Knowledge Every Muslim Should Know (Book One)

Nullifiers of the Fast

NULLIFIERS OF THE FAST

Allah has prescribed fasting in accordance with the highest wisdom. He has commanded the fasting person to fast in a moderate manner, so he should not harm himself by fasting or consume anything that will invalidate the fast. 

Hence the things that invalidate the fast are of two types: 

Some of the things that invalidate the fast involve things coming out of the body, such as intercourse, deliberate vomiting, menstruation and cupping. These things that come out of the body weaken it. Hence Allah has described them as being things that invalidate the fast, so that the fasting person will not combine the weakness that results from fasting with the weakness that results from these things, and thus be harmed by his fast or his fast no longer be moderate. 

And some of the things that invalidate the fast involve things entering the body, such as eating and drinking. If the fasting person eats or drinks, he does not achieve the purpose of fasting. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 25/248. 

Allah has summed up the things that break the fast in the verse where He says (interpretation of the meaning): “So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your sawm (fast) till the nightfall.”[al-Baqarah 2:187] 

In this verse Allah mentions the main things that invalidate the fast, which are eating, drinking and intercourse. The other things that break the fast were mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in his sunnah. 

There are seven things that break the fast, as follows: 

1- Intercourse

2- Masturbation

3- Eating and drinking

4- Anything that is regarded as coming under the same heading as eating and drinking

5- Letting blood by means of cupping and the like

6- Vomiting deliberately

7- Menstruation and postpartum bleeding 

The first of the things that invalidate the fast is: intercourse. 

This is the most serious and the most sinful of the things that invalidate the fast. 

Whoever has intercourse during the day in Ramadhaan deliberately and of his or her own free will, in which the two circumcised parts meet and the tip of the penis disappears in either of the two passages, has invalidated his fast, 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 evidence for that is the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “I am doomed, O Messenger of Allah!” He said, “Why are you doomed?” He said, “I had intercourse with my wife (during the day) in Ramadhaan.” He said, “Can you free a slave?” He said, “No.” He said, “Can you fast for two consecutive months?” He said, “No.” He said, “Can you feed sixty poor persons?” He said, “No.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1936; Muslim, 1111. No expiation is required for any of the things that break the fast apart from intercourse. 

The second of the things that invalidate the fast is masturbation. This means causing ejaculation or climax by using the hand etc. The evidence that masturbation is one of the things that invalidate the fast is the words of Allah in the hadeeth qudsi in which He says of the fasting person: “He gives up his food and drink and desire for My sake.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1894; Muslim, 1151. Causing ejaculation comes under the heading of the desire which the fasting person gives up.