Ramadhaan – A Date with Dr. Zakir Episode 5
Acts that Invalidate the Fast
(Duration – 46 minutes)
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Below is the transcript of the complete episode from peace tv which will insha Allah benefit every one.
Yusuf Chambers: Dear brothers and sisters in Islam and Humanity, Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu, May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (swt) be on all of you. Welcome to the show Ramadhaan – A Date with Dr. Zakir. I am your host Yusuf Chambers and today we will be discussing –
Acts which invalidate the fast and Acts which are prohibited during the fast
So Dr. Zakir, Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!
Dr. Zakir: Walaikum Assalam Wa Rehmatullahi Wa Barkatuh.
Yusuf Chambers: We first really shoot in a question that I need to pose to you is, can you annunciate or list the things that invalidate or actions which invalidate the fast of Ramadhaan?
Dr. Zakir: Alhumdulillah, Was Salaatu Was Salaam Aala Rasoolillah Wa Ala Aalihi Wa Ashaabihi Wa Ajma’een, Amma Baad.
A’uzu billahi minash shaytan nir-rajeem, Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem.
Rabbish rahli Şadri Wa Yassir Li ‘Amri Wa Ahlul `Uqdatam Min Lisaani Yafqahu Qawli.
As far as acts which invalidate the fast, they are listed in the Quran as well as in the Hadith of Muhammad (saws),
Allah says in the Quran in Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 187
“Associate with them, that’s your wife, and take whatever Allah gives you from them i.e. the offspring, and eat and drink till the white thread of dawn appears different than the black thread and then you fast and complete your fast till the night follows”
So here we get the 3 categories eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. And there are various other categories which are prohibited in the Sahih Hadith.
Broadly if you list the things that break the fast there are approximately 10 different things which break the fast and you can categorize them into 2 categories.
The first category is that which breaks the fast when we take it inside the body. In them there are 4 things:
The first is eating and drinking
Second is anything that falls in the same category as eating or drinking
Third is taking medicines or pills or injections which are in the form of nourishment or somewhat similar to eating or drinking including blood transfusion
The fourth is somewhat similar to kidney dialyses where the blood is taken out, it’s purified and submitted and supplemented and put back
The second category that which comes out from the body, there are 6 things in them.
No. 1 is sexual intercourse
No. 2 is masturbation
No. 3 is menstruation
No. 4 is post natal bleeding
No. 5 is deliberate vomiting
And no. 6 is letting out blood somewhat similar to cupping or something similar to that.
So in all there are 10 things that invalid the fast.
Yusuf Chambers: Of those 10 things you’ve mentioned could you now tell us which is considered to be the most serious and sinful act which invalidates the fast?
Dr. Zakir: The act which is the most sinful and most serious amongst all of them which invalidates the fast, it is sexual intercourse. That when you have sexual intercourse and when the two private parts meet then your fast is invalidated whether ejaculation takes place or not and you have to repent for that. You have to complete the fast for that day and you have to make it up later and you have to pay a penalty that’s Kaffaara.
According to the Sahih Hadith in which our beloved Prophet said, it’s mentioned in
Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 3, in the book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1936
Where a man comes to the Prophet and he says that
“I am ruined, O Prophet I am ruined”
The Prophet said “What is the matter?”
“The man says I had sex with my wife while I was fasting.”
So the Prophet says that
“Can you free a slave?”
So the man says “No, I cannot”
Then the Prophet asked “Can you fast consecutively for 2 months?” Can you fast continuously for 60 days?”
The man says, “No, I cannot”
Then the Prophet says that “Can you feed 60 poor people?”
And the man says “NO” and the Hadith continues.
In short we come to know from this Hadith that if any person does a sexual intercourse, it is one of the major sins, it is the most serious and sinful amongst all the things that break the fast. The person who does this sin, he should immediately repent to Allah (swt) and ask for forgiveness. He should complete his fast for that day and make up for that fast later on after Ramadhaan and he has to pay penalty and the penalty we come to know from the Hadith is that he either frees a slave if he can,
If he does not have the money to free the slave or he cannot find a slave to free then he should fast for 2 consecutive months, fast for 60 days.
If he cannot do that also then he should at least feed 60 poor people and these are the 3 options that have been given for a person to pay as a penalty, as a Kaffaara but if a person can do the first thing he should not jump to the second or the third.
