Nullifiers of fasting

The following acts, when done knowingly and deliberately in the days
of Ramadhaan , will invalidate the fast. In addition to being
considered great sins, a person committing one of these acts will have
to continue fasting the rest of the day that he/she committed it, and
he/she is also required to take certain measures of reconciliation as
indicated below.
1-Intentional eating, drinking
Allaah Says (what means): "And eat and drink until the white thread of
dawn becomes distinct toyou from the black thread [of night]. Then
complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]." [Quran 2:187].
This applies to the one who does so consciously. However, if a person
eatsor drinks forgetfully or accidentally or is forced to do it, the
fasting is intact and the day is not to be made up; and the person
should continue fasting.
Abu Hurayrah reported that Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever forgets he
is fasting, and eats or drinks is to complete his fast, as it is
Allaah Who fed him and gave him something to drink." [Al-Bukhaari,
Muslim and others]
Ibn Abbaas reported that the Prophet said: "Allaah has excused for my
Ummah (Muslim community) mistakes, forgetfulness and what they are
forced to do." [At-Tahaawi, Al-Haakim and Ad-Daraqutni]
Similar to eating and drinking is smoking (besides being prohibited in
itself) and letting any substance into the stomach.
However, if a person eatsor drinks out of forgetfulness, then he/she
should continue fasting, and the day fasted is valid and counted and
does not need to make up the day.This is based on the Hadeeth
(narration) in which the Prophet said: "If somebody eats ordrinks
forgetfully then heshould complete his fast, for what he has eaten or
drunk, has been given to him by Allaah." [Al-Bukhaari]
Similarly, if a person breaks the fast before the actual Maghrib
(sunset) or after Fajr (dawn) because of a mistake in time
recognition, he is not to make up that day.
2-Sexual intercourse
Just like eating and drinking, Allaah has forbidden sexual intercourse
during the days of Ramadhaan . Almighty Allaah Says (what means):
"It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to
go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and
you are clothing for them. Allaah knows that you used to deceive
yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now,
have relations with them and seek that which Allaah has decreed for
you [i.e. offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn
becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then
complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]. And do not have
relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the
mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allaah, so do not approach
them. Thus does Allaah make clear His verses [i.e. ordinances] to the
people that they may become righteous." [Quran; 2:187]
Muslim scholars differ about stimulating oneself[whether alone or with
his wife or vise versa], without intercourse, to the point of
ejaculation. Some of them treat it as complete intercourse, while
others say that it does not invalidate the fast even though it causes
a loss of its rewards.
3-Intentional vomiting
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: "Whoever is overcome by
vomiting is not to make up the day. Whoever vomits intentionally must
make up the day." [Ahmad and others]
4-Poor Intentions
Failing to intend (i.e. with the heart) to fast from before the dawn
of the day of fast. (Note: voluntary fasting is excluded from this
requirement)
Intending to stop fasting at any moment during the day of fast.
These last two actions arerelated to the heart and to the intention
which is an essential element [or pillar] of fasting. These actions
void the fast evenif the person does not actually eat anything. This
is because the intention is one of the pillars of the fast and, if one
changes his/her intention, he/she has nullified his/her fast.
Except intercourse, a day invalidated by such an action cannot be
atoned by even fasting the whole life. Thus, in addition to the making
up the day, the only way to atone such an act is by true and sincere
repentance and strong determination never to do it again.
The only action, according to most scholars, which requires that both
the day be made up and the act of expiation be performed is having
sexual intercourse during a day of Ramadhaan .
Abu Hurayrah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allaah, ,
and said: "I am destroyed, O Messenger of Allaah!" The Prophet, ,
asked: "What has destroyed you?" He said,"I had intercourse with my
wife during a day of Ramadhaan ." The Prophet, , asked: "Are you able
to free a slave?" He said, " No ". The Prophet, , asked: "Is it
possible for you to fast for two consecutive months?" He said, "No."
The Prophet, , asked: "Is it possible for you to feed sixty poor
people?" He said, "No." The Prophet, , said: "Then sit." A basket of
dates wasbrought to the Prophet, , and he said to the man: "Give this
in charity." The man said:"To someone poorer thanus? There is no one
in this city who is poorer than us!" The Prophet, , laughed until his
molar teeth could be seen and said: "Go and feed your family with it."
[Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others]
Most scholars say that both men and women have to perform the acts of
expiation (Kaffaarah) if they intentionally have intercourse during a
day of Ramadhaan on which they had intended to fast.
5-Injections containing nourishment
Though this type of action is committed intentionally and thus falls
under intentional eating and drinking, it is not considered as a sin
if given to a sick person in need of it. All what is needed is to make
up theday later. These injections are meant to give nourishment
intravenously so that it reaches the intestines, with the intention of
nourishing the sick person. Also if the injection reaches the
blood-stream then it likewise breaks the fast since it is being used
in place of food and drink. Similar is the use of drips containing
glucose and saline solutions, and inhalers used by people sick of
asthma. May Allaah relieve all sick believers.
Involuntarily events that break the fast
The fast is disrupted (andthere is no point or reward then in
continuing to fast) when a woman sees the blood caused by either of:
1-Menstruation
2-post-childbirth bleeding
Even if such bleeding begins just before the sunset, the fast of that
day is rendered invalid. Awoman in this case will have to fast a day
later for every day (or part of day) that she missed.
If a menstruating womanbecomes pure (ceases bleeding) before dawn,
then she takes her Ghusl (purifying shower) and intends to fast the
next day. However, if she becomes pure after Fajr (dawn) then she
takes her Ghusl, and starts praying as usual, and the day has to be
made up after Ramadhaan . She may eat and drink duringthat day as it
is an invalidday as Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen observed.
The Prophet, , said: "Is it not that when she [the woman] menstruates,
shedoes not pray nor fast?" We (present companions)said: Yes indeed.
He said: "That is the deficiency in her Deen [religion]". [Muslim]
The order to make up for the days of menstruation is reported in the
lesson `Aa'ishah, , gave to Mu`aath, , who came and asked her "Why is
it that the menstruating woman has to make up her fasts but not the
prayers?" …`Aa'ishah said: "That (menstruation) used to come upon us
and so we were ordered (by the Prophet, slallallaahu alayhi wa sallam
) to make up the fasts and were never ordered to make up the prayers."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -