Things that nullify fasting

Fasting [As-Siyam or As-Sawm]:

♦ Linguistic: To refrain, to stop
♦ Definition: To refrain from things that nullify
fasting from the break of dawn till sunset with
the intention of worshipping Allah.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the
five pillars of Islam and holds many benefits for
Muslims. It is a means of attaining taqwa (piety,
being conscious of Allah), and Taqwa means doing
that which Allah has enjoined and avoiding that
which He has forbidden.
The Quran, for example, says:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, so
that you may attain piety (and self-restraint)”
(Al-Baqarah: Chapter 2:183).
Allah has commanded the fasting person to fast in a
moderate manner and not to be extreme in fasting.
 During the month of Ramadan, the
Qur'an was sent down as a guidance to the
people with Clear Signs of the true guidance
and as the Criterion (between right and wrong).
So those of you who live to see that month
should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a
journey should fast the same number of other
days instead. Allah wants ease and not
hardship for you so that you may complete the
number of days required, magnify Allah for
what He has guided you to and give thanks to
Him. (2:185)

Things that nullify fasting

Allah has summed up the things that break the fast
in the verse where He says:
“.........So now, have relations with them and
seek that which Allah has decreed for you [i.e.,
offspring]. And eat and drink until the white
thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the
black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast
until the night [i.e., sunset] …”
[al-Baqarah 2:187]
 This verse mentions the main things that invalidate
the fast, which are eating, drinking and intercourse.

by the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬in his Sunnah.

The other things that break the fast were mentioned

1.Intercourse
2.Eating and drinking intentionally
3.Anything that takes the role of Food and drink
4.Ejaculation (Masturbation)
5.Cupping and like (i.e., donating blood)
6.Vomiting Intentionally
7.Menstruation and Postpartum bleeding (Nifaas)
8.Intending to invalidate fasting
 Intercourse:
This is one of the most serious ways of
nullifying a fast and it attracts heavy punishment.
If anyone has any sexual relation with their
spouse during the day in the month of Ramadan,
then their fast is rendered invalid, whether he
ejaculates or not. He has to repent, complete that day
(i.e., not eat or drink until sunset), make up that day’s
fast later on and offer a severe expiation.
THE QUR’AN:

‫ُاِح َّل َلـُک ۡم َلۡي َلَة الِّصَياِم الَّر َفُث ِاٰل ى ِنَس ٓاِئُك ۡم ؕ ُهَّن ِلَباٌس َّلـُك ۡم َو َاۡن ـُتۡم ِلَباٌس‬
‫َّلُهَّن ؕ  َع ِلَم ُهّٰللا َاَّنُک ۡم ُك ۡن ُتۡم َتۡخ َتاُنۡو َن َاۡن ُفَس ُک ۡم َفَتاَب َع َلۡي ُك ۡم َو َع َفا َع ۡن ُك ۚۡم َفاۡل ٰٔـ َن‬
‫َباِش ُر ۡو ُهَّن َو اۡب َتُغۡو ا َم ا َکَتَب ُهّٰللا َلـكِ ُۡم‬
“It has been made lawful for you to go into your
wives during the night of the fast. They are your
garment, and you are theirs. Allah knows that you
used to betray yourselves and He mercifully relented
and pardoned you. So, you may now associate
intimately with your wives and benefit from the
enjoyment Allah has made lawful for you….” [al-
Baqarah 2:187]
The specification of intercourse being permissible
during the nights of Ramadan shows that it is
impermissible to have intercourse during the day
hours of Ramadan.
HADITH:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
While we were sitting with the Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬a man
came and said, "O Allah's Messenger ( ‫ !)ﷺ‬I have
been ruined." Allah's Messenger ( ‫ )ﷺ‬asked what was
the matter with him. He replied, "I had sexual

Messenger ( ‫ )ﷺ‬asked him, "Can you afford to

intercourse with my wife while I was fasting." Allah's
Messenger ( ‫ )ﷺ‬asked him, "Can you fast for two
manumit a slave?" He replied in the negative. Allah's

Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬asked him, "Can you afford to feed sixty

successive months?" He replied in the negative. The

Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬kept silent and while we were in that

poor persons?" He replied in the negative. The

Prophet ( ‫)ﷺ‬. He asked, "Where is the questioner?" He

state, a big basket full of dates was brought to the

replied, "I (am here)." The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said (to him),

"Take this (basket of dates) and give it in charity."
The man said, "Should I give it to a person poorer
than I? By Allah; there is no family between its (i.e.,

Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬smiled till his premolar teeth became

Medina's) two mountains who are poorer than I." The

visible and then said, 'Feed your family with it."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1936

In-book reference: Book 30, Hadith 43
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 3, Book 31,
Hadith 157
This hadith mentions the expiation for this sin:
One must free a slave. If they are unable to do that,
they must fast for two consecutive months. Moreover,
if they are also incapable of doing that, they should
feed 60 poor people.
  Eating and drinking intentionally:
Once a person intentionally eats or drinks
anything during the day in the month of Ramadan,
then his fast becomes null and void.
THE QUR’AN:
‫َو ُك ُلۡو ا َو اۡش َر ُبۡو ا َح ّٰت ى َيَتَبَّيَن َلـُك ُم اۡل َخ ـۡي ُط اَاۡلۡب َيُض ِم َن اۡل َخ ـۡي ِط اَاۡلۡس َو ِد ِم َن‬
ِ‫اۡل َفۡج ِرؕ ُثَّم َاِتُّم وا الِّص َياَم ِاَلى اَّلۡي ل‬
…. And eat and drink until the white thread of
dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread
[of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e.,
sunset] …. [al-Baqarah 2:187]
HADITH:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet ( ‫ )ﷺ‬said, "Allah said: The Fast is for Me,
and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who
observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and
drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and
there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at
the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time
when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the
mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah's Sight
than the smell of musk." (See Hadith No. 128, Vol. 3).

