Volume - VIII / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 17
THINGS WHICH SPOIL FAST
Q. 1: Will fast be spoilt by chewing "Paan" or tobacco?
A. Fast is spoilt by every that thing which is eaten or drunk and so is the case with the chewing of "Paan" (betel leaf) or tobacco even though its spittle is spewed, for, its tiny pieces definitely reach up to the throat. Similarly, putting such thing in the mouth that melts like sugar will also spoil the fast if the fasting man swallows the spittle so sweetened.
Q.2: Will fast be spoilt or not if a fasting man ate an eatable thing already sticking to his teeth equal to the size of a gram?
A. If a fasting man to whose teeth an eatable thing was sticking equal to or larger than the size of a gram, ate that or was even smaller than a gram which he took out from his mouth and then ate it up, his fast will be spoilt.
Q.3: Will fast be spoilt or not if the teeth of a fasting man bleeds and blood reaches beyond the throat?
A. If the teeth of a fasting man bled and blood went down the throat and its taste was also felt in the throat, his fast would be spoilt but in case the (quantity of) spittle overwhelmed the blood i.e. the blood was much less than the spittle in the mouth and its (blood's) taste was also not felt in the throat, fast would not be spoilt but remain valid.
Q.4: What about extraction of the tooth during fasting?
A. If a fasting man had his tooth extracted and the blood which definitely oozes out during the process reached beyond the throat even though it may be during sleep, his fast will be spoilt.
Q.5: Will fast be spoilt or not by applying medicine to the head injury?
A. If a fasting man applied some medicine irrespective of dry or wet to his head injury that is deep to the membrane and it reached the brain or stomach, his fast would be spoilt and in case he could not feel
whether it reached the brain/stomach or not and the medicine was wet even then his fast would be spoilt and if the medicine was dry then fast would not be spoilt but remain valid.
Q.6: Will fast be spoilt or not by pouring oil into the ear?
A. If a fasting man poured oil into his ear or got it into the ear by chance or poured some medicine, his fast would be spoilt. Likewise, taking enema and sniffing some medicine up or pouring it into nostrils will also spoil the fast.
Q.7: What injunction is there if the water reaches the throat during rinse of the mouth?
A. If a fasting man rinsed his mouth and the water reached his throat unintentionally or sniffed up the water into the nose (for instance during ablution or bath) and it reached the brain, his fast would be spoilt. But in case, he forgot his fasting then his fast would not be spoilt by such acts even though he did it intentionally. Likewise, somebody threw something towards the fasting man and it entered into his mouth and also reached his throat, his fast would be spoilt.
Q.8: Will fast be spoilt or not if one drank in sleep?
A. If a fasting man drank water in sleep or ate something or he opened his mouth and a drop of water or hail went into the throat, his fast would be spoilt.
Q.9: Will fast be spoilt or not if the fasting man's spittle got coloured by something and he swallowed it?
A. If a fasting man took some coloured thread or paper into his mouth that stained his spittle and he
swallowed it, his fast would be spoilt by such act. But in case, he passed a thread on his tongue once or twice or thrice to moisturise it during its twisting, his fast would not be spoilt unless his spittle is stained by it and he swallowed it.
Q10: How is that for prolonging abstersion during fasting?
A. If a fasting man prolonged abstersion (i.e. cleaning of orifice after natural evacuation) so much so that the water reached inside the anus (upto where enema is inserted), his fast would be spoilt. Prolongation in abstersion is a serious health hazard. The Muslim jurists say that the fasting man should not breath up while washing the orifice because if the water got into anus it would not only spoil the fast but it is also injurious to health.
Q11: Will fast be spoilt or not by pouring oil into the hole of sex-organ?
A. If a fasting man poured water or oil into the hole of his sex-organ his fast would not be spoilt even though it reached the bladder. But if a woman did it her fast would be spoilt. Similarly, if she placed some cotton wool or a piece of cloth on her sex-organ and if it is not completely outside (i.e. should not go inside), her fast would be spoilt.
Q12: Will fast be spoilt or not by eating grass etc?
A. Eating of grass, cotton wool, paper, stone, sand etc. which are not counted in human food or eating of such things that are disgusting during fasting will spoil the fast.
Q13: Will fast be spoilt or not by kissing a woman?
A. If a fasting man kissed or caressed or embraced his wife and he (seminally) discharged during the process then his fast would be spoilt otherwise not and in case his wife touched him and his sperm discharged, his fast would not be spoilt. And if he touched her with the cloth, she was wrapped in, so thick that the warmth of her body was not felt then his fast would not be spoilt even though he (seminally) discharged during the caress.
Q14: Will fast be spoilt or not by vomit?
A. There are two things in connection with vomit during fasting i.e. whether it is intentional vomiting or accidental vomiting without any intent and purpose. Now it is to be seen whether these intentional or unintentional vomits are mouthful or not. There is a separate injunction for each case:
1. If the fasting man intentionally vomited mouthful being conscious of his fast, his fast would be spoilt irrespective of whether its pieces went back to the throat or not.
2. If he vomited intentionally but was not mouthful, his fast would not be spoilt.
3. If his vomiting was unintentional but mouthful and he swallowed it even a very small quantity of
the vomit i.e. equal to a gram went into his throat, his fast would be spoilt.
4. If his vomiting was unintentional and was also not mouthful, his fast would not be spoilt irrespective of whether he swallowed it or not and whether it went into his throat at its own or not.
Q15: A man slept chewing "Paan" and on getting up in the morning he made intention of fast. Would his fast be in order or not?
A. If one chewed "Paan" (betel leaf) and slept with only a few pieces of betel-nut sticking to his teeth, his fast would be in order. But if there was still a sufficient quantity of betel-spittle in his mouth in the morning (after "Sahari" time) and if it was strongly presumed that some pieces of betel-leaf,betel-nut might have gone to the throat, in such case his fast would not be in order.
Q16: Will fast be in order or not if a fasting man puts betel-leaf or tobacco in his mouth or takes a pinch of snuff?
A. If a fasting man puts "Paan" (betel-leaf) or tobacco in his mouth and chews it (without any intention of swallowing) its tiny pieces will definitely reach the throat. Likewise, if he takes a pinch of snuff, its particles will also reach the brain, in these conditions his fast will be spoilt. He will not only have to observe "Qada,Qaza" fast but will also have to atone for it.
Q17: Will fast be in order or not if a fasting man has belches of indigestion?
A. If one ate voraciously in "Sahari" and had belches of indigestion in the morning his fast would not be spoilt.
Q18: Is it lawful or not for the fasting man to have his vein
opened to bleed and to have his urethra douched?
A. If a fasting man had his vein opened to bleed, his fast would not be spoilt. However, an old and weak man should avoid such things in fast. And to have urethra douched during fasting will not spoil the fast of man
but will spoil of woman.
Q19: Can a fasting man have injection?
A. It can not be said with any certainty that injection will spoil the fast or not as the medicine so injected into the body does not directly reach the stomach or brain. However, to have oneself injected with vitamins during fasting just for nourishment will defeat the very purpose of the fast. Thus the fast will get spoilt and "Qada, Qaza" of it will become due. It is, therefore, better to avoid having injection in fast except for emergency case.
Q20: What Shar'ee injunction is there if one's fast gets spoilt or he breaks it before time?
A. There are two injunctions in regard to spoiling of fast and breaking it before time: In some cases only Qada, Qaza of fast becomes due while in other cases "Kaffaarah" (atonement) also becomes due besides the Qada of fast.