Lesson 3: Common Issues During Ramadan; Fast Invalidation and What Should be Avoided
Common Issues:
1) Accidents: Accidents break the fast. Accident can be defined as any non deliberate invalidation of the fast. If it’s excusable, you may not be sinful for it but it will break the fast.
i.e. A friend wore lungi/sarong but it kept falling down. If you are praying in that and your kid tugs at it, it breaks your prayer. It’s not your fault but since your awrah is exposed, it invalidates the prayer. Similarly, with the fast, you thought it was 4 am but it was actually 5 am. Fajr comes in at 4:30, if you ate after fajr has entered, invalidation took place. You are not sinful for it but it still invalidates it.
2) Forgetfulness is an exception and does NOT break the fast. You ate or you drank or even had intercourse. It didn’t occur to you that you were fasting and ONLY this is excused.
3) You are not feeling well. Returns to understanding the hardships in Islam. There is slight hardship and undue hardship. Slight hardship is not the basis of any dispensation. Moral responsibility = takleef. It is an imposition of a burden. So the fact that you are morally responsible means that you have a burden you have to bear. So, you get a little tired when you are fasting but it is not a basis for breaking your fast. You have an exam coming up, you feel you might not be at the same mental level when you are fasting, that’s a slight hardship that you have to deal with.
4) The level of hardship that is the basis of dispensations is undue hardship. The like of which is not considered to be bearable or an undue burden imposed on one or there is a harm that would come on one through it. Or pain not considered bearable in normal circumstances. So if you have a cold, you still have to fast but you have a flu and you are expected to take medication and without it you won’t be able to go to work and will delay the healing or will make it worse - that’s a different situation.
5) What if I fear falling ill or wont’ be able to function at work etc. I won’t be able to cook all seven dishes because my husband expects those seven dishes at Iftaar – BID’AH – Sinful innovation. The person’s responsibility is to fast. Anything else is voluntary. What are the levels of fear? Baseless fear and reasonable fear. Baseless fear is the ‘what ifs?’ What if I get dizzy at work? Is there a basis for saying that? How would we establish if there’s a reasonable fear. Past experience - Well, if last time he tried to fast, he walked out the house and he fell down the stairs and he can’t function when he’s fasting. Or there are clear signs - its 3 O clock in the morning and they are vomiting or blood coming down etc. This is considered more than reasonable fear.
6) Expert opinion – Medical opinion. We don’t ask the doctor for fatwah but a medicial opinion. If it’s a Muslim doctor, you can rely on expert Muslim doctor’s opinion if they are upright. However, with the supposition that they know what is considered to be sufficient hardship for you not to fast. That’s generally not the case. Usually, they don’t have a clue. You can’t just rely on Muslim medical opinion because (most of them) they don’t know the limits of the shariah (of what is undue hardship). Is there reasonable fear? Is there harm to be feared? You ask the questions. So you can’t JUST ask the doctor.
7) Pregnant or nursing – My doctor said I shouldn’t fast when I am pregnant? Why? Just in case. That’s not sufficient. The basis is that they are supposed to fast unless there is reasonable fear that there is harm for them and the child. If the sister is nursing, there’s reasonable fear that this will affect the milk supply, if she’s nursing. If she’s not able to then, that is an excuse. The Prophet (SAW) gave a generally worded exception for pregnant and nursing women from fasting but based on the four schools this is conditioned based on other prophetic texts and understanding of the sahaba, it is conditioned by fear of hardship or harm but otherwise general practice of the female sahabiya and early Muslims etc has been that if someone was pregnant or nursing, they would try to fast and if that fast became very difficult or there were some medical situation that would indicate fear of harm. It’s a difficult pregnancy, fear of miscarriage or medical situation, then the sister would not fast. Some sisters are physically unable to fast during pregnancy. What do they do? They try to fast. When they start feeling it is too difficult, they break the fast.
8) Brushing the teeth – Using the siwaak is permitted in Ramadan and praiseworthy. Early in the day and late in the day. (Hanafi) There’s no inverse relationship between bad breath and divine pleasure (LOL) The issue arises with toothpaste. It is disliked and should be avoided. However, in some cases, like you got a job interview after so many years and the job interview is at 2 pm because you couldn’t get an early interview or you are in a sales position and you will get fired for bad breath etc you can use it. In those situations, you are allowed to use it. Using the toothpaste doesn’t invalidate the fast rather swallowing toothpaste or saliva which has been affected by the toothpaste itself is what would invalidate the fast. SO, when there is need, one could use the toothpaste in the manner which would not endanger one’s fast and would use only little and rinse out. When you do brush your teeth and rinse out the toothpaste once, and then use water one more time then after that, any sense of toothpaste in your mouth is excused. Same applies for miswaak. Some have strong natural scent. Rinse twice and after you get a sense that your saliva is being affected, you ignore that because you have used reasonable means.
