Fasting

25^th April 2016

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

 Question. Is it permissible for a woman who during Ramadhān who becomes clean from her menses just before mid-day time and there and then makes the intention of fasting and if so, is her fast valid?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

The underlying principle to remember is that purity from menstruation (as well as post-natal bleeding) throughout the fasting period; from Subhu Sādiq until sunset, is mandatory. Any portion of the time spent during this period even momentarily in menstrual state renders the fast invalid. The entire fasting period is not devisable according to the Hanafies but rather one single time period. Anything affecting the former period e.g. Subhu Sādiq time equally affects the latter period also. So for her to make the intention of fast even before mid-day will not suffice and must make Qadha of that day.[1] She is still required to do Imsāk – which means to assimilate a fasting person by refraining from eating and drinking throughout the remaining day even though she has to make up for it later.[2]

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] Durrul Mukhtar wa Shāmi Kitāb Sawm Bāb Ma yufsidu Sawm wa ma la Yufsidu p. 385 vol 3

وَلَوْ نَوَى الْحَائِضُ وَالنُّفَسَاءُ لَمْ يَصِحَّ أَصْلًا لِلْمُنَافِي أَوَّلَ الْوَقْتِ وَهُوَ لَا يَتَجَزَّأُ

(قَوْلُهُ: وَلَوْ نَوَى الْحَائِضُ وَالنُّفَسَاءُ) أَيْ قَبْلَ نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ إذَا طَهُرَتَا فِيهِ (قَوْلُهُ: لَمْ يَصِحَّ أَصْلًا) أَيْ لَا فَرْضًا وَلَا نَفْلًا شُرُنْبُلَالِيَّةٌ (قَوْلُهُ: لِلْمُنَافِي إلَخْ) أَيْ فَإِنَّ كُلًّا مِنْ الْحَيْضِ وَالنِّفَاسِ مَنَافٍ لِصِحَّةِ الصَّوْمِ مُطْلَقًا؛ لِأَنَّ فَقْدَهُمَا شَرْطٌ لِصِحَّتِهِ وَالصَّوْمُ عِبَادَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ لَا يَتَجَزَّأُ، فَإِذَا وُجِدَ الْمُنَافِي فِي أَوَّلِهِ تَحَقَّقَ حُكْمُهُ فِي بَاقِيهِ

[2] Shāmi Kitāb Sawm Bāb Ma yufsidu Sawm wa ma la Yufsidu p. 384 vol 3

وَالْأَصْلُ فِي هَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلِ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ صَارَ فِي آخِرِ النَّهَارِ بِصِفَةٍ لَوْ كَانَ أَوَّلَ النَّهَارِ عَلَيْهَا لَلَزِمَهُ الصَّوْمُ فَعَلَيْهِ الْإِمْسَاكُ كَمَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ وَالنِّهَايَةِ وَالْعِنَايَةِ لَكِنَّهُ غَيْرُ جَامِعٍ إذْ لَا يَدْخُلُ فِيهِ مَنْ أَكَلَ فِي رَمَضَانَ عَمْدًا

25^th April 2016

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question. What is the ruling on smear test breaking the Fast?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

During the process of a smear test, an instrument called a speculum is inserted to expand the walls of a woman’s vagina. A small soft brush is then inserted to extract some cells from the surface of the cervix for examination purpose.[1] Clearly, the purpose of this procedure is to collect a substance as opposed to inserting something inside e.g. medicine. The classical jurists understood the vaginal passage to be a valid channel (manfadh mu’tabirah) that assumingly leads to the intestine or stomach; a valid cavity which breaks the fast if anything reaches to either of the two places. For this reason, they ruled that inserting a finger into the vaginal area lubricated with a substance like water or oil breaks the fast due to the substance remaining inside the area.[2]

The classical jurists ruled as such then based on the available information at the time. Modern medical research has discovered that there is no connection between the vagina and the intestines, rather the vaginal tract connects to the uterus, separate from the intestine. Hence, a smear test should not break the fast irrespective of whether it is lubricated or not.

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] For more details visit http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cervical-screening-test/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[2] Fatawa Hindiyyah Kitāb Sawm Bāb Ma yufsidu Sawm wa ma la Yufsidu p. 204 vol 1

وَلَوْ أَدْخَلَ أُصْبُعَهُ فِي اسْتِهِ أَوْ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي فَرْجِهَا لَا يَفْسُدُ، وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ إلَّا إذَا كَانَتْ مُبْتَلَّةً بِالْمَاءِ أَوْ الدُّهْنِ فَحِينَئِذٍ يَفْسُدُ لِوُصُولِ الْمَاءِ أَوْ الدُّهْنِ هَكَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ.

