Things that break the fast

Every Muslim must know the actions that break the fast in order to avoid them. These actions can be divided into eight types:

If one has the intention, while he is fasting to break his fast before sunset, he in effect has voided his fast even if he does not actually eat anything after having that intention. This is because the intention is one of the pillars of fasting.

Type two: Sexual intercourse
When a fasting person makes sexual intercourse, his fast is not just invalidated but an atonement (Kaffarah) is imposed on him. In such a case the atonement is one of the following things with the given order of priority: He should first free a Muslim slave, if that is not possible then he should fast two consecutive months without interruption. If he cannot do this, then he should feed 60 poor persons. If he cannot do this, because he is poor, then he is exempt from the atonement.

Abu Hurairah reported that a person came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I am ruined. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "What has brought about your ruin?" He said: I have had intercourse with my wife during the month of Ramadan. Upon this the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Can you find a slave to set him free?" He said: No. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Can you observe fast for two consecutive months?" He said: No. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Can you provide food for 60 poor people?" He said: No, and he sat down. In the meanwhile, there was brought to the Apostle of Allah a basket which contained dates. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Give these dates in charity." He said: Am I to give to one who is poorer than I? There is no family poorer than mine between the two lava plains of Madinah. The Prophet (pbuh) laughed so that his molar teeth became visible and said: "Go and give it to your family to eat." Related by Muslim.

Type three: Ejaculation of sperm
Ejaculation of sperm voids the fast even if it was just due to kissing, hugging or masturbation. In the Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: "The fasting person leaves his food, drink and desire for Me." Related by Bukhari.

Kissing that does not lead to ejaculation is allowed for those who can control themselves. In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Aisha (RA) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) kissed while he was fasting but he was the best among people to control himself. On the other hand, if the fasting person knows that if he starts kissing his wife, he may not be able to control himself and it may lead to ejaculation, then it becomes unlawful for him to kiss her.

Type four: Intentional eating or drinking
The intake of any kind of food or drink that reaches the stomach invalidates the fast. If one eats due to forgetfulness, a mistake, or coercion, then his fast is right. Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks is to complete his fast, as it was Allah Who fed him and gave him something to drink." Related Bukhari and Muslim.

Type five: Intentional intake of any thing that has the same effect as eating or drinking
Everything that plays the same role as eating or drinking invalidates the fast. For example, any injection that has nourishment in it and acts like food would break one's fast. Other types of injections that do not contain nourishing agents do not invalidate the fast even if they are taken through the veins.

Type six: Hijamah
Hijamah is the taking out of blood by scarification or by opening a vein. Hijamah invalidates the fast according to the Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) where he said: "The person whom the Hijamah is made for and the person who made the Hijamah have broken their fast." Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud and al­Bukhari said: There is no Hadith in this subject that is more authentic than this one.

Taking out blood by any other means invalidates the fast if it causes weakness of the body. Otherwise, the little blood that comes out due to teeth brushing, or teeth removal or the blood that comes out of the nose does not invalidate the fast.

Type seven: Intentional vomiting
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever is overcome and vomits is not to make up the day. Whoever vomits intentionally must make up the day," related by Ahmad, Abu­Dawud, and al­Hakim, the later called it Sahih.

Type eight: The menses and post­childbirth bleeding
Appearance of menstruation or post­childbirth blood invalidates the fast even if such bleeding begins just before sunset.

The first seven types of actions mentioned above will invalidate the fast only in the case that the following three conditions are satisfied:

First: The fasting person should be aware of the rule and the time. Therefore, if a fasting person vomits intentionally believing that this does not break his fasting, his fast will not be broken, because he did not know the rule. Similarly, if the fasting person eats or drinks after dawn, believing that it is not dawn yet, his fast will not be invalid because he did not know the correct time.

Second: The fasting person should be aware of what he is doing, but if he does an action out of forgetfulness then his fast is not broken. For example, if a person eats or drinks forgetting that he is fasting, then his fast will not be broken.

Third: The fasting person should not be acting against his free will. If he is forced to do it then his fast is not broken. For example, if a fasting person is forced to eat or drink, then his fast is not broken.

Ibn Abbas, narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah forgives my nation things that they do by mistake, by forgetfulness and things that they do by coercion." Authentic Hadith related by Ibn Majah and Al­Baihaqui. (From The Friday Report)