Sunnats of Fasting (22)
1. If one takes an injection, takes insulin or receives a drip in the state of fasting, the fast will not break. [1]
2. While fasting, it is not permissible for a woman to insert any medicine, oil, etc. into her private part. If she inserts any medicine into the private part, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. [2]
3. If the doctor inserts his finger into a fasting woman’s private part, or she inserts her own finger, then if the finger was wet or moist before inserting, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. If the finger was dry, the fast will not break. However, if the doctor or fasting woman inserted their dry finger and removed it, and thereafter reinserted it while it was wet, then the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. [See 2]
1. While fasting, if a person took an enema, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. [1]
2. It is permissible to use eye-drops while fasting. The fast will not be nullified. [2] However, using ear-drops and nose-drops while fasting is not permissible and will nullify the fast. Only Qadha will be compulsory. [3]
3. It is permissible for a fasting person to apply surmah to the eyes and apply oil to the head or body during the day. After applying surmah, even if one sees the colour of the surmah in one’s saliva or in one’s mucus that comes out of the nose, the fast will not break. [4]
Permissible and Impermissible Acts During the Fast – Part Two
Written by user23. By one swallowing his saliva in the state of fasting, the fast will not break. Similarly, if the mucus in the nose goes down the throat, the fast will not break. [1]
4. Prior to commencing the fast, if a person eats or drinks something which has a colour and thereafter gargles his mouth, then even though the colour of the food or drink remains in his saliva after he commences the fast, his fast will be valid and will not be affected. [2]
Permissible and Impermissible Acts During the Fast – Part One
Written by user21. It is permissible for one who is fasting to sleep next to his wife, to touch her or kiss her on her cheek. However, if one fears that these acts will lead to intercourse, then he should abstain from this. In such a case, it will be makrooh for one to do such acts. [1]
12. If a fasting person’s mouth bleeds and the blood goes down the throat, then if the amount of blood which is swallowed is equal or more than the saliva swallowed, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. However, if the blood is less than the saliva swallowed, the fast will not break. [1]
13. If a fasting person’s nose bleeds, then if the blood does not go down the nasal passage, the fast will not break. If the blood flowed down the nasal passage and entered the throat, then it will be seen whether the blood was more than the saliva or less than it. If the blood was more than the saliva or equal to it, then the fast will break. If the blood was less than the saliva, then the fast will not break. [See 1]
[1] وإن خرج من بين أسنانه دم فابتلعه إن كان الدم غالبا على الريق أو كانا سواء أفطر ولا كفارة عليه وإن كانت الغلبة للريق لا يفطر (الجوهرة النيرة 1/141)
9. If a fasting person vomits unintentionally, the fast will not break, irrespective of whether he vomits a mouthful or less. [1] However, if he vomits intentionally, his fast will break in the case where the vomit is a mouthful or more. If he vomits intentionally, but the vomit is less than a mouthful, the fast will not break. [2]
7. If some food particle is stuck in the teeth, and during the fast, the food particle goes down the throat, then if the food particle is less than the size of a chanaa (chickpea), the fast will not break. If it is equal to or more than the size of a chickpea, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib. [1]
4. If while fasting, a fly or some smoke or dust accidentally entered the throat, the fast will not break. However, if one had intentionaly swallowed the fly or inhaled the smoke, the fast will break and only qadha will be waajib.
