What Actually Breaks Your Fast During Ramadan?
Things That Invalidate the Fast: Eating, Drinking, and Related Actions - Zadul-Ma'ad Part 71
Summary
This lecture from Zadul-Ma'ad (Provisions for the Hereafter) continues a detailed discussion on the things that invalidate a person's fast during Ramadan. Based on the two pillars of fasting—having intention before dawn and refraining from actions that break the fast—Sh. Ali Mashhour systematically examines what breaks a fast. The first two invalidators are eating and drinking purposefully (with awareness), or consuming anything that takes the path of or replaces eating and drinking, such as intravenous fluids or substances inhaled through the nose. Sh. Ali Mashhour provides practical examples including forgetting one ate while fasting, taking medicines, using inhalers, receiving medical injections, and clarifies misconceptions about various activities. The discussion also covers the third invalidator: inducing vomiting intentionally, and begins discussing menstruation and postpartum bleeding as the fourth and fifth invalidators of fasting.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
We are continuing where we left off last week and we were discussing in general last week the things that invalidate a person's fast and we base this discussion on the two pillars of fasting that we learned the week previous we mentioned that fasting has two pillars he authored this book that we are discovering and and taking our journey through for the past about a year regarding the sunnah of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam he did not write it in the way that traditional books of fick are written it's not categorized in that way it doesn't categorize things as the fukuha in their exclusively written books on fil usually categorize things he just mentions what the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam did and what he did not do as we mentioned before zadul ma'ad is a book which explains the sunnah of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam it is not necessarily a book of fick though it does contain filk it's not necessarily a book of sira though it does contain syrah et cetera and so it is a very malleable malleable book that has been written in a very unique fashion and so we being that ramadan is in a few days it's important that we review some of the things that ibn is mentioned and categorized them and some of the things that he may not have mentioned in which is what we're doing in order to prepare ourselves for fasting the month of ramadan so tonight inshaallah we're going to discuss in detail the things that invalidate a person's fast and we're basing this on the two pillars of fasting that we had learned previously we mentioned that fasting has two pillars the first pillar is having the intention to fast prior to the break of dawn of the day which you wish to fast though some scholars have debated this with regards to fasting which is not obligatory if a person's fast is not obligatory they're fasting one day thursday they're fasting the three days of the month they're just fasting then they can have an intention that doesn't start the night before they can start their intention as long as they haven't done anything that day since the break of dawn that would otherwise break their fast but for obligatory fasting a kaffara fasting that is the fast of ramadan etc any fasting that is obligatory binding then a person must have his intention prior to the break of dawn and we mentioned the narration of hofsla in which the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said it whoever has not had the intention to fast prior to the break of dawn then their fast is not is not valid we mentioned the second pillar of fasting is refraining from anything that will break your fast and we discussed last week that those things that will break your fast are six things and everything else that will break your fast fall under the generality of these six things.
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Foreign so there are things that may fall under the generality of these six points that we mentioned that break your fast these six things that break your fast for example if an individual pleasures himself or herself to the point of climax this will invalidate a person's fast and this falls under the generality of of intercourse even though the expiation of intercourse during the day of ramadan is much more intense than the expiation of of this and so we mentioned six things that will break a person's fast.
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Well.