The first is freeing a slave, if he cannot do that, if he doesn’t have the money or cannot find a slave then you can go to the next option i.e. fasting consecutively for 60 days, if he cannot do that, if he is unable to do that continuously fasting for 60 days, if he fasts for a few days and then one day he doesn’t fast, he should start again. He should fast consecutively for 60 days, if he doesn’t have the capacity to do that then what he can do is he can feed 60 poor people and each poor person should be fed with approximately half Sa’a, each Sa’a is equal to 3 hands full of outstretched hand of wheat. So half Sa’a person or the food that is there of the land so 60 poor people you should feed. This is the Kaffaara, the penalty for a person who breaks a fast by having a sexual intercourse.
Yusuf Chambers: The amount of food, just to clarify that for my own benefit if you like do you think that’s equivalent to about a day’s food, approximately?
Dr. Zakir: Yes in short it should be a day’s food that’s normal in that land, it may change in America, it may change in UK, it may change in India but at that time it was like one Hadith says that one man requires half Sa’a of meat and each Sa’a of meat and each Sa’a of meat is outstretched, 2 hands outstretched and the amount of wheat that comes in that’s equal to Sa’a. So half of 3.
The other Hadith says that one mudh of meat that’s equal to one outstretched hand of wheat.
There’s other Hadith says that equivalent to fill a poor man’s appetite, you know his stomach.
So in short you should feed a poor person, 60 poor people you have to feed approximately what is the food of that land that you should feed him.
Yusuf Chambers: And if you can’t find people whop are poor then you look for the nearest place or…?
Dr. Zakir: Yes anywhere.. And that’s difficult in today’s world that you cannot find 60 people to feed. I don’t know any place in this world where you cannot find 60 people to feed… it may not be in your locality but you should just go to the next locality, in your city surely, in your country surely you can find. I wish to Allah (swt) that may that time come…
Yusuf Chambers: Aameen, Aameen.
Dr. Zakir:…Which will come InshaAllah.
Yusuf Chambers: InshaAllah… InshaAllah, Dr. Zakir, which is the second most serious and sinful act which invalidates the fast during Ramadhaan?
Dr. Zakir: The second most serious thing that breaks the fast or invalidates the fast it is masturbation. And this we get from the Hadith of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws),
its mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Vol. No. 3 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1894 where the Prophet said that
“Allah (swt) said: that all the deeds of the son of Adam are for himself except for fasting, its Saum and I will reward him” and further he says that “the person he leaves, he abstains from eating and drinking and his desires for my sake, Allah says the person abstains from eating, drinking and his desires is for my sake”
Now this desire from here we come to know it includes even masturbation. So when a person masturbates or ejaculates whether by touching his wife or looking at his wife or for other reason, or looking at any another woman and if an ejaculation takes place then the fasts gets invalidated. He has to repent to Allah (swt) and complete that day of fasting and he should compensate for this fast, keep this fast later after the Ramadhaan gets over. But here there is no Kaffaara, there’s no penalty because that penalty is only for sexual intercourse. Here because the intercourse hasn’t taken place, there is no penalty, he should only repent, make up that fast, that fast he should complete and then make up for that fast later on.
But if a person does not ejaculate and if there is Madi which comes out, fluid then the fast does not break. Similarly this is the prostatic fluid, the Madhi. And if the Madhi comes out i.e. after urination a white fluid, then too the fast does not break only thing he has to do is after Istinja he should wash the private parts and do Wudhu, the fast does not break. He can complete the fast and continue the fast.
Yusuf Chambers: I think that would be very useful for a lot of people living in the west. And may Allah protect us from…
Dr. Zakir: Aameen.
Yusuf Chambers: …following our desires to that level, InshaAllah. Dr. Zakir, something which seems on the surface of it to be very-very simple but may be not. Does eating and drinking past fasting, is it considered to be a major sin?
Dr. Zakir: Eating and drinking while fasting intentionally, deliberately is a major sin. So anyone eats intentionally while fasting, it is a major sin. And that person has to repent to Allah (swt) and he has to make up for that fast later on after the Ramadhaan. And this food when it enters the mouth, nourishment it breaks the fast or if any liquid enters to the nose that too breaks the fast
According to the Hadith of Muhammad (Saws) which is mentioned in
Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 2360 where the Prophet said that
“When you’re doing Wudu, you snuff the water into your nose excessively except while fasting.”
