Things That Invalidate Fasting – When carrying out fasting, of course we must comply with the existing rules and conditions so that our fasting will be blessed and get mercy from Him. Fasting is when we are required to hold back the passions that are inside from sunrise to sunset with the intention because of Allah SWT.
Even so, there are several things that can break the fast that we are living. For example, if a woman who is fasting suddenly has her period, her fast will be broken.
Then, what are the things that can invalidate fasting? Come on, see the following reviews!
Things That Can Invalidate Fasting
1. Eating and Drinking Intentionally
This of course can break the fast because actually when fasting we are required to restrain our passions, be it the appetite for drinking and the lust for sex. So, if in the middle of this fast, we consciously eat and drink, it will obviously break the fast.
There is an argument from Allah SWT regarding this matter, namely:
Which mean:
“…And eat and drink until it becomes clear to you the white thread from the black thread, that is dawn.. .” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 187)
Based on the verse explains that we may eat and drink anything before dawn. Well, if it’s dawn, of course it’s no longer allowed to eat and drink.
Apart from that, there are also sayings of the Prophet Muhammad SAW which said that eating and drinking intentionally can certainly break the fast. It’s different if you forget. This is shown in the following hadith,
Which mean:
“From Abu Hurairah ra: The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: Whoever eats because he forgets, even though he is fasting, he should continue his fast, therefore Allah is the one who gives him food and drink.” (Narrated by Bukhari Muslim)
2. Smoking
All scholars have agreed that someone who smokes cigarettes while fasting will of course invalidate his fast. This is because smoking is the same as eating and drinking.
In fact, there is debate about whether passive smokers who only inhale cigarette smoke also break their fast. Well, the answer is not cancelled, because passive smokers don’t inhale cigarette smoke at all from the source, but from smoke that is flying in the air and is inhaled when breathing.
3. Vomiting
As with eating and drinking, vomiting can break the fast if it is done intentionally. Therefore, if you are sick, it is recommended not to fast first.
What does intentional vomiting mean?
Namely by inserting his finger into his throat to cause him to vomit.
This is explained in the words of Rasulullah SAW, namely:
Which mean:
“People who vomit do not need to make up qada’, but people who vomit on purpose must make up qada.” (Narrated by Abu Daud, Tirmizy, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim)
4. Ejecting semen
The scholars have agreed that if someone discharges semen by accident, then his fast is not invalidated. It is based on the following hadith:
Which mean:
From Ali bin Abi Talib ra: Rasulullah SAW said: “The pens have been lifted from three people: From small children to baligh, from crazy people to sane people and from sleeping people until they wake up . ” (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Daud and Tirmizy)
5. Have sex
Having intercourse between a man and a woman consciously of course causes the fast he is undergoing to be invalidated. The definition of sexual intercourse is:
Which mean:
Entry of male genitalia into female genitalia. (An-Nihayah, Ibnul Atsir, volume 5 p. 200)
If a man’s genitals enter a woman’s genitals, then of course the fast that is being carried out by both of them will be invalidated, even if semen does not come out.
However, what if people have sexual intercourse during the day in Ramadan because they forget that they are fasting? According to the scholars, this does not invalidate the fast. On condition, both of them really forgot, not pretending to forget.
6. Apostasy
This of course can invalidate the fast because of the legal requirements of fasting, namely being Muslim. However, if someone commits an apostasy, of course he is no longer a Muslim and his fasting is invalid.
If, someone who has apostatized (left the religion of Islam), on the same day he re-enters Islam, then his fast will still be invalidated. All he needs to do is make up his fast that day even though he has not had time to eat or drink.
This explanation is based on Az-Zumar’s letter, which is as follows:
Which mean,
“If you associate partners with Allah (apostate), then Allah will erase your deeds and you will definitely be a loser.” (QS Az-Zumar)
7. Menstruation or childbirth
This will be experienced by women who are fasting, then suddenly she gets her period, then the fast she is undergoing will automatically be cancelled. Although, menstruation occurs before sunset or almost time to break the fast.
Likewise with a woman who is pregnant and suddenly has puerperal bleeding, then her fast will be invalidated. There are two arguments of the Prophet Muhammad regarding this matter, namely:
Which mean:
From Abi Said Al-Khudhri ra said that Rasulullah SAW said, “Isn’t it not permissible for a woman to pray and fast when a woman gets her period? “. (HR Muttafaq ‘alaihi)
Which mean:
‘From Aisyah ra said: “In the time of Rasulullah SAW we used to get menstruation and then we were ordered to make up ‘fast’ and were not ordered to make up ‘salat” (HR. Jama’ah).
