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During Ramadan, people who fast don’t eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. Muslims eat (sehri) before the Fajr prayer and break their fast at sunset when they hear the Maghrib prayer. Fasting makes your taqwa (faith) stronger and keeps you from doing anything wrong.
As Muslims, we should know what Allah SWT and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have told us to stay away from when fasting. Read on to find out the things that will break your fast.
During Ramadan, Why Do Muslims Fast?
Abu Huraira (RA) said that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said,
“Allah SWT the Exalted and Majestic said: Everything the son of Adam does is for him except fasting. It is only for Me, and I will be the only one to reward it. Fasting is a protection.
If you’re fasting on a certain day, you shouldn’t use bad language or raise your voice. If someone insults you or tries to fight with you, you should say, “I’m fasting.”
By the One who holds Muhammad’s life in His hands, Allah SWT finds the breath of a fast-keeper sweeter than the smell of musk on the Day of Judgment. “Whoever fasts has two reasons to be happy: when he breaks his fast, he is happy, and when he meets his Lord, he is happy with his fast.” (Sahih Muslim 1151)
Significance Of Fasting In Islam
Allah SWT Says in the Holy Quran,
“You who believe, fasting is required of you, just as it was required of those who came before you, so that you can become good. (Qur’an, 2:183)
Uthman ibn Abu Al-Aas said, “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ‘Fasting is a shield from Hellfire, just like the shield you use in battle.'” (Sunan Ibn Majah, 1639)
In other words, fasting keeps a person’s soul from doing something bad, which helps them develop self-control. So, if a Muslim fasts righteously, they will be saved in the afterlife. They will be saved from Hellfire and allowed into Paradise.
These Things That Will Break Your Fast In Islam
Islam says that there is a list of right things that can break your fast or make it not count. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadan without an allowance or illness, his fasting for all time would not make up for it.” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 273) So, the following things should be avoided at all costs when fasting:
Eating, Drinking And Smoking
Most of the things that break your fast are smoking, drinking, and eating on purpose. But keep in mind that if you forgot you were fasting and accidentally ate or drank something, your fast would not be broken.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,
“If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah SWT has made him eat and drink.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6669)
Abu Hurairah (RA) said, “Someone came to our master the Prophet and said, “O the Messenger of Allah, I am ruined.” The Prophet (PBUH), who was our leader, asked what had happened. He said that he had broken his fast on purpose during Ramadan.
Our master, the Prophet (PBUH), told him to free an enslaved person. When he told him he didn’t have a slave, he told him to fast for two months straight. When he said he couldn’t, he told him to give the money to poor people.
Listening To Music And Blaming , Misbehaving
People often lie, swear, or act badly without realising it. In the same way, listening to music is the best way to deal with stress. But a Muslim is strongly condemned for these things, whether or not they are fasting. An Islamic scholar named Ahmad Mufti said, “They don’t break the fast, but doing these things keeps a person from getting rewards and God’s forgiveness. Fasting is more than just giving up food and drink.
The Messenger (PBUH) of Allah SWT said, “Allah doesn’t need him to stop eating and drinking if he doesn’t stop lying and acting on it.” (Al-Bukhaari, 1903, 6075) He (PBUH) also said, “If you’re fasting, don’t swear or act like you don’t know what you’re doing. If someone insults you or wants to fight you, say, “I’m fasting.”
Vomiting Intentionally
Islamic stories say that if you throw up on purpose, it can break your fast, but if you throw up by accident, it doesn’t. A person can make themselves throw up on purpose by putting their fingers down their throat or pressing their stomach.
A person can also feel sick to their stomach or throw up if they watch a bad video or smell something gross.
Abu Hurairah (RA) said that the Messenger (PBUH) of Allah SWT said,
“If someone vomits suddenly while fasting, they don’t have to make up for it. But if they do it on purpose, they have to make up for it.” (Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abu Dawud 2380)
Hijamah and Blood Transfusion
Hijamah, also called “cupping,” is a way to get rid of dead skin cells by cutting or scratching a patient’s back, shoulder, or neck (rotten blood). Even though it’s a well-known medical technique, Islamic schools of thought disagree about whether cupping or giving blood breaks a person’s fast or not.
But most people say that doing either of these things (Hijamah or Blood Donation) can break your fast.
The Prophet (PBUH) of Allah SWT said, “Both the one who cups and the one who is cupped for break their fasts.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 1679)
When a person who is fasting gets a blood transfusion, they should know that it will also break their fast because blood is food (food and water). Also, getting treatment for nutrition through needles and drips can break your fast.
Masturbation
Masturbation is when you use your hands to relieve yourself sexually. It is also a form of desire. So, doing this can cause you to break your fast. If this mistake has already been made, the person must apologise to Allah SWT and not eat or drink for the rest of the day.
“He gives up what he eats, drinks, and wants for Me.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1894; Muslim, 1151).
Drips, Injection, Drops
Khaleeq Ahmed Mufti said, “Water or ear drops that go into the ear are most likely to break the fast because the ear canals are open and can lead to the stomach.” People should be careful with nose sprays because they can also break the fast if they get into the stomach. Different scholars have different ideas about eye drops, so I suggest people don’t use them unless they have to take them right away during fasting hours.”
What Doesn’t Break Your Fast
- Drinking or eating by mistake.
- Accidentally brushing your teeth.
- Using the shower.
- Trying to swallow your saliva.
- Throwing up by accident.
- Putting in medical devices.
- As long as it doesn’t give you food, it could be anaesthetic gases or oxygen.
Is Listening Music Break Your Fast?
Even though listening to music doesn’t break your fast, it is strongly discouraged because it goes against the spirit of Ramadan and Islam.