FAQs about Ramadan and Fasts

Misconceptions & FAQs about Ramadan & Fasts

Q. Is intention necessary for fasting?

A. Yes, every act of worship needs an intention in the heart but one shouldn't say it out loudly. And it is not necessary for him/her to wake up at Suhoor to make the Niyyah rather can have it the night before or at the start of Ramadan. Check out the link for details

Q. Is it allowed to make Niyyah after Fajr and before Zohar as commonly believed?

A. No, it has to be made the night before or at the start of Ramadan but making it after Fajr is not valid. Please check out the link for details.

Q. Dua to start Fast?

A. There is no Sahih Hadeeth of any Dua recited by the Prophet S.A.W. to resume Fasting. Check out the links for details.

Q. List of things that invalidates fast?

A. Already covered in previous classes but for more details please check out the link.

Q. The most important and most wide spread misconception or difference in opinion is about Taraweeh. 8 or 20???

A. 8 is “Sunnah” but 20 is “not Biddah” it is also “Sahih” InshaAllah. Please check out the links for better understandings…

Q. Can we hold & read from the Mus-haf (Quran) in Taraweeh prayer?

A. Although it is allowed but it is not from Sunnah. The Scholars have allowed it as exceptions.

Please follow the links for more details and references.

Imam is allowed to read from the Mus'haf...

Q. Should we send blessings to the Prophet S.A.W. loudly after every two or four rakahs of Tarawih?

A. NO, it was never done by the Sahabas or their Followers. Please follow the links for details.

Q. Can a person start the Fast whilst in the state of Janaabah?

A. YES, But either way one has to take a Bath to offer Fajr Prayer. 

Narrated Aaishah and Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with them both): “At times Allaahs Apostle (peace be upon him) used to get up in the morning in the state of Janaabah after having sexual relations with his wives. He would then take a bath and fast.”

 (Agreed Upon); Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 148; Saheeh Muslim, Book 006, Number 2452)

Q. Can a Husband force a Wife to break her fast?

A. BIG NO, If its for no reason then he is an evildoer and needs to repent to Allah. Check out the link for details.

Q. Intercourse in Ramadan?

A. Yes allowed in the Night and HARAM during the day time (while fasting). Check out the link for details.

Q. What is the ruling if the adhaan is given for Fajr when a man is having intercourse with his wife? Can we continue till the end of Adhan?

A. If dawn has come and he is having intercourse with his wife, then he has to stop having intercourse at once. Check out the links for details.

Q. Can we get married in Ramadan?

A. Yes, just make sure you can control yourself during day time when fasting. Check out the following links for details: -

Q. Kissing, hugging, embracing ones wife invalidates Fast?

A. NO, unless there is ejaculation because of those actions. One needs to be sure that he will be able to control his desires so depending on case to case it might be better to stay away or not. Check out the link for details.

Q. Sighting of the Moon a fard? When do we start & end Ramadan? Do we follow the people around us or wait till we see the moon?

A. Not a fard, When we see the moon or after completing 30 days of Shaban. Yes we stay with the brothers around us. Check out the following links for details:

