The Month of Ramadhân: Problems related to Fasting

All Praise is due to Allâh, we praise Him, we seek His Help and we seek His Forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allâh from the evil of our own souls and from our bad actions. Whomsoever Allâh guides, none can misguide him; and whomsoever Allâh allows to go astray, none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allâh, the Unique, without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is his Servant and Messenger.

Although it is very important to know what invalidates the fast, the careful Muslim must also pay attention to those things which adversely affect his ‘ ibâdah (worship), and decrease the reward, or put him in danger of almost invalidating his fast. Conversely, one should also be aware of those things which do not break the fast so as to not place something in this perfect religion what Allâh subhânahu wa ta’âla has not legislated. Equally important is to stay away from all possible innovations during fasting, which we start with below.

Pronouncing the Intention

To actually articulate and pronounce the intention is something which has not been authentically narrated from the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) or from his Companions ( radhy Allâhu ‘anhum), and therefore has no place in this religion. The popular recited supplications commonly found on calendars and timetables only serve to confuse the general Muslim and must be avoided.

Rather we should know that the intention for the act of fasting is a condition for the correctness of the fast. One must clearly know that he or she is about to perform their obligatory fast for the month of Ramadhân, for the sake of Allâh alone, and this is done in the heart with a clear determination, and NOT on the tongue. Also, it is not necessary to renew this intention every night, but rather it is done before the first day of Ramadhân begins and this will suffice you insha’Allâh.

Exaggerating in rinsing the nostrils during ablution

The Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in the authentic hadîth said, “Exaggerate in rinsing your nostrils (during wudhû’) except if you are fasting.”

It is clear therefore that one should be very careful during the wudhû’ to not get carried away with their intake of water into the mouth and nostrils to avoid the risk of swallowing it. Although in principle rinsing the nostrils ( istinshâq) is still allowed for the fasting person, one must not exaggerate in it.

Swallowing phlegm and mucus etc

Phlegm and mucus and whatever is similar to that are considered those substances which originate from either the chest or the nose, having a thick consistency. It is obligatory upon the one who is fasting to spit it out from his mouth and to not swallow it. As for saliva and spittle which are from the mouth’s own natural glands, then there is no problem with either swallowing it or spitting it out, and the fast is not affected either way. One should note though, many Muslims tend to spend a lot of time spitting out all their normal saliva in fear of swallowing it, and this is simply not necessary, causing the mouth to become very dry and cause difficulties for himself. Allâh jalla wa ‘alâ says in the very verse revealed for fasting:

“Allâh intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you…” (al-Baqarah, 185)

It should also be noted that particularly in the Western countries where spitting is seen as bad manners, one should take care to spit in to dustbins only, or personal tissues or handkerchiefs and not to offend others around you with such actions.

Insisting on Fasting in very difficult situations

Allâh subhânahu wa ta’âla is more knowledgeable about His Creation than we can ever be, and for this reason He has given a concession for people to make up their fast another day or to pay a poor person’s meals if one is too ill to fast. This is from the immense mercy of Allâh and we should not be ungrateful to such options, insisting on taking the difficult option every time. Allah ‘azza wa jall says:

“So whoever of you sights the month (of Ramadhân) then he must fast it, and whoever is ill or on a journey, then the same number (are to be made up later) from other days. Allâh intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you.” (al-Baqarah, 185)

So whoever is ill and finds that to fast will be difficult for him, there is no problem in making up the fast later.

Insisting on not using injections which are non-nutritional

The scholars of Islâm have clearly specified why nutritional injections are not permitted during fasting, but this does not prevent the use of other such injections such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs which are not nutritional, as some people insist on doing, interrupting important medical treatment because of their doubts and concerns.

Taking the Suhûr early and delaying the Iftâr

One of the most common problems we see involve people who eat their suhûr (the pre-dawn meal) as early as possible before the Fajr adhân, and delaying the iftâr (the meal to break the fast) so as to supposedly be ‘safe’ in their fast. This falseness is completely contradictory to the guidance of the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said, “The People will always remain good as long as they take their Iftâr early and dely their Suhûr.”

Extravagance and Lavishness during Ramadhân

Although this is the month of Ramadhân, the month of generosity and good will, it is unfortunate to see the immense extravagance and squandering of wealth and food especially at this time. Allâh says in His Book:

“Spend not wastefully in the manner of a squanderer. Verily the squanderers are the brothers of the Shayâtîn (devils), and the Shaytân is ever ungrateful to His Lord.” (al-Isrâ’, 26-27)

“Eat and drink! But waste not by way of extravagance, certainly Allâh likes not the those who waste (by extravagance).” (al-A’râf, 31)

Many go to huge lengths in preparing grand iftâr dinners with every kind of dish possible, so much so that many might even miss their salâh, and certainly feel too full and lethargic to attend the night prayers in the mosques. No doubt this is against the very ethic of this blessed month in which we are meant to empathise with our suffering Ummah, and implement control upon our desires.