It does give the indication that the water enters the nose and it enters the throat and goes into the stomach that breaks the fast. So but natural when we drink any liquid that enters the nose that goes into the stomach through the throat that too invalidates the fast. But if someone eats or drinks unintentionally out of forgetfulness then the fast does not break. And this happens many a times, the first few days of Ramadhaan, people are so used to getting up and eating, you know, and drinking water, going to the kitchen so the first few days it does happen with some people that they forget and they have the water, or they eat not knowing they are fasting. So if a person unintentionally or out of forgetfulness drinks or eats the fast has to be completed its not invalidated.
This is again according to the Hadith of Muhammad (saws) which is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari vol. no. 3 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1933 that the beloved Prophet said that
“If a person eats or drinks unintentionally, he should complete his fast. And what he has eaten and drunk it is from Allah (swt).”
And our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) also said it’s mentioned in
Ibn Maajah Vol. no. 3 Hadith no. 2043 as well as 2045, our beloved Prophet said that
“Allah (swt) has excused my Ummah from forgetfulness, from mistakes and if something is forced on them.”
If something is done out of mistake, out of forgetfulness, out of compulsion, Allah excuses you. So only intentional eating and drinking breaks the fast and it’s a major sin.
Yusuf Chambers: Thank goodness for the mercy of Allah.
Dr. Zakir: Alhumdulillah.
Yusuf Chambers: Alhumdulillah. Dr. Zakir, can a person undergo blood transfusion and or accept an injection which nourishes his or her body during the fast?
Dr. Zakir: As far as blood transfusion is concerned it comes under the same category as getting some nourishment. When you transfer blood into the body that is considered as something as nourishment something similar to food. Because the food that we eat it enters the stomach, goes into the blood stream and that’s what makes up the blood.
So when you transfuse blood, its taken as though as though it’s a sought of nourishment and food entering the body. So that breaks the fast.
Similarly if you put any food via the rise tube into the stomach that too breaks the fast, if it is parental feeding, it breaks the fast or if you inject anything which is in the form of nourishment then that breaks the fast. Even kidney dialyses as I mentioned earlier that if you take out blood from the kidney and you purify it and add into it few nutrients and chemicals and put back into the body that too breaks the fast.
Taking any injection whether intravenous whether intramuscular or subcutaneous if it does not contain nourishment, if it contains the form of nourishment, it breaks the fast. If its only for medicinal purpose, not containing nourishment then that does not invalidate the fast then the person can take that.
Yusuf Chambers: I am sure that you drew on your knowledge as a medical doctor as well as doctor of the human soul is very useful indeed. Another similar question in a way but this time it’s regarding whether a person can donate something from his body, donate blood in this case. Is that allowed during the fast?
Dr. Zakir: When a person donates blood, its somewhat like cupping. You know cupping means removing blood from the body to the surface either by sucking or by cupping, it is somewhat similar. As far as this is concerned there is difference of opinion among the scholars. Can you donate blood or is cupping allowed while fasting or can a person cup?
There is a Hadith which is mentioned in
Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 2364 Where our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said
“Anyone who cups and gets cupped, they break their fast.”
Means a person who cups and a person who gets cupped, breaks the fast. But there is also another Hadith in Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 3 in the Book of Fasting Hadith no. 1938 where it’s mentioned that Muhammad (saws) was cupped while fasting.
Now because of these 2 Hadiths there are difference of opinion in the scholars. There is one group of scholar who says that because Muhammad (saws) gave a commandment that the person who gets cupped and the person who cups, he breaks the fast, cupping is prohibited.
Blood donation is prohibited while the other Hadith is an action. The first Hadith is a commandment so when a commandment and action if it clashes, the commandment has got more value. So based on this there is a group of scholars who say that blood donation is Haraam.
Amongst these scholars we have Imam Ahmed Ibn Humbal, we have Shaikh bin Baz who says that cupping and blood donation is Haraam, we have the great scholar Shaikh Uthaimeen who says its Haraam, Shaikh Saleh Fauzan and Shaikh Jibreen all of these scholars say cupping is haraam. And Shaikh Jibreen says that if a person donates blood, it’s like cupping therefore its haraam but if he does it to save somebody’s life it is permissible but yet it breaks the fast and he has to make up for that fast later on.
