UNDERSTANDING ISLAM: How to fast?

THE MEANING OF FASTING

Fasting technically means, worshipping Allah by avoiding the invalidators of fasting from the time of Fajr (beginning of sunrise) until the time of Maghrib (sunset).

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam is obligatory upon Muslims to know how to properly fast so that he may not do anything that will make him unknowingly break his fast or avoid things that will make fasting for him difficult.

Fasting was meant to be easy and in fact, Allah has legislated excuses as to who should fast, who should not or those who may not fast. Allah said in the Quran:

“Allah wants for you ease and does not want for you any hardship (in fasting).” Quran 2:185.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE WITH REGARDS TO FASTING

1. Those who are obligatory for them to fast are the Muslims who have good mental health, above the age of puberty, able to fast and are not travelling.
2. Non-Muslims are not required to fast and once they became Muslims they are not supposed to fast for the previous days of fasting they did not make while they were still non-Muslims.
3. Those who are younger that the age of adolescence are not obliged to fast but they are ordered to fast in order to get them used to fasting.
4. People who have mental disorders or old people who have mental issues such as Alzheimer’s disease are not obliged to fast. Rather, they will feed one poor person for each day that they did not fast.
5. Those who are experiencing difficulty to fast due to permanent reasons such as old age and permanent sickness should not fast. They will also feed one poor person for each day that they did not fast.
6. Those who are sick but are expected to get will may not fast if fasting becomes difficult for him and fast the days he did not fast once he got well.
7. The pregnant and lactating mothers should not fast if fasting becomes difficult or if they fear that fasting will affect their own health and their babies’ health. They will not fast but they will fast on other days when they are able to do so.
8. Menstruating women and those who are experiencing bleeding after childbirth also do not fast but they should fast on other days after their menstruation or bleeding stops.
9. Those who are forced to stop fasting in order to save someone from drowning or fire could break his fast and fast another day in its place.
10. The traveler can choose whether to fast or not to fast. If they don’t fast, they should fast on another day when they are no longer fasting. They are allowed not to fast in case whether their travel is occasional such as going for Omrah or permanent such as the bus drivers. They may choose to fast or not to fast as long they are outside their cities. However, a public transport driver who doesn’t go out of city boundaries are not considered travelers.

NON-INVALIDATORS OF FASTING

If a fasting person accidentally eats and drinks due to forgetfulness, ignorance or being forced to break his fast. Allah said,

“Our Lord, do not punish us if ever we forget or have been mistaken.” Quran 2:286

If a fasting person eats or drinks out of forgetfulness, his fasting is not invalidated because he forgot.

If he eats or drinks believing that the sun has already set or that the time for Fajr did not come yet, his fasting is not invalidated because he was ignorant of the time.

If a fasting person accidentally swallows water while he is rinsing his mouth, his fasting will not be invalidated because he did not intend it. Taking a bath or even swimming also do not invalidate the fast.

If a fasting person experiences wet dreams in his sleep, his sleep will not be invalidated because he did not choose to do it.

Swallowing Saliva do not invalidate the fast.

INVALIDATORS OF FASTING

1. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE: If sexual intercourse happens during the day for a person who has the obligation to fast he has to fast the day that was invalidated because of this and he should do Kaffarah. Kaffarah for it is by fasting for two consecutive months or by feeding 60 poor people if he is not able to do so. However, a Muslim may have sexual intercourse between the time of Maghrib until Fajr or sunset until the beginning of sunrise the next day. Those who are not fasting due to legal reasons such as travel or sickness may have sexual intercourse with a non-fasting spouse during the day.
2. EJACULATION: If ejaculation happens intentionally by masturbating and others, fasting is invalidated.
3. EATING AND DRINKING INTENTIONALLY: Any kind of intentional intake of any substance whether beneficial or harmful such as smoking invalidates fasting.
4. FOOD SUPPLEMENT INJECTION: Any injection that is used as substitute to food invalidates fasting because it replaces food and drink. Non food supplement injections however do not invalidate fasting whether it is directly injected to the muscles or veins even if it could be tasted by in the throat or not.
5. INJECTION OF BLOOD: In a situation where the fasting person loses blood and is injected with replacement blood, it invalidates fasting.
6. MENSTRUATION AND BLEEDING AFTER CHILDBIRTH: It is forbidden for women who have menstruation or bleeding after childbirth to fast. They should fast the same number of days they did not fast after their mensturation or bleeding.
7. HIJAMAH: Hijamah is a medication from the Sunnah where blood is extracted from a person. Small amounts of blood such as nose bleed, tooth extraction or blood in pimples do not invalidate the fast because they are not hijamah.
8. INTENTIONAL VOMITING: If the fasting person did not vomit intentionally, his fasting is not affected.

This is a brief explanation of some legal issues on fasting in Islam and we shall be discussing more, Inshallah (God willing). If you need clarifications you may send your questions, comments, and suggestions to mensahetv@gmail.com.

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