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 7492

In-book reference: Book 97, Hadith 118
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 9, Book 93,
Hadith 584
This fundamentally involves getting food or water via
the nose into the stomach. In this regard, the Prophet
SAW commanded that:
“Snuff up water deeply into the nose (when doing
wudoo’), except when you are fasting.” (Narrated by
al-Tirmidhi, 788).

 Anything that takes the role of Food

and drink:
Among the things that nullify fasting is
anything that is categorized as food and drink.
Such as, receiving via a needle (as in the case
of a drip) nourishing substances which take the place
of food and drink, because this is the same as food
and drink.
 Similarly, blood transfusion to someone
who is fasting breaks the person’s fast as it’s
scientifically proven that blood is formed from food
and drink.
However, injections that do not add any
form of nourishment to the body and are
administered for medical purposes do not invalidate
the fast, such as penicillin or insulin – or are given to
energize the body, or for the purpose of vaccinations ,
these do not affect the fast, whether they are
intravenous or intramuscular (injected into a vein or a
muscle).
Kidney dialysis, in which blood is extracted,
cleaned and then returned to the body with the
addition of chemical substances such as sugars and
salts etc., is regarded as invalidating the fast.
(Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah, 10/19)

 Ejaculation (Masturbation):
Fasting is invalidated by deliberate ejaculation,
as in the case of masturbation or foreplay leading to
ejaculation. All this counts as deliberate arousal and
this voids the fast. In such a case, the person who
does any of these must compensate by repenting and
making up for the day.
HADITH:
In Hadith Qudsi, Allah says about the fasting person,
'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake.
The fast is for Me. So, I will reward (the fasting
person) for it and the reward of good deeds is
multiplied ten times."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1894

In-book reference: Book 30, Hadith 4
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 3, Book 31,
Hadith 118
With regards to ejaculation due to looking at or
thinking about something, then it is like having a wet
dream during the day and therefore, it does not
invalidate fasting and there is no requirement on the
person. Also, the ejaculation of seminal fluid does not
void the fast.

 Cupping [Hijama]:
This involves bringing blood out through the
skin, rather than the veins. If a fasting person
undergoes cupping, he invalidates his fasting.
 The person administering the cupping also
invalidates his fast if he sucks the blood with his
mouth, but if the sucking is done by some tools, then
his fast remains valid.
HADITH:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
‘Both the cupping and the cupped persons break their
fast.’
Related by Abu Dawud, hadith No. 2,367; Ibn Majah,
hadith No. 1,680; Ibn Khuzaymah, hadith No. 1,983
The same rule applies for blood donation as a lot of
blood is extracted from a body in the course of
transfusion and it affects the body in the same way
as cupping.
It is not permissible for a person who is fasting to
donate blood unless it is essential, in which case it is
permissible. In that case, the donor has broken his
fast and must make up that day later on. (Ibn
‘Uthaymin, Majalis Shahr Ramadan, p. 71)
However, if someone loses blood due to tooth
extraction, injury or nose bleeding, their fast remains
valid.
  Vomiting Intentionally:
If a person deliberately vomits during the day,
then their fast is nullified. Whoever vomits
deliberately by sticking his finger in his throat,
pressing his stomach, deliberately smelling something
nasty or persisting in looking at something that
makes him vomit, has to make up his fast later on.
HADITH:
Abu Hurairah narrated that:
The Prophet said: "Whoever is overcome by vomiting,
then he is not required to make up (the fast), and
whoever vomits on purpose, then he must make it
up."
Related by [Abdullah ibn Ahmad in Zawa’id al-
Musnad, hadith No. 10,463; Abu Dawud, hadith No.
2,380; al-Tirmidhi, hadith No. 720; Ibn Majah, hadith
No. 1,676; al-Nassa’i in Al-Sunan al-Kubra, hadith
No. 3,117
Nonetheless, the fast remains valid if the vomiting is
not intentional.

 Menstruation and Postpartum bleeding

(Nifaas):
 A woman’s fasting is deemed invalid if she has
her period even if it is just moments before sunset.
However, if she feels her period has started but still
hasn’t seen any blood then her fasting is valid.
Also, If the bleeding of a woman who is
menstruating or in nifas ceases at night and she has
the intention of fasting, then dawn comes before she
does ghusl, the view of all the scholars is that her
fast is valid.
HADITH:
…. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said: “Is it not the case that when she gets her
period, she does not pray or fast?”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 304)

 Intending to invalidate fasting:

Any fasting person who forms the intention of
breaking or ending his fast before the time is due
invalidates his fast, even though he might not eat or
drink. Intention is one of the pillars of fasting. If it is
broken, with the intention to end the fast, the fast is
broken.
NOTE:
For a fast to become invalid in all of the factors
mentioned above except for menstrual or postpartum
bleeding, three conditions must be met.
1. The person did it knowingly, not out of ignorance
2. The person did it intentionally, not out of
forgetfulness.
3. The person did it willingly, and not under force or
compulsion.
According to most of the scholars, the only action
[among the things that nullify fasting], which requires
expiation and the day be made up is having sexual
intercourse during the day of Ramadan.

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TOPIC: Things that nullify fasting