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What is the first and second thing that will break a person's fast eating and drinking purposefully what does that mean purposefully that a person knows he's fasting remembers at the time of eating or drinking that he's fasting and still eats or drinks something this will break a person's fast let's take an example about that but first we will finish that eating and drinking something purposefully or anything that goes the path of eating or drinking so through the nose or through the mouth or anything that takes the place of eating or drinking an iv for instance so there's three three things that fall into the generality of eating or drinking purposefully what are the first two things that break a person's fast we mentioned there are six things that break a person's fast we mentioned these generally last week this week we're going to dive into them and dissect them so that we have proper knowledge about these things that will break a person's fast we said no one and two eating or drinking purposefully we understand what purposefully means or anything that goes the path of these two things eating or drinking or anything that takes the place of eating or drinking this will break a person's fast so let's take an example let's look at an example of eating or drinking something that will take the place or eating or drinking something purposefully let's say a person is fasting and they go into a store or something and they buy a bunch of grapes and so this person is has bought these grapes and he starts to eat these grapes one at a time as he's walking out as he's strolling he's eating these grapes all the while forgetting that he is fasting which is actually a lot easier to do in a place where we live because most people are not fasting around us if you're in a muslim country where everybody's fasting and you walk around eating grapes you know you're liable to get you know bombarded with people reminding you but if you live where the majority of people around you aren't fasting it's very easy to forget so he is eating these grapes and then he gets to the last grape and just as he goes to put this grape in his mouth he remembers that he's fasting and so he says well it's i've eaten i've eaten all these grapes one isn't gonna hurt so he eats the last grape which grape broke his fast the last one the last one is the one that broke as fast correct because the ones that proceeded the ones that came before he had not remembered that he was fasting and so the whole bunch of grapes didn't break as fast what broke is fast one grape right this is what we mean when we say eating or drinking purposefully right the second thing that falls into this generality is anything that goes the path of eating or drinking right so for example people often ask this is actually very recurring question if a person is fasting they can fast but they have some kind of pill that they have to take at a certain time does this break your fast what is the answer is is a pill food or drink it's not food or drink right but does it go the path of food and drink yes so does it take the ruling of food and drink yes so yes it would break your fast whether you have to fast or not or whether you're exempt of fasting because of this medicine that you may have to take at a certain time is an issue that would need to specifically be referred to a person of knowledge because people have different circumstances so the point here is that something that takes the path of eating and drinking likewise what takes the path of eating and drinking something that is inhaled through the nose this takes the path of eating and drinking because the nose goes directly into the into the throat right so for example a you know yeah the thing that you use to you know shoot liquid up into your nose right and sniff it into your nose well obviously when you do this you're going to taste it you're going to feel it going down your throat this this will break a person's fast one of the type one of the ways that black seed is used the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam mentioned that black seed is a cure for many diseases is in the time of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam there are a few methods that were used to administer black seed is a remedy and one of them is through the nose right so they would make it into a liquid form and it would go into the nose this will break a person's fast likewise the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam and where do we where do we get the evidence for this the prophet salallahu he mentioned teaching one of the companions to how to make wudu he said is.
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In a narration teaching one of the companions in a sunan how to make wudu he said in the part regarding taking the wubu into his nose he said and sniff deeply or snort deeply into your nose the water of unless you are fasting so what do we understand from that unless you are fasting do not take the water deeply into your nose why not because taking the water deeply into your nose while you are fasting the water will or you know taking the water deeply into your nose will result in some of the water going down the throat right and so the scholars mentioned that what breaks a person's fast eating or drinking purposefully or anything that takes the path of eating and drinking this brings up something such as an inhaler a person that uses an inhaler a mist or a gas that goes into a person's lungs for the relief of asthmatic symptoms will this break a person's fast the correct opinion is that it will not because it is in a gases state and it goes into the lungs and it does not take the place of eating or drinking and if there is a tiny tiny tiny minuscule amount that may happen to go into the into the stomach it is so tiny that it is not considered to be something which is mentionable just when a person makes wudu will there not be a tiny tiny tiny trace of the water in their mouth after they make udu yeah right and where will that water and eventually go into the throat right but that will not breaker persons will do correct now the third thing is that which takes the place of eating and drinking and this gets us into many of the things that a person will do during their day of fasting such as visiting a doctor etc a person may get a shot a person may have to go to the dentist and get a novocaine shot a person may have to get some kind of shot for arthritis or a vaccine or or you know vitamins or something this will this break a person's fast well let's go through it is it food or drink no does it go the path of food or drink no does it take the place of food or drink no then it will not break a person's fast and it will not break a person's fast what will break a person's fast is something that takes the place of eating or drinking such as an iv that that is used to replenish the bodies the replenish the body's hydration right person is malnourished or dehydrated they go to the hospital and they put an iv that drips right this takes the place of this takes the place of drinking water or may take the place of eating this will break a person's fast what about lotions this won't break a person's fast right what about patches a nicotine patch for smokers will this break a person's fast no what about something that is put in the eye administered through the eye such as eye drops or you know mascara for women or you know for men or women whatever it is will this break a person's fast no what about something that enters the mouth but is then spit out of the mouth without swallowing any of it will this break a person's fast let's say a cook is cooking his job is to cook and he has to taste the food or taste what he's doing to see where it's at but he then spits this out will it break as fast.
