What breaks the fast in Ramadan?
Quick Answer
Eating, drinking, smoking, intentional vomiting, intimate relations, and menstruation break the fast. Forgetful eating or drinking does not break it.
Detailed Answer
Things that break the fast (mufattirat):
1. Eating or drinking intentionally. 2. Smoking (treated as both consumption and harm). 3. Intentional vomiting (Sunan Abu Dawud 2380). 4. Intimate relations during fasting hours (requires kaffarah). 5. Menstruation or post-natal bleeding (the fast must be made up later). 6. Apostasy (loss of Islam itself). 7. Intentional ejaculation while awake.
Things that do NOT break the fast: - Forgetful eating or drinking (Sahih Bukhari 1933). - Unintentional vomiting. - Wet dreams. - Swallowing one's own saliva. - Bathing or swimming (avoid swallowing water). - Brushing teeth (siwak is sunnah). - Wearing perfume or smelling pleasant scents. - Blood tests or injections of medicine that do not nourish.
Gray areas (scholar opinions differ): Eye drops, ear drops, nasal sprays, inhalers (asthma), IV nutrition. The safest approach is to avoid them or consult a scholar.
Sources
- Quran 2:187
- Sahih Bukhari 1933
- Sunan Abu Dawud 2380
Madhab Notes
Madhabs have detailed differences on injections, inhalers, and other modern medical procedures.
Disclaimer: This answer is educational guidance based on authentic sources. For binding rulings on personal matters, please consult a qualified Islamic scholar.