Durrul Mukhtar wa Shāmi Kitāb Sawm Bāb Ma yufsidu Sawm wa ma la Yufsidu p. 397 vol 2

(أَوْ أَدْخَلَ أُصْبُعَهُ الْيَابِسَةَ فِيهِ) أَيْ دُبُرِهِ أَوْ فَرْجِهَا وَلَوْ مُبْتَلَّةً فَسَدَ

(قَوْلُهُ: وَلَوْ مُبْتَلَّةً فَسَدَ) لِبَقَاءِ شَيْءٍ مِنْ الْبِلَّةِ فِي الدَّاخِلِ وَهَذَا لَوْ أَدْخَلَ الْأُصْبُعَ إلَى مَوْضِعِ الْمِحْقَنَةِ كَمَا يُعْلَمُ مِمَّا بَعْدَهُ قَالَ وَمَحَلُّهُ إذَا كَانَ ذَاكِرًا لِلصَّوْمِ وَإِلَّا فَلَا فَسَادَ كَمَا فِي الْهِنْدِيَّةِ

                                         2^nd December 2013

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: For the past three years, Alhamdulillah I have started fasting properly and I am 21 years of age. However, when I was young (but past puberty from 14-18 years of age) I never used to practice properly and missed some Ramadhān fasts; approximately 6-10 fasts although I do not know for certain the exact amount. I broke my fasts in school and college secretly by eating and drinking and also later on when I was 18 through physical relationship on one of the days. Unfortunately, back then I was very ignorant but now Alhamdulillah I realise the severity of missing fasts and want to make up for them. I have read that you have to make up for each fast missed with sixty consecutive days with no breaks in the in between. So does that mean I have to fast for around 600 days in total if I missed or broke 10 fasts intentionally? As I go to relatives house obviously they offer food and if you reject they become offended so how would I go about this without allowing anyone to find out family or friends as I live with family at home and my mother cooks food for me and I don’t want anyone wondering why for 600 days I am suddenly fasting. Please help me as I am really worried and want to make up my fasts as soon as possible.

الجواب حامداًَ و مصلياًَ

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

In reference to your query, you have rightly stated that breaching a Ramadhān fast intentionally that is, without a valid shar’ee excuse necessitates Kaffarah of sixty days consecutive fasting. However, the ruling on observing multiple Kaffarahs with respect to each fast broken depends on how the fast was broken. Be mindful that Kaffarah does not apply to missing a fast intentionally during Ramadhān – as in no intention was made to fast at all on any of the days which makes only Qadha necessary.

The manner in which the fast was intentionally broken can be classified as follows;

1: To break one’s Ramadhān Fast by eating or drinking something that is naturally nourishing.

Breaking multiple fasts in this manner in one or more Ramadhān months necessitates only one Kaffarah. The scholars state that this single Kaffarah incorporates the necessary penalty for all of the previously broken fasts. This only applies however, if no Kaffarah was observed in between the two Ramadhān months. If a Kaffarh was observed for the previous Ramadhān and one deliberately broke their fast in the following Ramadhān then another Kaffarah becomes necessary.[1] In this case, the previous Kaffarah will not suffice nor incorporate the fasts broken in the subsequent months. 

 2: Breaking the Ramadhān Fast due to sexual relationship

The classical Hanafi Jurists state that one Kaffarah suffices for breaking multiple fasts in this manner in a single Ramadhān only. However, to break it in two (or more) Ramadhān months then observing a separate Kaffarah per Ramadhān becomes necessary irrespective if a Kaffarah was made in the interim of two Ramadhān months or not.[2]

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] Durrul Mukhtar, Chapter on those things that break the fast and those that don’t, p.391, vol 3

وَلَوْ تَكَرَّرَ فِطْرُهُ وَلَمْ يُكَفِّرْ لِلْأَوَّلِ يَكْفِيه وَاحِدَةٌ وَلَوْ فِي رَمَضَانَيْنِ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَيْهِ الِاعْتِمَادُ بَزَّازِيَّةٌ وَمُجْتَبَى وَغَيْرُهُمَا وَاخْتَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِلْفَتْوَى أَنَّ الْفِطْرَ بِغَيْرِ الْجِمَاعِ تَدَاخَلَ وَإِلَّا لَا

Allamah Ibn Abideen As-Shami comments,

(قَوْلُهُ: وَلَمْ يُكَفِّرْ لِلْأَوَّلِ) أَمَّا لَوْ كَفَّرَ فَعَلَيْهِ أُخْرَى فِي ظَاهِرِ الرِّوَايَةِ لِلْعِلْمِ بِأَنَّ الزَّجْرَ لَمْ يَحْصُلْ بِالْأُولَى بَحْرٌ

[2] Bahrrur Raiq, Chapter on those things that break the fast and those that don’t, p.484, vol 2