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That tasting something will not break a person's fast as long as they spit it out right right also what about something that enters the body but does not take the path of food or drink such as a suppository for instance will this break a person's fast no this will not break a person's fast it's not food or drink it does not take the path of food or drink it does not take the place of food or drink so we have a narration.
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Allah has forgiven and pardoned my my followers from anything that is a result of mistake forgetfulness or forced right or is done under duress compulsion so these are three things mistake forgetting or compulsion these things are pardoned and forgiven so anything that happens under these three circumstances does not break a person's fast so we have an example we have already taken an example of forgetfulness what about a mistake let's say a person is making wudu and some of the water goes down into their stomach will this break their will no because it happened as a result of what mistake what about a person brushing his teeth is that permissible while you are fasting.
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M.
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An example of a mistake is a person for for instance brushing his teeth while he's fasting is it permissible to use toothpaste while you are fasting yes it's in the mouth and it's it's then spit out right but if a person is is is fasting and he accidentally swallows some of the toothpaste will it break as fast no likewise masturine that which they are forced compelled to do under duress will this break a person's fast no do you remember the news stories a few years ago about some of our muslim brothers and sisters in china that were being forced by the government to break their fast you remember those stories did any of those people break their fast no so they're forced to eat right and so they eat and they drink and all that are they still fasting or not yes still fasting you can't you can't force someone to break their fast it's impossible so that is the first and second thing that will break a person's fast.
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So the first and second is eating and drinking purposely or that which takes the route takes the path of eating and drinking or that which takes the place of eating and drinking so we understand that right everybody clear on that any questions or issues to rise with regards to that name the person is swallowing it yeah that will break your fast yeah biting biting the nails swallowing the nail clippings this will break a person's fast whether there is a kaffara or not for this is a difference of opinion you know there's other things that occur that are against a person's will you're walking and a bug flies into your mouth or dust or you know things this this will not break a person as fast steam will not break a person's fast what if they go and inhale the steam on purpose will this break a person's fast yes.
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A.
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That's a good question he asked with regards to a person who has maybe some bleeding in their mouth and they swallow this blood if it happens by mistake it will not break a person's fast if a person intentionally continues to swallow his blood coming out into his mouth this will break a person's face.
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Foreign.
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Is.
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The third thing that will break a person's fast is inducing vomiting making yourself vomit and this is what the prophet sallallahu alaihi was mentioned specifically.
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Whoever makes himself vomit than he is to make up that day in fasting and whoever is overcome with the urge to vomit unintentionally then this person does not have to make up that day so whoever is overcome with the urge to vomit a person smells something sees something remember something feels sick that day and they vomit then this person's fast is intact but if a person makes himself vomit then this will break a person's fast.
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M.
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The next fourth and fifth thing so we mentioned three things so far right eating and drinking purposely or that which takes the path of eating or drinking or that which takes the place of eating and drinking the third is that a person induces vomiting a person purposely vomits makes himself vomit right fourth and fifth is menstruation or postpartum we mentioned administration and postpartum they share all of the rulings in islamic law except for three places and fasting is not one of them so anytime you see that menstruation has a ruling then postpartum has that ruling as well postpartum meaning after birth so that blood that continues after birth up to 40 days that it takes the ruling of of menstruation so if a woman is fasting and then before meghrib she gets her cycle does she have to make that day up huh none she has to make that day up okay i have a question what about and this is important for the men to know as well as the women what about if a woman is has her cycle and then it stops during the day of ramadan does she have to make up the rest of the day fasting make that day up he has to make it up right now i've been to the cartoon hat come.
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Foreign.
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The sixth thing and final thing is intercourse and following that is what we've mentioned before no need to mention it again and we mentioned that if a person forgets and they stop immediately will this break a person's fast no this will not break a person's fast some of the scholars said yes it will but the correct opinion is that it will not break a person's fast if they cease immediately when they remember or let's say when they hear the event right this will not break a person's face.
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M.
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Foreign.
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I.