This week, let’s talk about things that invalidate fasting. Things that invalidates the fast are of two types:
1- Some of the things that invalidate the fast involve things coming out of the body, such as intercourse, deliberate vomiting, menstruation and cupping. These things that come out of the body weaken it. Hence Allah has described them as being things that invalidate the fast, so that the fasting person will not combine the weakness that results from fasting with the weakness that results from these things, and thus be harmed by his fast or his fast no longer be moderate.
2- And some of the things that invalidate the fast involve things entering the body, such as eating and drinking. If the fasting person eats or drinks, he does not achieve the purpose of fasting. (Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 25/248)
Allah has summed up the things that break the fast in the verse where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall.” [al-Baqarah 2:187]
In this verse Allah mentions the main things that invalidate the fast, which are eating, drinking and intercourse. The other things that break the fast were mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in his Sunnah.
There are seven things that break the fast, as follows:
– Intercourse
– Masturbation
– Eating and drinking
– Anything that is regarded as coming under the same heading as eating and drinking
– Letting blood by means of cupping and the like
– Vomiting deliberately
– Menstruation and nifaas
