Four Chapter 4: Fasting (Ṣawm)

Lesson 25: The Lows of Fasting (1)

“Fasting” means refraining from doing some acts that invalidate the fast, from the Adhān of the morning (Ṣubḥ) until the Adhān of unset (Maghrib).

A- Types of Fasting

The types of fasts are obligatory, prohibited, recommended, and makrūh fasts.

One: Obligatory Fasts

1. Fasting during the Holy month of Ramaḍān ;
2. Qaḍā fasting;
3. Fasting of atonement (Kaffārah);
4. Rental fasting;
5. Fasting on the third day of I’tikaf days;
6. Fasting instead of Ḥajj sacrifice;
7. Fasting due a vow (Nadhr) and covenant (ʿAhd);
8. Qaḍā fasting of the father on the eldest son.

Two: The Prohibited Fasts

1. Fasting on the day of Eid al-Fitr is equal to the first

day of the month of Shawwāl;

2. Fasting on the day of Eid al- Aḍḥā is equal to the tenth of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah;
3. Fasting that is performed with the intention of the first day of Ramaḍān on the day that one is unsure whether it is the end of Shaban or the beginning of Ramaḍān ;
4. A recommended fasting of a child that annoys his father, mother, or grandparents;
5. A recommended fasting of a child whose father, mother, or grandfather orders him not to do it.
6. A recommended fasting of a woman that causes the right of her husband to be violated

(Issues 1784, 1785, 1786, 1787).

Tree: Makrūh Fasts

Fasting is disapproved (makrūh) on the days:

1. Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ(The 10th of Muḥarram);
2. The day which one doubts whether It is the day of Arafah (The 9th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah) or Eid-Aḍḥā (The 10th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah) (Issue 1792).

Four: Recommended Fasts

Fasting is recommended (mustaḥabb) every day of the year except when it is unlawful or disapproved.

 Fasting is emphasized in the following days:

1. The first, half, and last of every month;
2. All the days of the months of Rajab and Shaʿbān;
3. The birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (ṢA) (the 17th of Rabīʿal-Awwal);
4. The day of Eid al-Ghadir (the 18th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah);
5. The 25th and 29th of Dhū al-Qaʿdah;
6. The first day until the 9th of the month of Dhul-Hijjah;
7. The day of Mabaʿth of the Prophet Mohammad (Ṣ) (the 27th of Rajab).

B- Obligatory Acts of Fasting

1. Fasting is an act of worship that must be done with the intention of obeying the orders of Allāh (Issue 1594).
2. It is possible to make intentions for the entire month of Ramaḍān and every single day, from the first night to the morning prayer (Issues 1595 & 1596).
3. If someone has qaḍā fast or another obligatory fast, he cannot fast for recommended (Issues 1607).
4. When there is a doubt between the end of Sha’ban and the first of Ramaḍān, fasting is not mandatory, but one can fast with the intention of fasting for Qaḍā or fasting as recommended. As soon as he recognizes that it is the first day of Ramaḍān, he must intend to fast in Ramaḍān (Issues 1612 & 1613).

C: Acts Which Invalidate Fast

There are nine things which invalidate fast:

1. Eating and drinking;
2. Sexual intercourse;
3. Masturbation (Istimnā’);
4. Ascribing lies to Allāh, the Prophet Muḥammad (SA), and infallible Imāms (AS);
5. Causing dust to reach the throat;
6. Immersing the head in water completely;
7. Remaining in the state of Janābat, menstruation (Ḥayḍ), or lochia (Nifās) until the time of Adhān for the morning (Ṣubḥ) prayers;
8. Enema with liquids into the body;
9. Vomiting intentionally (Issues 1616).

One: Eating and Drinking

1. If a person eats or drinks something intentionally, his fast becomes invalid (Issues 1617).
2. If a person has eaten or drunk something inadvertently, his fast is not invalidated (Issues 1619).
3. If a fasting person fears that he may die of thirst, he can drink water to prevent him from dying, but his fast will be invalidated. In Ramaḍān, he must refrain from doing anything that may invalidate the fast (Issue 1625)

Two: Sexual Intercourse

The act of sexual intercourse invalidates the fast (Issue 1628).

Tree: Masturbates

 Masturbation invalidates the fast (Issue 1632).

Four: Ascribing Lies to Allāh and the Prophet

If a fasting individual intentionally ascribes something false to Allāh, the Prophet Muhammad (SA), and the infallible Imāms (ʿSA), his fast is invalid (Issue 1640).

Five: Causing Dust to Reach the Throat

When a fasting person intentionally causes dust (thick or thin) to reach his throat, his fast becomes invalid (Issue 1647).

Six: Immersing the Head in Water

If a fasting person intentionally immerses his head in water, his fast will be invalid (Issue 1652).

Seven: Remaining in the Janābat, Ḥayḍ, or Nifās Until the Adhān of Morning Prayers

1. a) Remaining in the Janābat
2. If a junub person intentionally does not perform Ghusl in the month of Ramaḍān until the Adhān of the morning (Ṣubḥ) prayer, his fast is invalid

(Issue 1663).

2. A person who does not have time to perform Ghusl or tayammum on a night of Ramaḍān, becomes junub intentionally, his fast is invalid, and Qaḍā and atonement (Kaffārah) become obligatory on him (Issue 1667).
3. If a junub person on a night of the month of Ramaḍān goes to sleep before performing Ghusl and knows that he will not wake up until the time of the morning prayers, his fast is invalid, and Qaḍā and atonement (Kaffārah) becomes obligatory on him (Issue 1669).
4. b) Remaining in the Ḥayḍ and Nifās
5. If a woman becomes pure of her menstruation (Ḥayḍ) or lochia (Nifās) before the Adhān of the morning, but she has no time to perform Ghusl, she must perform tayammum and her fast is valid

(Issue 1682).

2. A woman forgets to perform the Ghusl for Ḥayḍ or Nifās and remembers it after a day or a few days; the fasts she has observed are valid (Issue 1685).
3. A person who has touched a dead body can fast without performing a Ghusl for touching a dead body (mass al-mayyit); his fast does not become invalid (Issue 1688).

Eight: Enema with Liquids[1]

1. A liquid enema will invalidate the fast, even if it’s necessary for treatment. However, it is no problem to use a suppository for treatment (Issue 1689).
2. Using an ampoule that numbs the organ is not a problem for fasting people, but it is better to avoid using an ampoule that strengthens the organ (Issue 1620).

Nin: Vomiting

1. When a fasting person vomits intentionally, his fast

becomes invalid, but if he vomits inadvertently or involuntarily, there is no problem (Issue 1690)

2. If someone pours something down the fasting person’s throat forcibly or immerses his head under water by force, his fast will not be invalidated (Issue 1699).

Question:

After morning prayer, if a fasting person has a seminal discharge while sleeping, is his fast invalidated?

Answer:

His Fast is correct, and the seminal discharge during sleep does not invalidate the fast.

Exercises:

1. What are the types of obligatory fasts?
2. What are the obligatory acts of fasting?
3. What are the things that invalidate fasting?
4. What are the laws of Janābat in Ramaḍān?

[1]. The injection of water or other fluid into the large intestine by way of the anus.