Now there is another group of scholars where Shaikh Nasiruddin Al Albani, he says that the earlier Hadith of Abu Dawud, it has been abrogated by the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari. Therefore cupping is allowed and donating blood is allowed.
So second group of scholars who say donating blood is allowed and cupping is allowed while fasting and does not break the fast.. We have Shaikh Nassiruddin Albani, we have amongst the Sahabas Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, we have Hazrat Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, we have Imam Malik, we have Imam Shafi so there is another group of scholars who say that blood donating does not break the fast.
So based on this there are some scholars who say its Makhrooh, some scholars say that if there is such a large difference of opinion so if it has to be done, avoid it and do it after sunset. So we have a difference of opinion as far as blood donation is concerned.
But as far as the other things are concerned for example if there is just small bleeding due to any injury, that does not break the fast, there is no difference of opinion in this. Or if you take blood only for testing a few ml. of blood is removed from the body for testing, this does not break the fast. Or an injury or a cut blood comes out that does not break the fast or if it’s a nose bleed or bleeding of nose that doesn’t break the fast. Or if it’s a minor surgery where little blood flows out, it doesn’t break the fast. If excessive blood flows out in a blood surgery which is equal to blood donation than it breaks the fast. So as far as the second part is concerned about blood taking out for testing, nose bleed or minor bleeding, there is no difference of opinion all of them agree that this does not break the fast.
Yusuf Chambers: These are issues which frequently come up in conversations is the UK and I believe that we have answered quite a few of them by today so.. very very beneficial indeed. In the case of a person who vomits intentionally or unintentionally, is the ruling the same regarding or not whether it invalidates the fast?
Dr. Zakir: As far as vomiting is concerned our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said, it’s a Sahih Hadith which appears in Tirmidhi in the Book of Fasting Hadith no. 720, Prophet said that
“Anyone who vomits involuntarily then he should not make up for the fast but the person who vomits voluntarily, deliberately then he has to make up for the fast”
And the same Hadith is repeated in
Sunan Abu Dawud Vol . no. 2 in the Book of fasting Hadith no. 2374, our beloved Prophet said that
“Anyone who vomits suddenly that means involuntarily, suddenly then he should not atone for it”
That means the fast is valid, he should not make up for it, but anyone who vomits deliberately then he should atone for it. That means he has to make up for that fast later on.
So if someone vomits unintentionally, the fast is not invalidated, he can complete the fast. but if someone vomits deliberately like putting a finger in his throat and vomiting or pressing his stomach and vomiting or purposely smelling something which is very nasty and continues doing that and if he vomits or he looks at something which is undesirable and he keeps on looking at it continuously and then vomits so all these come under the act of deliberately vomiting. If you vomit deliberately then you have to make up for that fast. If it’s unintentionally, but if the vomit comes to your mouth and then you again swallow it then that will break the fast. So if the vomit comes out involuntary, let the vomit come out, don’t suppress it. Then the fast is not broken. But if it comes and then you swallow the vomit back into your stomach that will…
Yusuf Chambers: break the fast.
Dr. Zakir: Yes. If you again swallow the vomit which has come out, if the vomit comes out, let the vomit come out involuntary that will not break the fast.
Yusuf Chambers: I see. Okay, thank you very much for that. Dr. Zakir, regarding the situation of a woman who is on her period or menses? Ah.. she is forgiven or she is let off from having to do the prayer and she doesn’t have to make up the prayer at a later date as we’ve learnt is previous series in this show. And what is the case with fasting is it the same?
Dr. Zakir: As far as fasting is concerned if a lady is having her menstrual periods according to a Hadith which is mentioned in
Sahih Al Bukhari Vol no. 3 in the Book of Fasting Hadith no. 1951
Hazrat Aisha, (may Allah be pleased with her), who is the wife of Prophet Muhammad (saws), she said when she was asked this question that do we have to make up for the fast or does the fast break while menstruating? So she said that
“When we used to fast and when we used to have our menstruations during the month of Ramadhaan she used to say that during the month of Ramadhaan when we had our menstruation, the Prophet asked us to make up for the fast but did not ask us to make up for the Salaah.”