Q. Does Medical treatment (Eye drops, ear drops, nasal spray, injections, etc etc) while fasting breaks the fast?

A. NO, following are the list of things that are  permissible and doesnot effect ones fast InshaAllah...

• Eye drops, ear drops, ear syringing, nose drops and nasal sprays – so long as one avoids swallowing any material that may reach the throat.
• Tablets or lozenges that are placed beneath the tongue for the treatment of angina pectoris etc., so long as one avoids swallowing any material that reaches the throat.
• Vaginal pessaries, douching, use of a speculum, or internal digital examination.
• Introduction of a scope or coil (IUD), etc., into the uterus.
• Introduction of a scope or catheter into the urethra (male of female), or injection of dyes for diagnostic imaging, or of medication, or cleaning of the bladder.
• Drilling of teeth (prior to filling), extraction or polishing of teeth, using a miswaak or toothbrush, so long as one avoids swallowing any material that reaches the throat.
• Rising, gargling or applying topical treatment in the mouth, so long as one avoids swallowing any material that reaches the throat.
• Injections, whether subcutaneous, intra-muscular or intra-venous – with the exception of those used for purposes of nutrition.
• Oxygen.
• Anaesthetics, so long as they do not supply nutrition to the patient.
• Medicines absorbed through the skin, such as creams, lotions and patches used to administer medication through the skin.
• Introduction of a catheter into the veins in order to examine or treat the vessels of the heart or other organs.
• Laparoscopy for the purpose of diagnosis or surgical treatment of the abdominal organs.
• Biopsies of the liver and other organs, so long as this is not accompanied by the administration of nutrients.
• Gastroscopy, so long as this is not accompanied by the administration of nutrients.
• Introduction of medicine or instruments into the brain or spinal cord.
• Involuntary vomiting (as opposed to self-induced vomiting).

II – The Muslim doctor should advise his patient to postpone the above-described treatments and procedures until after he has broken his fast, if it is safe to do so and will not cause any harm (even if these procedures will not have any effect on his fast). 

Q. Does a puffer for Asthma break the fast?

A. No, please check out the link for details.

Q. Ate out of forgetfulness? 

A. Does not effect the fast InshaAllah. Check out the link for details.

Al-Bukhaari (6669) and Muslim (1155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast for it is Allaah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” 

Q. Is it allowed to taste food while fasting?

A. Tasting is allowed if needed if we make sure we do not swallow it. Please check out the link for more details.

Q. What if one mistakenly swallows the food while tasting it? Is the Fast valid?

There is nothing wrong with a fasting person tasting the food if he needs to, if he does that by testing it with the tip of his tongue, then he spits it out without swallowing anything, whether the one who is fasting is a man or a woman. 

But if the fasting person forgets and swallows it by mistake, there is no sin on him, and he should complete his fast. This is because of the general meaning of the evidence which indicates that according to sharee’ah, the person who forgets is excused. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks something, let him complete his fast, for it is Allaah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” (Agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari, 1399; Muslim 1155).

Q. Bee sting or scorpion sting invalidates the fast?

A. NO, Check out the link for details.

Q. If we bleed out of accident, injury, sickness does that invalidates the Fast?

A. NO, unless that is the result of ones own actions. Check out the link for details

Q. If the gums of a person bleeds, does it invalidate the Fast?

A. If one's gums bleed while brushing his or her teeth, it would not break the fast as long as one does not do this intentionally or swallows any blood by on purpose. If one causes his or her gums to bleed and/or swallows the blood, then fasting is broken. 

Sheikh Muhammad Al-`Uthaymeen (may Allah bless his soul) states in one of his fatwas: 

The blood that is caused by extracting teeth or nose bleeding does not break the fast on condition that one is cautious as much as he or she can of swallowing the blood. This is based on the fact that unintentional bleeding is not among the things that invalidate the fast. So, whoever bleeds by accident or unintentionally does not need to make up for that day of fasting.

Q. When a person wakes up in the morning and he is fasting, and there are bits of food left from his sahoor in his mouth, what is the ruling if he swallows them?

A. It wont effect the fast unless the chunks are big and the person could have spit it out but chose to swallow it instead, than his/her fast is invalid. Check out the link for details

Q. Does a wet dream during the day time invalidates the Fast?

A. NO, Check out the link for details

Q. Can you talk to your Girl Friend/Boy Friend while fasting?

A. BIG NO that is a No even while you not fasting.

Q. Can we talk to our non-mahram cousins at Iftar or during fasing?

A. BIG NO that is a No even while you not fasting.

Q. Eating till end of Adhan permissible?

A. Depends on the country, if the Muadhin gives the Adhan before the the Dawn breaks (the white streak appearing in the sky) we can continue eating till we are sure the Dawn break and if the Muadhin gives the Adhan on Dawn Break then we should even spit what is in our mouths. Check out the link for details.

