Breaking the fast through intimacy — forgetfully or knowingly

Question

What's the ruling if person is keeping the fast but he does intercourse with his wife or masturbates for both condition

1. He forgot and didn't know he was fasting

2. He knew he was observing fasting

— Adil Hussain, Bangalore, India

Answer

Engaging in intercourse forgetting that you are in the state of fasting will not break the fast. It is mentioned in al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah,

إذا أكل الصائم أو شرب أو جامع ناسيا لم يفطر

“If the one fasting eats, drinks or has intercourse forgetfully, then he has not broken the fast.”

[al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, Kitāb al-Ṣawm, al-Bāb al-Rābi`]

If upon remembering, one separated immediately, then nothing is incurred. However, if one remained in the same state, then only redoing the fast (Qaḍā’) is necessary, there is no expiation (Kaffārah). Ṣadr al-Sharī`ah, Muftī Amjad `Ali 'A`zmī states,

صبح سے پہلے یا بھول کر جماع میں مشغول تھا، صبح ہوتے ہی یا یاد آنے پر فوراً جدا ہوگیا تو کچھ نہیں اور اسی حالت پر رہا تو قضا واجب ہے کفارہ نہیں

“One was engaged in intercourse before [astronomical] dawn or forgetfully and at the break of dawn or upon remembering, he separated immediately, then nothing is incurred; and if one remained in that state, then redoing the fast is necessary, no expiation.”

[Bahār e Sharī`at, volume 5, page 990]

Engaging in intercourse in either the front or back passage knowing that you are in the state of fasting will break the fast regardless of ejaculation taking place or not. It will necessitate both redoing the fast and expiation. It is mentioned in al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah,

من جامع عمدا في احد السبيلين فعليه القضاء والكفارة ولا يشترط الإنزال في المحلين

“Whoever has intercourse in one of the two passages purposely must redo the fast and give expiation; and ejaculating is not a prerequisite in both places.”

[al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, Kitāb al-Ṣawm, al-Bāb al-Rābi`]

Masturbating is an extremely filthy and sinful act but will not break the fast unless you remember you are in the state of fasting and ejaculation takes place. It is in Bahār e Sharī`at,

غیر سبیلین میں جماع کیا تو جب تک انزال نہ ہو روزہ نہ ٹوٹے گا۔ یوہیں ہاتھ سے منی نکالنے میں اگرچہ یہ سخت حرام ہے کہ حدیث میں اسے ملعون فرمایا

“If one had intercourse in other than the front or back passage, then until ejaculation occurs, the fast won’t break. Likewise in masturbation, though this is severely forbidden since the masturbator has been called ‘cursed’ in the Hadīth.”

[Bahār e Sharī`at, volume 5, page 983]

Masturbating whilst knowing that you are fasting and ejaculation taking place will only necessitate redoing the fast, there is no expiation. Ṣadr al-Sharī`ah, Muftī Amjad `Ali 'A`zmī states,

یا ہاتھ سے منی نکالی…ان سب صورتوں میں صرف قضا لازم ہے، کفارہ نہیں

“or he ejaculated using his hand…then in all these cases only redoing the fast is necessary, no expiation.”

[Bahār e Sharī`at, volume 5, page 989]

It must be noted that those matters which only necessitate redoing the fast without expiation is conditional on it only happening once without the intention of disobedience, otherwise the expiation will also become necessary as Ṣadr al-Sharī`ah, Muftī Amjad `Ali 'A`zmī states,

جن صورتوں میں روزہ توڑنے پرکفّارہ لازم نہیں ان میں شرط ہے کہ ایک ہی بار ایسا ہوا ہو اور معصیت کا قصد نہ کیا ہو، ورنہ اُن میں کفّارہ دینا ہوگا

“Those scenarios in which there is no expiation for breaking the fast, there is a condition that it only happened once and he didn’t intend disobedience, otherwise expiation will have to be given in those scenarios.”

[Bahār e Sharī`at, volume 5, page 992]

Furthermore, expiation is only when the fast is of the current Ramadan and the one who is fasting is: tasked (mukallaf), a resident (muqīm), and one who made the intention of fasting the current fast of Ramadan at night, and Allāh knows best.

Faqīr Sohel al-Qādirī · (may he be forgiven) · Jumādā al-'Ākhirah 9, 1446 AH