وَلَوْ جَامَعَ مِرَارًا فِي أَيَّامِ رَمَضَانَ وَاحِدٍ، وَلَمْ يُكَفِّرْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ؛ لِأَنَّهَا شُرِعَتْ لِلزَّجْرِ، وَهُوَ يَحْصُلُ بِوَاحِدَةٍ فَلَوْ جَامَعَ وَكَفَّرَ ثُمَّ جَامَعَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَعَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَةٌ أُخْرَى فِي ظَاهِرِ الرَّاوِيَةِ لِلْعِلْمِ بِأَنَّ الزَّجْرَ لَمْ يَحْصُلْ بِالْأَوَّلِ وَلَوْ جَامَعَ فِي رَمَضَانَيْنِ فَعَلَيْهِ كَفَّارَتَانِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُكَفِّرْ لِلْأُولَى فِي ظَاهِرِ الرِّوَايَةِ، وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ كَذَا فِي الْجَوْهَرَة

12th November 2013

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

 Question: I acknowledge the ruling that when you break multiple fasts intentionally during Ramadhān then you must pay Kaffarah for it either by fasting sixty days consecutively or feeding sixty poor people. However, if you have missed many fasts intentionally in the month of Ramadhān I know that you are allowed to just fast sixty days consecutively for the whole month, rather than fast sixty days for each fast missed. What I would like to know is whether that also applies to feeding poor people too? Can I feed sixty poor people just once even though I missed many fasts when I was younger in Ramadhān or must I feed sixty poor people per fast I have missed? By doing that, it would prove to be almost impossible – money-wise. Fasting sixty days in a row is not impossible but at the moment I am not in a position to fast sixty days in a row as I still live at home and it would be difficult to explain to my parents or family members.

الجواب حامداًَ و مصلياًَ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

In respect to the obligation of Kaffarah – legal penalty, just to clarify an important point that Kaffarah is not necessary for missing a Ramadhān fast even if it was intentional, rather just Qadha is necessary as well as sincere repentance as an atonement for the sin of intentionally missing a fast. Kaffarah is only necessary if a Muslim deliberately breaks a Ramadhān fast without a valid shar’ee excuse, after making the intention to keep it, during the hours of fasting from the break of dawn (Subhu Sadiq) until sunset (time of maghrib) by eating or drinking something that is considered nourishing or by engaging in actual intimate relationship with one’s spouse.[1] In such a case, the person must make Qadha for each fast broken in addition to Kaffarah.

According to a sound hadeeth, the sequence of priority in relation to Kaffarah is to primarily emancipate a slave. If he is unable to emancipate then to observe sixty days of consecutive fasting and if unable to do so whereby all hope is lost in fasting due to some genuine reason, only then can he feed sixty poor people. This sequence of priority is compulsory.[2]

In light of the above explanation, you must now determine as to whether the ruling of Kaffarah applies to you or not. If Kaffarah does apply and you are able to fast then you must fast for sixty days consecutively. Resorting to feeding the poor is not allowed. If someone breaches a number of fasts in a single Ramadhān by eating or drinking intentionally then one Kaffarah would suffice regardless of how many days and Ramadhān months this occurred. But if it was breached intentionally through intercourse multiple times during a single Ramadhān then only one Kaffarah is sufficient but if this happened in two or more Ramadhāns, then one Kaffarah per Ramadhān becomes necessary.[3]

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] Bahrur Ra’iq, Chapter on those things that break the fast and those that don’t, p.482, vol 2

(قَوْلُهُ وَمَنْ جَامَعَ أَوْ جُومِعَ أَوْ أَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ عَمْدًا غِذَاءً أَوْ دَوَاءً قَضَى وَكَفَّرَ كَكَفَّارَةِ الظِّهَارِ) أَمَّا الْقَضَاءُ فَلِاسْتِدْرَاكِ الْمَصْلَحَةِ الْفَائِتَةِ، وَأَمَّا الْكَفَّارَةُ فَلِتَكَامُلِ الْجِنَايَةِ أَطْلَقَهُ فَشَمِلَ مَا إذَا لَمْ يُنْزِلُ

[2] Bahrur Ra’iq, Chapter on those things that break the fast and those that don’t, p.484, vol 2

وَأَفَادَ بِالتَّشْبِيهِ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْكَفَّارَةَ مُرَتَّبَةٌ فَالْوَاجِبُ الْعِتْقُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَعَلَيْهِ صِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا لِحَدِيثِ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ الْمَرْوِيِّ فِي الْكُتُبِ السِّتَّةِ

[3] Durrul Mukhtar, Chapter on those things that break the fast and those that don’t, p.391, vol 3

وَلَوْ تَكَرَّرَ فِطْرُهُ وَلَمْ يُكَفِّرْ لِلْأَوَّلِ يَكْفِيه وَاحِدَةٌ وَلَوْ فِي رَمَضَانَيْنِ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَيْهِ الِاعْتِمَادُ بَزَّازِيَّةٌ وَمُجْتَبَى وَغَيْرُهُمَا وَاخْتَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِلْفَتْوَى أَنَّ الْفِطْرَ بِغَيْرِ الْجِمَاعِ تَدَاخَلَ وَإِلَّا لَا