Q. Ruling on soccer/cricket leagues during Ramdan?

A. Not sinful unless they are fulfilling the obligations such as Fast, Fard Salah on time & not skipping Taraweeh. But not beneficial at all and not what a Mo’min is expected to be doing in Ramadan. Check out the link for details.

Q. Is it better for a Pregnant woman to fast or not to fast?

A. Depends on her condition and she needs to decide. Check out the link for details.

Q. Shaking hands with non mahrams in Ramadan? Does it invalidate the fast?

A. Shaking hands is NOT permissible, the validity of the fast depends on if he ejaculated as a result of the action. Check out the following links for details.

Q. Swallowing Saliva or Mucus invalidates fast?

A. NO, but swallowing Mucus is an act that is not allowed while fasting or not but it doesn’t invalidates the fast. check out the link for details.

Q. Swallowing the Saliva after Siwaak breaks the fast?

A. NO, But if there are big chunks that should be spit out the saliva can be swallowed. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does cutting hair or nails or shaving public hair invalidates the fast?

A. NO, They have nothing to do with the Fast. check out the link for details.

Q. Does taking a bath break the fast, whether you take it before or after noon?

A. NO, It is permissible, it has nothing to do with the fast. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does using Kuhl & similar things that enters the eye invalidates the Fast?

A. NO, This was the conclusion preferred by Sheikh – ul – Islam ibn Taymiyyah. Imam Bukhaari says in his Saheeh: “…Anas, al – Hasan and Ibraaheem did not see any harm in use of Kuhl for the fasting person.” (

Fathul – Baaree, 4/153; See Mukhtasar Saheehil – Bukhaari, Number 451 of our Sheikh al – Albaani and Taghleequt – Ta’leeq, 3/152 -153; as quoted in ‘Fasting in Ramadaan’ p. 49)

Q. Does Shaving the beard invalidates the Fast?

A. NO, but It is haraam for men to shave their beards at all times whether during Ramadaan or otherwise, because of the saheeh ahaadeeth which clearly enjoin allowing the beard to grow. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does not wearing Hijab Invalidates the fast?

A. If a woman does not wear hijab, then she is disobeying her Lord thereby, but her fast is still valid, because sins, including not wearing hijab, do not invalidate the fast, but they detract from its reward, and may cause it to be lost altogether. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does Tabarruj break the fast? 

A. Tabarruj means impermissible exposure of women's adornment and beauty before non-Mahram (marriageable) men. It surely detracts from the Reward of Fasting but doesnot brek it. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does watching TV, Movies, Soap operas/Serials, playing cards invalidates the Fast?

A. NO but it’s a SIN and These sins detract from the reward of fasting, and may erase it altogether. Check out the link for details.

Q. Vomit invalidates the fast?

A. NO, But deliberately vomiting does. Check out the link for details.

Q. Does the swallowing of Vomit unintentionally invalidate the fast?

A. NO, but intentionally doing so does. Check out the link for reference.

Q. Brushing your teeth invalidates the Fast or is Makroo’?

A. NONE, However it would be better to use toothpaste at the night and Siwaak at Day time as Siwaak is Sunnah and also Allah loves the smell coming form a Fasting person more thn the smell of Musk. Check out the link for details.

Q. Sleeping out of tiredness while fasting and delaying Salah, Allowed?

A. BIG NO. Prayers should be offered on time. Check out the link for details.

Q. If anyone dies in Ramadan will he go to Jannah without being Questioned?

A. NO, Please check out the link for details.

Q. Does smoking invalidates Fast?

A. YES, No doubt about it.

Q. Is it true that the veil is lifted between Allaah and His slaves at the time of breaking the fast?.

A. NO, The hadeeth mentioned is not in any of the reliable books, so it is not permissible to attribute it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or to believe what it says. Check out the link for details.