Sleeping too much

Many Muslims seem to understand the month of Ramadhân to be a month off work, life and all responsibility. This again is far from the examples set by the early blessed generations who would continue to work, give da’wah and even fight for the Sake of Allâh during jihâd at this blessed time. One finds many spending the whole day asleep so as to make the fast as easy as possible. Often this is due to staying up very late in the night or sleeping all day, not only missing out on doing good actions and increased worship at this blessed time but even more incredibly, there are those who miss the obligatory prayers in the mosques at their preferred times, as Allâh says:

“Verily the prayer is enjoined upon the Believers at fixed times.” (an-Nisâ’, 103)

From the greatest of ignorance are those who are negligent with their prayer whilst fasting, especially since the prayer is from the most important pillars of belief and of a higher status in the religion than fasting itself.

Listening to vain and sinful speech

In these contemporary times where music is widespread in every corner of the globe, one must try his utmost best to stay away from listening to such sinful speech, as the companion ibn Mas’ûd (radhy Allâhu ‘anhu) said, “Music cultivates hypocrisy in the heart”, and from what Imâm al-Bukhâri narrated ta’lîqan in his Sahîh of a people who would come and make listening to such music halâl (permissible). There should be no doubt of its dangers and its wasting of our precious quality time.

Other such speech to stay away from all the time but especially so in Ramadhân is rafath (obscene speech), ghîbah (backbiting) and namîmah (slander). Imâm an-Nawawî ( rahimahullâh) said in his book al-Adhkâr, “Know that if one hears another person backbite a Muslim, he must reject it and rebuke the backbiter with the hand, and if he can’t do that then by his tongue, and then he must leave such a gathering.” It is obligatory to assume the best for your Muslim brother and to defend his honour is something which is rewarded by Allâh who will defend his face from the hellfire (based on the hadîth narrated by at-Tirmidhi).

Abusing and reviling

No doubt one must not get involved in any of these things during fasting, but if another was to abuse you, or curse or revile you, or even to try and fight you, then the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “If he abuses him or fights him, let him (the one fasting) say, “Innî Sâ’im (I am fasting).””

Ibn Taymiyyah ( rahimahullâh) said, “The one who is abused should say this out loud, thereby clarifying the reason for his lack of response (to the abuse) and it will become a rebukement in itself for the one who started the trouble.”

Looking at forbidden things

One should have realised that to fast properly involves an abstention of the entire limbs of the body from all forms of desires and sins. By not getting involved with vain talk and backbiting, your tongue is fasting. By not getting angry in certain circumstances is the fasting of your heart, your temper and your spiritual self. Likewise, the fasting of the eyes is paramount to a successful fast, abstaining from looking at all forms of harâm and lowering the gaze, for it is well known that looking at certain pictures, film, or other things in real life such as women etc especially in the West, is the highest form of inciting the desires which will leaves ones fast deficient in terms of reward and spiritual satisfaction. It is vital for the Muslim to be on his guard at all times, protecting all his limbs from the desires so that he can indeed be from those mentioned in the famous hadîth qudsi, “He has left his food, drink and desires for My Sake alone.” Miscellaneous Fatâwa concerning things which do not break the Fast (from the rulings of Shaykh ibn Bâz (rahimahullâh) in his ‘Majmû’ al-Fatâwa’) Question: Whilst I was fasting, I fell asleep in the mosque and after I awoke, I realised I had had a wet dream. Does that affect the fact that I did not have a purificatory bath and I prayed anyway? And another time, I hurt my head on a rock and I bled a lot, so does that break the fast?

Answer: Wet dreams do not invalidate the fast for that is not under your control but one must make the ghusl (purificatory bath) for sexual defilement due to the ejaculation of sperm, as commanded by the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when he was asked such a question, he ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) answered that the ghusl is to be done if ‘water’ is seen i.e. sperm. As for praying without the ghusl, then this is a mistake and a great evil, for which you must repeat the prayer and make repentance to Allâh subhânahu wa ta’âla. As for the bleeding you incurred when you got hurt, this does not invalidate your fast.

Question: If madhiyy (prostatic fluid) is emitted for any possible reason, is the fast invalidated or not?

Answer: According to the most correct opinion of the scholars, it does not break the fast.

Question: What is the ruling of the one who is fasting having rectal injections for a medical need?

Answer: The ruling is that there is no problem in that for the sick person according to the most correct of the two scholarly opinions, and that is also the opinion of Shaykh al-Islâm ibn Taymiyyah ( rahimahullâh) and a group of the ‘ ulemâ’ due to the lack of similarity to eating and drinking.

Question: What is the ruling on using intravenous injections and intramuscular injections, and what is the difference between the two for the one who is fasting?

Answer: With the Name of Allâh, and All Praise is due to Allâh, what is correct is that they both do not break the fast, for what breaks the fast are nutritional injections only. Likewise, giving a blood sample for examination does not break the fast either for this is not like hijâmah (cupping).