8. Crazy and Faint
The scholars have agreed that a person who is in a state of madness is not obliged to fast. This is because the obligatory condition of fasting is intelligent and not crazy. So, if someone who is crazy is fasting, then his fast is invalid. He is allowed to fast by making up the fast on another day if he is conscious and cured of the madness.
Other Matters Still Being Debate
Other things that are still being debated between whether or not fasting is canceled when these things are done are the practice of cupping treatment, blood donation, using asthma spray, and receiving blood transfusions.
1. Practice of Cupping Medicine
The practice of cupping or hijamah is a traditional treatment, by taking a person’s blood from the pores of the skin to remove the disease. Well, this medical practice is still being debated by some scholars regarding whether it is canceled or not if it is done while fasting.
The first school of thought is that which says that the practice of cupping makes our fast invalid. The Hanbali school is of the opinion that a person who is fasting and then has his body cupped can break their fast, even including the fast of the person who cupped him. This is based on the following hadith,
Which mean:
From Syaddad bin Aus ra, that Rasulullah SAW came to someone in Baqi’ who was cupping in the month of Ramadan, then he said: “The one who cupped and the one who cupped, both broke their fast.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, Tirmizi, and Ahmad)
Then, the second school of thought states that the practice of cupping does not invalidate our fast. The majority of scholars (Hanafi, Maliki, Syafi’i) are of the opinion that the practice of cupping treatment does not invalidate the fast. This is based on a hadith which states that the Prophet Muhammad also underwent the practice of cupping when he was in ihram and fasting.
Which mean:
“From Ibn Abbas ra, he said: Rasulullah SAW never cupped in a state of ihram and had also cupped in a state of fasting.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
2. Blood Donation
In this case, the scholars who have different opinions regarding the practice of donating blood during fasting are the same as discussing the practice of cupping.
The first school of thought stated that the practice of donating blood does not invalidate fasting was put forward by contemporary scholars, namely Shaykh Abdurrahman Jabnakah al-Maidani, Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradhawi, Shaykh Wahbah az-Zuhaili, Shaykh Mahmud ‘Uwaidhah, and Shaykh Muhammad Jabr al-Ulfy.
The scholars agree that taking blood from someone who is fasting, for the purpose of medical examination alone does not break the fast. This is if the blood taken is from a vein or artery using a syringe or vacutainer.
Furthermore, the second school of thought stated that the practice of donating blood can break the fast was put forward by Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz and Shaykh al-‘Utsaimin.
3. Using Asthma Spray
The first school of thought, which states that the use of asthma sprays does not break the fast, was put forward by some contemporary scholars. Call it Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz, Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Utsaimin, Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradhawi, Dr. Haitsam Khayyath, Shaykh Abdullah al-Bassam, Shaykh Faishal Maulawi, Dr. Ahmad al-Khalil, and Lajnah Dai’mah li al-Ifta’ Kingdom of Saudi Arabi,
These scholars are of the opinion that the use of asthma medication that is sprayed into the mouth does not invalidate the fast.
Meanwhile, the second school of thought, which states that the use of asthma sprays causes our fasting to be invalidated, was put forward by several other contemporary scholars. Call it Shaykh Muhammad al-Mukhtar as-Sulaami (Mufti of Tunisia), Shaykh Mahmud Abdul Lathif ‘Uwaidhah, Shaykh Wahbah az-Zuhaili, Shaykh Taqi al-‘Uthmani, and Shaykh Fadhl Hasan ‘Abbas.
These scholars are of the opinion that the use of an asthma spray by spraying it into the mouth can invalidate fasting.
4. Received a Blood Transfusion
This is because the process of blood transfusion is using injections in blood vessels. Therefore, there is debate about whether or not the fast is invalidated.
In the first school, which argues that blood transfusion does not break the fast. The scholars were Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz, Shaykh Abdulllah al-Bassam, and Shaykh Wahbah az-Zuhaili.
Meanwhile, the second school of thought argues that blood transfusion can break the fast. These scholars are Shaykh Muhammad Bukhait al-Muthi’i, Shaykh Mahmud Syaltut, Shaykh Sayyid Sabiq, Shaykh al-‘Utsaimin, Shaykh Mahmud Abdul Lathif ‘Uwaidah, and the ruling of Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami (in a book on medical jurisprudence ).
Well, those are the things that can break the fast . Mostly, these things will clearly invalidate the fast if done intentionally. Therefore, if we want to fast, make the intention earnestly because of Allah Lillahi Ta’ala .