So based on the ruling of Muhammad (saws) which was narrated to us by his wife Hazrat Aisha, (may Allah be pleases with her), so making up for the prayer is not a requirement but making up for the fast is a requirement. So if a woman has a menstrual cycle or post natal bleeding, she cannot continue with the fast, the fast breaks. If she has in between in the day, she will have to break the fast or even if the menstruation starts just a few minutes before sunset, she’ll have to break the fast, the fast is not valid. But if menstruation stops just before Fajr then she can keep the fast. But if the menstruation stops just a few minutes after Fajr she cannot keep the fast and she will have to make up the fast later on after Ramadhaan.
The reason why the fasting breaks when a woman has her menstrual period or post natal bleeding is because of a lot of blood flows out and Allah (swt) does not over burden the woman. So it’s a grace from Allah (swt), He does not want to make it difficult because when blood flows out and then after that if you say that you should not take in nourishment, you should not take food, it’s an overburdening so because of that Allah (swt) has excused the women that she need not fast, but she has to make up later on.
The reason she has to make up the fast later on which she does not have to do in Salaah because Salaah is supposed to be prayed everyday of your life minimum 5 times a day. So there is no question once she misses her Salaah may be for 5 days, 6 days, 7 days whatever it is, when will she make up? Because she is suppose to offer Salaah everyday of her life but fasting is only compulsory in the month of Ramadhaan. So if she misses for 7 days in the month of Ramadhaan, she can very well compensate for it after the month of Ramadhaan is over. Therefore according to my thinking, according to my understanding that’s the reason Allah (swt) and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) has told that the women should not make up for her Salaah if she misses during her menstrual period but she has to make up for the fast she misses during the month of Ramadhaan.
Yusuf Chambers: Excellent! I think that’s cleared that one up as well. And you know Dr. Zakir now we sought of reached the time in this show when we can invite question from our audience and of course we received literally thousands of questions on these topics. We have categorized them and we have got a list here… ahmm… so I’d like to fire a few questions at you if you don’t mind.
Dr. Zakir: InshaAllah, it’s my pleasure.
Yusuf Chambers: So Dr. Zakir first question from the audience is in the case that after Suhoor a person has inadvertently has some food lodged in their teeth, yes, and as result of swallowing the normal process of Saliva around in the mouth the food then goes down esophagus into the stomach, okay they imbibe it, they take it on does this situation mean that they have invalidated their fast? And further more just as a sort of a addendum what’s the situation when a person swallows phlegm or mucus?
Dr. Zakir: As far as if a person has some food particles that have got stuck in between the teeth may be after Suhoor when the fast starts. If there are some food particles which are stuck in between the teeth and if the person doesn’t realize it and then if he swallows it without realizing then the fast doesn’t break. But if the food particles are big enough which a person can feel it then he has to spit it out. And unintentionally if that food particle after feeling goes in inside his throat then Allah will forgive you then the fast is not invalidated. But if you can feel it intentionally if he swallows then the fast breaks, unintentionally if he swallows then the fast does not break. So if there is a particle which is big enough which can be spat outside, he should spit outside and further more if suppose the gums bleed may be after using the Siwaak or after brushing the teeth while fasting so the blood also should be spat out. Unintentionally if certain blood goes down the throat into the stomach, Allah will forgive you but intentionally you should not swallow any blood.
As far as the second part of the question is concerned i.e. about the mucus, if it comes form the head may be the Para nasal sinus or from the nose or phlegm which comes while cleaning the throat if it comes into the throat and goes into the stomach without coming into the mouth, it is quite natural, it happens with many people. The phlegm, the mucus it comes, gets stuck in the throat, you clear the throat it goes into the stomach it’s perfectly fine, it does not invalidate the fast. Because that’s a natural process but if it comes into the mouth, it should be spat out. If the mucus or phlegm comes into your mouth, you should spit it out. Unintentionally if it comes in the mouth then you swallow it, Allah will forgive you but intentionally it should not be swallowed.
Yusuf Chambers: Okay. A question is from an engineer by profession and he would like to know that whether it is permissible or he says can I marry in Ramadhaan.
Dr. Zakir: As far as marrying in the month of Ramadhaan is concerned there is no text in the Quran or any Sahih Hadith which I know where it is forbidden to marry in the month of Ramadhaan. A person can marry in any month of the year but since in Ramadhaan he has to abstain besides abstaining from food and drink, he has to abstain from sexual intercourse. So it depends upon him that when he marries in the month of Ramadhaan, the lady he marries is a new wife so will he able to suppress his feelings during the day time from the beginning of Dawn to sunset. Will he be able to abstain that is a test. If he can abstain from any sexual intercourse then he can marry but since a person marries in the month of Ramadhaan, it’s a new wife, he has to spent time so therefore if he has doubts its advisable that he delays his marriage after the month of Ramadhaan. And he spends time in the Zikr and the remembrances of Allah (swt). Per se marring in the month of Ramadhaan is not Haraam.