1. If a fasting person forgetfully eats, drinks, or has intercourse, the fast will not break. [1] However, if he intentionally eats, drinks, or has intercourse, then both qadha and kaffaarah will be waajib. [2]
2. After eating forgetfully, if a fasting person intentionally ate, thinking that his fast had already broken, then his fast will break. However, only qadha will be waajib upon him. Kaffaarah will not be waajib upon him. [3]
3. If one sees a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully, then if the fasting person is healthy and strong, it will be waajib (compulsory) to remind him that he is fasting. However, if the fating person is weak, then he should not remind him that he is fasting. Rather, he should leave him to continue eating. [4]
6. If one falls ill while fasting and is unable to continue with the fast, it will be permissible for him to break the fast and only qadha will be waajib. [1]
7. If one makes a vow that he will fast if a certain work is accomplished or a certain outcome materialises, then in such a case, it will be waajib on him to fast if the specified work is accomplished or the intended outcome materialises. For example, one makes a vow saying, “If my mother recovers from her sickness, I will fast,” or one says, “If I pass in my exams, I will fast.” [2]
8. If one breaks a nafl fast, then it will be compulsory upon him to observe a qadha fast for the broken nafl fast. [3]
9. If a person’s fast breaks in the month of Ramadhaan, it is not permissible for him to eat or drink anything for the rest of the day. It is waajib upon him to conduct like a fasting person by not eating and drinking for the rest of the day. This ruling also applies to a woman whose haidh terminates during the day. It is not permissible for her to eat or drink anything for the rest of the day. [4]
10. If a person did not make the intention to fast on any day of Ramadhaan and ate and drank during the day, only qadha for that day will be compulsory upon him. Kaffaarah will not be compulsory upon him, as he did not break the fast on that day, but rather refrained from fasting. [5]
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1. Fasting is for a Muslim male, or female who is in her pure state, to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse from subah saadiq (early dawn) till sunset with the intention of fasting. Hence, if one eats after subah saadiq or one eats before sunset, one’s fast will not be valid. [1]
2. It is not necessary for a person to make a verbal intention to fast. Instead, it is sufficient for one to make the intention of fasting in one’s heart. [2]
3. Fasting in the month of Ramadhaan is fardh on every baaligh, sane Muslim. As long as there is no valid excuse, it is not permissible for one to omit fasting. [3] If one is ill or one is a musaafir, it is permissible for one to delay the fast and make qadha of it after Ramadhaan. [4]
4. If ghusl becomes compulsory upon one at night, and one only performs ghusl after the fast commences, the fast will be valid. [5]
5. If a fasting person experiences a wet dream during the day, his fast will not break, but ghusl will be compulsory upon him. [6]
If one broke his fast during the month of Ramadhaan through having relations, kaffaarah will be compulsory upon him. However, if he did not discharge the kaffaarah and repeated the crime of having relations during two or more Ramadhaans, then a separate kaffaarah will be compulsory upon him for each Ramadhaan. [1]
If one broke his fast during the month of Ramadhaan through eating or drinking, kaffaarah will be compulsory upon him. If he did not discharge the kaffaarah and repeated the crime of eating or drinking during two or more Ramadhaans, then a separate kaffaarah will not be compulsory upon him for each Ramadhaan. Rather, one kaffaarah will suffice on behalf of all the broken fasts during the several Ramadhaans. [2]
Eating and Drinking Openly in Ramadhaan and the Law of Kaffaarah
Written by user2Fasting is a salient feature of Islam. To openly eat and drink during the month of Ramadhaan is tantamount to showing disregard to the salient feature of Islam and is thus a major sin. [1]
If the one who does not fast and openly eats and drinks regards it as a sin, but does so due to weakness of Imaan, he will be guilty of commiting a major sin. However, he will not leave the fold of Islam. [2]
If he believes that there is no sin in what he is doing, then he has regarded this salient feature of Islam to be insignificant. This will therefore cause him to leave the fold of Islam. See 1
Kaffaarah for a Broken Fast
If one breaks his fast in the month of Ramadhaan without a valid excuse, he will be sinful due to committing a major sin. [3] The way for one to make taubah for this major sin is that one sincerely repents to Allah Ta‘ala for committing this major sin and makes a firm resolve that he will never repeat this sin in the future.
It is sunnah to fast on the occasion of Aashura i.e. 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th of Muharram. [1]
It is mustahab to fast on the following days:
1. The 13th, 14th and 15th of every Islamic month [2]
2. Six fasts during the month of Shawwaal [3]
3. Mondays and Thursdays [4]
4. The first nine days of Zul Hijjah. As far as the ninth of Zul – Hijjah is concerned, it is only mustahab for the one who is not performing hajj [5]
5. To fast every alternate day for the one who has the ability to do so. This fast is called Saum-e-Dawood, on account of Nabi Dawood (‘alaihis salaam) fasting in this manner [3]