9) Medication – If the medication is ingested. It goes down your mouth or nose, it breaks the fast. If you have to take medication during the day, consult your doctor so maybe you can take it at different timings. A person of religious concern would find this out before Ramadan. If it is out of medical need and no adjustments can be made, you are excused.
10) Injections – They do not break the fast.
11) Suppositories do break the fast and using them for something other than medical needs is a major sin.
12) Children and fasting – In general, the sunnah with children and worship, as they are small, we make them familiar with acts of worship. Let them positively engage in them. Once they reach the age of seven, we encourage them specifically to perform these acts of worship whether it be prayer, fasting etc But without being particular them doing them completely validly. i.e. they are seven and they are in the park and you know they don’t have wudhu, if you tell them beta go make wudhu and pray they won’t do it. Just tell them to pray. However, as they grow older, you increasingly emphasize not only them acting but them acting PROPERLY. So tell them to fast but give them snacks throughout. When they reach ten, they are to be treated like adults when it comes to religious worship even if they haven’t reached adulthood or puberty yet. So that they are ready to fulfill their responsibilities (covering up, halal an haram) When they are small, we inculcate these values.
Sunnahs of Fasting:
1) Hastening for Itaar.
2) Delaying the suhoor but stop eating and drinking before fajr time enters.
3) Itikaaf – The Prophet (SAW) would almost invariably go into itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. It is a communal emphasized Sunnah. It is a sunnah prophet emphasized but did not specifically hold people to it so sahaba didn’t always perform it regularly but performed it some time in their lives.
For men – in the mosque women – place of prayer at home (best) or at the mosque if proper adab are taken into account.
If one cannot make the complete itikaf, at least spend some of the time in itikaf even it doesn’t have to be in the night rather anytime you spend in the mosque is considered itikaaf. Any time a woman spends at the place of worship in her home can be considered itikaaf (in Ramadan or outside of Ramadan) She can provide itikaaf even if she’s on her .
4) Develop your relationship with the Quran.
5) Charity is multiplied in this month. Best charity is that which has lasting benefit. – Begin with yourself and those who you are responsible for. i.e. doesn’t mean you go buy the latest Bluetooth head set.
6) Taraweeh – Strive to perform properly (20 rakah) 8 rakah is misunderstanding of the Sunnah. (Ayesha r.a was referring to Tahajjud in the hadith) It’s recommended for men to perform in congregation.
7) Feeding others - Feeding a person who is fasting, you get the reward of someone who is fasting. It should be a balance. But this shouldn't become a social event. The social dimension should be a means for you to express your faith and seek your Lord. So don't just invite the same set of friends to socialize with. Use Ramadan to mend family ties.
1) Accidents: Accidents break the fast. Accident can be defined as any non deliberate invalidation of the fast. If it’s excusable, you may not be sinful for it but it will break the fast.
i.e. A friend wore lungi/sarong but it kept falling down. If you are praying in that and your kid tugs at it, it breaks your prayer. It’s not your fault but since your awrah is exposed, it invalidates the prayer. Similarly, with the fast, you thought it was 4 am but it was actually 5 am. Fajr comes in at 4:30, if you ate after fajr has entered, invalidation took place. You are not sinful for it but it still invalidates it.
2) Forgetfulness is an exception and does NOT break the fast. You ate or you drank or even had intercourse. It didn’t occur to you that you were fasting and ONLY this is excused.
3) You are not feeling well. Returns to understanding the hardships in Islam. There is slight hardship and undue hardship. Slight hardship is not the basis of any dispensation. Moral responsibility = takleef. It is an imposition of a burden. So the fact that you are morally responsible means that you have a burden you have to bear. So, you get a little tired when you are fasting but it is not a basis for breaking your fast. You have an exam coming up, you feel you might not be at the same mental level when you are fasting, that’s a slight hardship that you have to deal with.
4) The level of hardship that is the basis of dispensations is undue hardship. The like of which is not considered to be bearable or an undue burden imposed on one or there is a harm that would come on one through it. Or pain not considered bearable in normal circumstances. So if you have a cold, you still have to fast but you have a flu and you are expected to take medication and without it you won’t be able to go to work and will delay the healing or will make it worse - that’s a different situation.
5) What if I fear falling ill or wont’ be able to function at work etc. I won’t be able to cook all seven dishes because my husband expects those seven dishes at Iftaar – BID’AH – Sinful innovation. The person’s responsibility is to fast. Anything else is voluntary. What are the levels of fear? Baseless fear and reasonable fear. Baseless fear is the ‘what ifs?’ What if I get dizzy at work? Is there a basis for saying that? How would we establish if there’s a reasonable fear. Past experience - Well, if last time he tried to fast, he walked out the house and he fell down the stairs and he can’t function when he’s fasting. Or there are clear signs - its 3 O clock in the morning and they are vomiting or blood coming down etc. This is considered more than reasonable fear.