Yusuf Chambers: Another question can a lady or a woman, female visit a gynecologist to be examined during this month, Ramadhaan?
Dr. Zakir: For a lady to visit a gynecologist while she is fasting it’s not prohibited but she should take care that the gynecologist she visits, should be a lady because we have to maintain the Hijaab. It is not advisable or its rather Haraam that she goes to a gent gynecologist unless there is no one in that area and she has such a disease which may take her life or it’s a serious case then if she doesn’t find a lady gynecologist and she goes to a gent gynecologist it can be excused as a last resort. But normally she should visit a lady gynecologist.
Now when she visits a gynecologist if an examination is done, it may be a PV as we say in our lingo, medical lingo that per vaginal examination whether a finger is inserted in the vagina that does not break the fast. If any instrument is put in the vagina it will not break the fast for any testing any examination or if any vaginal pessaries is also put in the vagina. That will not break the fast. While she goes to a gynecologist if there are any tests done or if an instrument is put in the uterus, any intrauterine device or any catheters put, all these things will not break the fast.
Furthermore if while the gynecologist examines her and if any testing has to be done, any tube or any catheters has to be put in the urethra i.e. urinal passage all these things will not break the fast because it does not constitute that food or nourishment is being reached. And food and nourishment cannot be given through the vagina or through the urethra, through the uterus. So the scholars are unanimous agree that she can visit a gynecologist, she can get herself examined, this will not break the fast at all.
Yusuf Chambers: Surely that will be useful for the sisters to fast. Next question if a person by profession deals in Riba or as its being now translated interest, does this mean that their fast would not be accepted?
Dr. Zakir: As far as Riba is concerned, Riba is a major sin, it is Gunah-e-Kabira and Riba has been mentioned in the Quran in no less than 8 different places.
Allah mentions it in
Surah Ale Imran ch. 3 verse no. 130
In Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 161
It’s mentioned thrice in
Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 275
It’s also mentioned in Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 276
And also in
Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 278 & 279
And I’ll quote that last verse only, I don’t intend giving a speech.
Allah says in Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 278 & 279 that
“Give up what remains of your demands of usury. And anyone who does not give up the demands of usury, interest, riba is the Arabic word. If anyone does not give up the demand of interest then take notice of a war from Allah and his Rasool”
If anyone deals in Riba, in interest, in usury Allah and His Rasool will wage a war against you. It’s more serious, it’s a bigger sin than having alcohol, it’s a bigger sin than talking drugs because when you have alcohol, when you take drugs, when you have pork it’s a big sin but Allah and His Rasool will not wage a war against you. But if you involve yourself in Riba whether take or give both, when you take interest or give interest, both of them are major sins. So if a person is involved in Riba, it will not break the fast per se, because I have told you things that break the fast I have told you total 10 things so this does not come in that but it’s a major sin. A person should abstain throughout his life especially in the month of Ramadhaan which is a month of forgiveness, month of blessing; it will only reduce his reward. What reward he gets for fasting, his fasting will not be nullified, it will not be invalidated but the reward will be reduced.
And as our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said, it’s a Sahih Hadith in
Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 3, in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1903 Our beloved Prophet said:
“A person who does not leave his false actions and false talks, Allah does not require him to leave his drink and eating”
Means a person who does not abstain from doing wrong things, saying wrong things, Haraam things, Allah does not require him to leave his eating and drinking.
So based on this it is Haraam, his reward for the month of fasting will be reduced, it may be nullified also.
Yusuf Chambers: SubhanAllah! That’s pretty serious, isn’t it? I am sure there are many people unfortunately who are living under this delusion of the safety native Riba that it provides. May Allah protect us from that.
Dr. Zakir, next question, more of views, if a person becomes or falls unconsciousness for a couple of hours does this break the fast?
Dr. Zakir: Unconsciousness per se if it’s for a short period while fasting does not break the fast. There is unanimous consensus amongst the Shuyukhs, amongst the Ulema that if he falls unconsciousness for a couple of hours or a few minutes during his time of fasting, it does not break the fast but if he is unconsciousness right from the beginning of Fajr, before dawn up to sunset then his fast is invalid. He’ll have to make up for his fast after the month of Ramadhaan.
