to moisturize and soften the
skin.
There is nothing wrong with smelling pleasant fragrances, using perfume
or
applying scented creams and the like. There is nothing wrong with a
fasting person
using bukhoor (incense), so long as he does not use it as snuff.
(Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa’imah, 10/314).
It is better not to use toothpaste during the day, and to leave it till
night-time,
because it is too strong. (Al-Majaalis, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 72).
(56) To be on the safe side, it is better for the fasting person not to
be treated with
cupping (hijaamah). There is a strong difference of opinion on this
matter. Ibn
Taymiyah suggested that the one who has cupping done breaks his fast,
but the one
who does it does not break his fast.
(57) Smoking breaks the fast, and it cannot be used as an excuse not to
fast. How
can a sin be taken as an excuse?!
(58) Immersing oneself in water or wrapping oneself in wet clothes in
order to cool
down does not break the fast. There is nothing wrong with pouring water
over
one’s head to obtain relief from heat and thirst. Swimming is disliked,
because it
might make one break the fast (by swallowing water). If a person’s work
involves
diving and he can be sure that he will not get water in his mouth, there
is nothing
wrong with this.
(59) If a person eats, drinks or has intercourse, thinking that it is
still night, then he
realizes that dawn has already broken, there is no harm done, because
the aayah
clearly states that it is permissible to do these things until one is
sure that dawn has
come. ‘Abd al-Razzaaq reported with a saheeh isnaad going back to Ibn
‘Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: “Allaah has permitted you
to eat and
drink so long as there is any doubt in your mind.” (Fath al-Baari,
4/135; this is also the
opinion of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 29/263).
(60) If a person breaks his fast, thinking that the sun has already set
when it has
not, he must make up the fast later on (according to the majority of
scholars),
because the principle is that it is still day, and a fact that is
certain cannot be
rejected in favour of something doubtful. (Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
thought
that it was not necessary for a person in this situation to make up the
fast).
If dawn breaks and a person has food or drink in his mouth, the fuqaha’
are agreed
that he should spit it out, and his fast is valid. This is like the
ruling on one who eats
or drinks because he forgets, then remembers he is fasting – if he
hastens to spit out
the food or drink in his mouth, his fast is still valid.
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