6) Expert opinion – Medical opinion. We don’t ask the doctor for fatwah but a medicial opinion. If it’s a Muslim doctor, you can rely on expert Muslim doctor’s opinion if they are upright. However, with the supposition that they know what is considered to be sufficient hardship for you not to fast. That’s generally not the case. Usually, they don’t have a clue. You can’t just rely on Muslim medical opinion because (most of them) they don’t know the limits of the shariah (of what is undue hardship). Is there reasonable fear? Is there harm to be feared? You ask the questions. So you can’t JUST ask the doctor.
7) Pregnant or nursing – My doctor said I shouldn’t fast when I am pregnant? Why? Just in case. That’s not sufficient. The basis is that they are supposed to fast unless there is reasonable fear that there is harm for them and the child. If the sister is nursing, there’s reasonable fear that this will affect the milk supply, if she’s nursing. If she’s not able to then, that is an excuse. The Prophet (SAW) gave a generally worded exception for pregnant and nursing women from fasting but based on the four schools this is conditioned based on other prophetic texts and understanding of the sahaba, it is conditioned by fear of hardship or harm but otherwise general practice of the female sahabiya and early Muslims etc has been that if someone was pregnant or nursing, they would try to fast and if that fast became very difficult or there were some medical situation that would indicate fear of harm. It’s a difficult pregnancy, fear of miscarriage or medical situation, then the sister would not fast. Some sisters are physically unable to fast during pregnancy. What do they do? They try to fast. When they start feeling it is too difficult, they break the fast.
8) Brushing the teeth – Using the siwaak is permitted in Ramadan and praiseworthy. Early in the day and late in the day. (Hanafi) There’s no inverse relationship between bad breath and divine pleasure (LOL) The issue arises with toothpaste. It is disliked and should be avoided. However, in some cases, like you got a job interview after so many years and the job interview is at 2 pm because you couldn’t get an early interview or you are in a sales position and you will get fired for bad breath etc you can use it. In those situations, you are allowed to use it. Using the toothpaste doesn’t invalidate the fast rather swallowing toothpaste or saliva which has been affected by the toothpaste itself is what would invalidate the fast. SO, when there is need, one could use the toothpaste in the manner which would not endanger one’s fast and would use only little and rinse out. When you do brush your teeth and rinse out the toothpaste once, and then use water one more time then after that, any sense of toothpaste in your mouth is excused. Same applies for miswaak. Some have strong natural scent. Rinse twice and after you get a sense that your saliva is being affected, you ignore that because you have used reasonable means.
9) Medication – If the medication is ingested. It goes down your mouth or nose, it breaks the fast. If you have to take medication during the day, consult your doctor so maybe you can take it at different timings. A person of religious concern would find this out before Ramadan. If it is out of medical need and no adjustments can be made, you are excused.
10) Injections – They do not break the fast.
11) Suppositories do break the fast and using them for something other than medical needs is a major sin.
12) Children and fasting – In general, the sunnah with children and worship, as they are small, we make them familiar with acts of worship. Let them positively engage in them. Once they reach the age of seven, we encourage them specifically to perform these acts of worship whether it be prayer, fasting etc But without being particular them doing them completely validly. i.e. they are seven and they are in the park and you know they don’t have wudhu, if you tell them beta go make wudhu and pray they won’t do it. Just tell them to pray. However, as they grow older, you increasingly emphasize not only them acting but them acting PROPERLY. So tell them to fast but give them snacks throughout. When they reach ten, they are to be treated like adults when it comes to religious worship even if they haven’t reached adulthood or puberty yet. So that they are ready to fulfill their responsibilities (covering up, halal an haram) When they are small, we inculcate these values.
Sunnahs of Fasting:
1) Hastening for Itaar.
2) Delaying the suhoor but stop eating and drinking before fajr time enters.
3) Itikaaf – The Prophet (SAW) would almost invariably go into itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. It is a communal emphasized Sunnah. It is a sunnah prophet emphasized but did not specifically hold people to it so sahaba didn’t always perform it regularly but performed it some time in their lives.
For men – in the mosque women – place of prayer at home (best) or at the mosque if proper adab are taken into account.
If one cannot make the complete itikaf, at least spend some of the time in itikaf even it doesn’t have to be in the night rather anytime you spend in the mosque is considered itikaaf. Any time a woman spends at the place of worship in her home can be considered itikaaf (in Ramadan or outside of Ramadan) She can provide itikaaf even if she’s on her .
4) Develop your relationship with the Quran.
5) Charity is multiplied in this month. Best charity is that which has lasting benefit. – Begin with yourself and those who you are responsible for. i.e. doesn’t mean you go buy the latest Bluetooth head set.
6) Taraweeh – Strive to perform properly (20 rakah) 8 rakah is misunderstanding of the Sunnah. (Ayesha r.a was referring to Tahajjud in the hadith) It’s recommended for men to perform in congregation.
7) Feeding others - Feeding a person who is fasting, you get the reward of someone who is fasting. It should be a balance. But this shouldn't become a social event. The social dimension should be a means for you to express your faith and seek your Lord. So don't just invite the same set of friends to socialize with. Use Ramadan to mend family ties.