Yusuf Chambers: I see. So couple of hours during the day doesn’t nullify the fast. Okay Thank you. Next question, if a person has to eat or drink in order to save his or her life, does that mean that they have to make up that fast later on or is it accepted that fast?
Dr. Zakir: If a person is dying as you said, dying of hunger or dying of thirst…
Yusuf Chambers: Yes…
Dr. Zakir: …while fasting if he feels hungry and thirsty and if he feels that if he does not take something, does not take some food or does not take some water, it will damage some of his organs of the body, if he feels his life is threatened or may cause a major damage to some of his organs then if he breaks the fast to save his life, it is accepted, Allah will forgive him but he will have to make up for his fast after the month of Ramadhaan is over. But if someone finds it hard, difficult to fast because if he’s doing a laborious work or he is finding difficulties, he is feeling thirsty in this case breaking the fast is a sin. But if he is really dying of hunger and then if he breaks, Allah will forgive him but he’ll have to make up for that fast later on.
Yusuf Chambers: Dr. Zakir, Some scholars say that smoking is haraam. I’d like to know what is your opinion and does smoking invalidate the fast?
Dr. Zakir: As far as smoking is concerned several years before where science hadn’t advanced that far, most of the scholars used to say that smoking is Makhrooh based on the Hadith of Muhammad (saws) which is mentioned in
Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 1 in the Book of Adhan Hadith no. 855 where the Prophet said that
“Anyone who eats garlic or onion, they should stay away from us and stay away from the mosque”
Prophet said that, you know, that don’t come to the mosque after having garlic or onion because it gives bad breath. When you are smoking the breath is worse then onion or garlic so based on this Hadith therefore garlic and onion doesn’t become haraam, it becomes Makhrooh so based on this Hadith scholars give the Fatwa that smoking is Makhrooh
But now after science has advanced we have come to know that smoking is nothing but it’s a slow poisoning. Tobacco in any form whether in smoking cigarettes whether bedi whether tobacco in Huqqa whether chewing tobacco all forms of tobacco contain nicotine and tar and we know its nothing but slow poisoning. That’s the reason most of the non-Muslims also, they agree that smoking is Haraam. Not only the Muslim world even the non-Muslims. That’s the reason they put a statutory warning on the cigarette packs, they put a statutory warning saying “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health” or in some countries it mentions “General Surgeon’s Warning” or “Surgeon General’s warning: Smoking is injurious to health”.
And anyone gives an add whether in newspaper or in the magazine or television it is compulsory that they have to highlight this statement “Smoking is Injurious to Health” so I am not talking about the Muslim world even the non-Muslim world agrees that smoking is nothing but slow poisoning.
And today according to statistics the World Health Organization says that every year more than more than 4 million people die only because of smoking. And if you count the other forms of tobacco it will be much more. And today medical science tells us and even I had learnt when I was doing my medicine in a medical collage that more than 90{ecb01613692258d40e800a99e4d746e5d13d05ec98d2e9f5c1cfefb6e9fee158} of the lung cancer deaths are only due to smoking. Whether cigarette or bedi whatever it is. 25{ecb01613692258d40e800a99e4d746e5d13d05ec98d2e9f5c1cfefb6e9fee158} of the cardio vascular deaths are only because of smoking. 70 to 75{ecb01613692258d40e800a99e4d746e5d13d05ec98d2e9f5c1cfefb6e9fee158} of Bronchitis and related deaths are only because of smoking. Smoking is nothing but slow poisoning. It blackens your lips, blackens your gums, blackens your fingertips, it damages your lips, it damages your esophagus, it damages your stomach and it can cause constipation, it can cause loss of appetite, it can cause loss of libido, your sexual power gets suppressed, it can cause immunity to the drugs you take and it reduces the defense of your body. And you can only give a talk on ‘Why smoking is Haraam’ and I have given a talk on ‘Dietary Laws in Islam’ and I have covered this topic in detail, time doesn’t permit me here but based on all these various research there are today more than 400 Fatwas the majority of the scholars, they agree that smoking is Haraam and all form of tobacco is haraam. There may be certain scholars of certain countries including this country where I come from, India, they say it is Makhrooh yet but most of the scholars otherwise throughout the world, majority of them they agree that smoking is haraam.
