Acts That Invalidate The Fast

Acts That Invalidate The Fasting

 Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of the al-ā’lamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

One must avoid doing anything that may render the fast invalid. Things that invalidate the fast and require a qada’ (making up for these days) are the following:

1. Eating, drinking or smoking deliberately, including taking any non-nourishing items by mouth, nose or anus. According to Imam Abu Hanifah(rahimahullāh), eating and or drinking deliberately during fast also entail the same qadha’ and kaffarah.

2. Deliberately causing yourself to vomit.

3. The beginning of menstrual or post-childbirth bleeding even in the last moment before sunset.

4. Sexual intercourse or other sexual contact (or masturbation) that results in ejaculation (in men) or vaginal secretions (orgasm) in women.

5. Eating, drinking, smoking or having sexual intercourse after Fajar (dawn) on the mistaken assumption that it is not Fajar yet. Similarly, engaging in these acts before Maghrib (sunset) on the mistaken assumption that it is already the time of Maghrib.

The sexual intercourse during fasting is forbidden and is a great sin. Those who engage in it must perform both, a qada’ (make up the fasts)it and as well as a kaffarah (expiation by fasting for 60 days after Ramadhan or by feeding 60 poor people for each day of fast broken in this way).

This is in pursuance of a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiallāhu`anhu) that a person came to see the Apostle of Allah (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) and said:

“O Messenger of Allah, I am undone. The Holy Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) asked him: What has brought about your ruin? The man said: I have had intercourse with my wife during the month of Ramadhan. Upon this the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Can you find a slave to set him free? He said: No. Then Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Can you observe fast for two consecutive months? He said: No.The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) then said: Can you provide food to sixty poor people? He said: No. He then sat down and (in the meanwhile) it was brought to the Apostle of Allah (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) a basket which contained dates.The Prophet  (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) finally said: Give these (dates) in charity. The man said: Am I to give to one who is poorer than me? There is no family poorer than mine between the two lava plains of Madinah. The Apostle of Allah (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) broke into laughter that his molar teeth became visible and said: Go and give it to your family to eat.” [Muslim].

 [IslamOnline]