Ramadan & Fasting
Acts That are Permissible During the Fast |
(1) Pouring water over one's self and submerging one's self in water |
Abu Bakr ibn 'Abdurrahman reported from a number of companions that they had seen Allah's Messenger pour water over his head while he was fasting due to thirst or extreme heat. [Ahmad, Malik and Abu Dawud; Sahih]. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "There is no harm in rinsing the mouth and cooling ones body with cold water when fasting". Similarly, one can have a bath or swim without invalidating his fast. |
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(2) Applying Kohl(*) or eye-drop or anything to the eyes |
It is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (S) to apply Kohl to his eyes (unfortunately this practice has been abandoned by Muslim men of this age). There are reports of many Sahaba applying Kohl while fasting, among them Anas who did not see any harm in use of Kohl for the fasting person. [Bukhari]. |
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(3) Kissing and foreplay for one who has the ability to control himself |
`Aishah (R) said :" The Prophet (S) would kiss and embrace [his wives] while he was fasting, for he had the most control of all of you over his desires" [Bukhari and Muslim] |
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(4) Injections, eye and ear drops |
Medically required injections, eye and ear drops and medications placed on wounds, as long as they are not for nourishing purposes they do not invalidate the fast even if one finds a taste in the throat as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim observed. |
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(5) Cupping (Hijaamah) and blood-letting [or donation] for medical purposes |
This used to be an act that breaks the fast. The Prophet (S) said "The cupper [al-Hajim] and the cupped [al-Mahjoum] have broken the fast" [Sahih al-Jami`]. However, this was abrogated later as the The Prophet (S) did it while fasting. |
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(6) Rinsing the mouth and nose |
These acts are allowed in general, but it is disliked to exaggerate (that is, use a lot of water and put the water deep into the mouth or nose while fasting). |
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(7) Those things which one could not protect one's self from |
Such as swallowing one's saliva [or sputum], the dust of the road, sifting flour and so on are all overlooked: Ibn 'Abbas ruling is that: "There is no problem with tasting liquid food or something you wish to purchase." Similarly one can taste food (when cooking) with the tongue without swallowing. |
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(8) The fasting person can eat, drink, and have sexual intercourse until fajr |
If someone has food in his mouth when fajr is beginning, he should spit it out. If he is having intercourse (with his wife) at that time, he should immediately stop. If he does so, his fast will still be valid. If he continues in these actions at that time, he will have broken his fast. Al-Bukhari and Muslim record from Aishah that the Prophet said: "Bilal makes the call to prayer while it is still night; therefore, eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes the call to prayer." |
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(9) It is permissible for the fasting person to be Junub (sexually defiled or having had intercourse or a wet dream) at the time of Fajr (that is, a person is not required to perform ghusl before fajr) |
Umm Salamah [the wife of the Prophet (S)] narrated that AbuBakr ibn AbdurRahman reported that Marwan sent him to Umm Salamah to ask whether a person should observe fast who is in a state of junaba and the dawn breaks upon him, whereupon she said that the Messenger of Allah (S) (was at times) junub on account of intercourse and not due to sexual dream, and the dawn broke upon him, but he neither broke the fast nor recompensed. [Muslim] |
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(10) Delaying the purifying ghusl (bath) from menstruation till after fajr (dawn) time. |
If the blood of a menstruating woman or of a woman with post-childbirth bleeding stops during the night, she can delay ghusl until Fajr. |
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(11) Involuntary actions |
Involuntary actions such as ejaculation in a wet dream or involuntary vomiting do not invalidate the fast [the case of vomiting has already been indicated in the hadith concerning intentional vomiting]. |