Allah says in the Quran in Surah A’raaf ch. no. 7 verse no. 157 that
“You follow the Prophet, the unlettered Prophet who is mentioned in your law and scriptures”
And further it says that
“This Prophet asks you to things which are good for you, ‘tayyab’ for you. So take what he gives it to you what is lawful and good. And he prohibits things which are ‘Khabees’, things which are unlawful, things which are bad for you”
So whatever the Prophet gives, what he gives you which is good take and he prohibits you things which are Khabees, unlawful, you have to abstain from it. This is the law.
And Allah says in the Quran in Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no, 195
“Make not your own hands the cause of your own destruction”
Indicating that do not kill your own self because smoking is nothing but slow poisoning it comes under this category something like suicide, slow poisoning. Every puff you take, you reduce your life. So based on this there are more than 400 Fatwas saying that smoking is Haraam.
And further more this is one of the major reasons why it is haraam, furthermore
Allah says in the Quran in Surah A’raaf ch. no. 7 verse no. 31
“Eat and drink but do not be extravagant”
Allah says in Surah Israa ch. no. 17 verse no. 26-27 that
“Do not be extravagant, do not be a spendthrift for verily a person who is a spendthrift is a brother of the Satan, is a brother of the devil”
And we know when we smoke its nothing but extravagance, its nothing but taking a pound note or a few pounds or taking a dollar note, the green dollar bill or a pound and lighting up with fire. When we smoke, when we light the cigarette its nothing but burning money whether it be rupees, whether it be dollars, whether it be pounds, whether it be Riyals, it is nothing but extravagance which is Haraam in Islam.
And you can give a list of reasons why it is haraam but just to cut it short one more reason that you cannot harm your own neighbor, you cannot harm your own brother and in smoking when you exhale out the smoke it causes more damage to your neighbor, passive smoking is more dangerous than active smoking and the person who smokes when he exhales out if the person who is a neighbor inhales the smoke it causes more damage to him than the person who smokes. That’s the reason many countries like Singapore etc., they have banned smoking in public places, in your personal house you can do it, in public places, in government places smoking has been banned. So based on this its haraam. So smoking is haraam.
As far as the second part of the smoking is concerned that does smoking invalidate the fast. Normally when a person smokes, the smoke goes into the lung but there are some other particles also that go into the stomach. So when we smoke besides the smoke going into the lungs it also goes into the stomach and there are some particles, there are some residual things so all the scholars unanimously agree that smoking does break the fast, it invalidates the fast. So when you are smoking besides a person breaking the fast, he is even doing a sin and that reduces the reward. And many people who are chain smokers, they don’t smoke during fasting but the moment the fast ends after Iftaar they take puffs and they keep on smoking the full night and Astagfirullah this again defeats the purpose of fasting, increasing your Taqwa. And if a person can abstain dawn to dusk from the beginning of dawn to sunset very well he can abstain from smoking from the cradle to the grave. So its my advice to the chain smoker, Ramadhaan is a very good time where they can really stop smoking and that will be a permanent part in their life, for the future, InshaAllah.
Yusuf Chambers: Aameen InshaAllah. Dr. Zakir you just used the term Makrooh could you just explain that term for our viewers?
Dr. Zakir: I’m sorry. Makrooh is an Arabic word which means discouraged, detestable, discouraged…..discouraged means the scholars say it is discouraged because you know onion, garlic it smells, smoking also smells that’s the reason they say it is discouraged. Makhrooh means discouraged.
Yusuf Chambers: Okay that’s interesting because often it is portrayed as being in term which has positive connotations and not negative connotations. I am sure that answer, the answers you have given regarding smoking and the evidence that you have given and I know that you have got a lot more up your sleeve.. ha..ha..ha.. ahm.. to give to give day to day hopefully we can have a whole programme, about dealing just with smoking, SubhanAllah.
I will thank you very much Dr. Zakir Naik for those answers and all the answers, Alhumdulillah, indeed that you have given regarding acts that invalidate the fast and acts which are prohibited during the fast and I’ve certainly learnt a lot and I know the viewers have as well.
Brothers and sisters very interesting programme, very interesting series tell your friends to tune in tomorrow at the same time when we will be discussing ‘Acts permitted during the fast’ so same time tomorrow.
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!