Question: If someone has a toothache and visits the dentist, and his teeth are cleaned or has a filling or has a tooth extracted, does any of that affect one who is fasting? What if the dentist also gives him an injection to numb the tooth as well?

Answer: What has been mentioned in the question does not affect his fast, rather all that is pardoned. What the fasting one must be careful of is not to swallow any of the medicine or the blood, and likewise the injection mentioned above does not affect the fast because it does not hold the same meaning as food and drink, so the principle remains that his fast is correct and sound.

Question: Can the one who is fasting use toothpaste during the daytime in Ramadhân?

Answer: There is no problem in that as long as care is taken that nothing is swallowed, just as it is legislated for the fasting person to use the siwâk (toothstick) in the beginning of the day as well as at the end of the day. Some scholars considered it to be makrûh (disliked) to use the siwâk after the zawâl (the time of the meridian i.e. Dhuhr time) but this is incorrect, rather there is no dislike in that due to the generality of the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “The Siwâk purifies the mouth and is pleasing to your Lord” narrated by Imâm an-Nasâ’i with an authentic chain on the authority of ‘آ’ishah (radhy Allâhu ‘anhâ). Also the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “If I was not to make it difficult upon my Nation, I would have ordered them to use the Siwâk before every prayer.” (Agreed upon). This hadeeth includes Dhuhr and ‘Asr which are both after the time of Zawâl, and Allâh is the Granter of Success.

Question: Does using eye drops during the daytime in Ramadhân break the fast or not?

Answer: What is correct is that eye drops do not break the fast, even though there is a difference between the people of Knowledge. Some of them said, “If their taste reaches the throat, it breaks the fast.” But what is correct is that it does not generally break the fast because the eye is not considered an orifice, although if one was not to use them out of cautiousness and to keep away from differences of opinion due to the presence of their taste in the throat then fair enough. But what is correct is that they do not break the fast whether they are eye drops or ear drops.

Question: I suffer from asthma and doctors have advised me to use asthma inhalers via the mouth, so what is the ruling of my use of this treatment with respect to my fast during Ramadhân? May Allâh reward you with good.

Answer: With the Name of Allâh, and All Praise is due to Allâh. The ruling is one of permissibility if you are compelled to use it, due the His statement, ‘azza wa jall:

“And He (Allâh) has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity..” (al-An’âm, 119)

Also, using the inhaler is not the same as eating and drinking, rather it comes under the same category of giving blood for examinations and having non-nutritional injections.

Question: One finds Pharmacies selling fragrant mouth products in the form of a spray. Is it permissible for one to use these during the daytime in Ramadhân to get rid of the bad smell of the mouth?

Answer: We do not know of any problem using mouth sprays to get rid of the smell of the fasting person’s mouth as long as the sprays themselves are pure and permissible.

Question: What is the ruling of kohl (antimony for the eyes) and other beauty products during the daytime in Ramadhân, do they break the fast or not?

Answer: Kohl does not break the fast for either women or men according to the most correct of the two scholarly opinions, but to use it in the night is better for the one who is fasting, likewise the use of soaps and cosmetic creams and other such substances on the skin. This would also be the case for Henna and foundation powder or make-up, although one should not use such foundation on the face if it causes harm, and Allâh is the Granter of Success.

Question: What is the ruling of swallowing saliva for the one who is fasting?

Answer: There is no problem in swallowing ones saliva, and I don’t know of any difference in opinion between the People of Knowledge due to the difficulty and impossibility of guarding against that. As for mucus and phlegm, then it is obligatory to spit it out if it reaches the mouth, and it is not permissible for the one who is fasting to swallow it due to one being able to guard against that, and they are not the same as saliva, and with Allâh is all success.

Question: Is it permissible to use perfume, cologne or incense (bukhûr) during the daytime of Ramadhân?

Answer: Yes it is permissible to use them on the condition that one does not inhale the bukhûr (due to the tangible particles that will be inhaled).

Question: Does backbiting people break the fast in Ramadhân?

Answer: Backbiting (to mention something about your Muslim brother which he does not like) does not break the fast, rather it is an evil sin due to the statement of Allâh ‘ azza wa jall:

“And do not backbite one another..” (al-Hujurât, 12)

Likewise, slander, insulting someone, cursing and lying all do not break the fast, but they are all evil sins which must be avoided by the one who is fasting as well as others for it will decrease the reward of the fast due to the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Whoever does not give up lying speech, acting on those (lies) and evil actions, then Allâh is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.” (narrated by Imâm al-Bukhâri in his Sahîh). Also the statement of the Prophet (sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Fasting is a Junnah (protection from the hellfire), so the person who is fasting should abstain from obscene behaviour, from behaving foolishly and if someone abuses him or fights him, he should say to him twice, “Innî Sâ’im (I am fasting.)”” (agreed upon), and the narrations like this are many.

May the Peace and Blessings of Allâh be upon His Servant Muhammad.