Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, sent as a mercy to the worlds, and upon all his family and companions.
Acts of worship are founded upon the obligation of exercising caution in them and performing them in the most complete manner so that they fulfill their purpose in absolving the obligated person and earning reward from Allah, The Exalted. Among these acts of worship is fasting, which Allah has Commanded us to observe with caution, as He, The Most High, Says (What means): "And complete the fast until nightfall, and glorify Allah for the guidance He has given you, so that you may be grateful." [Al-Baqarah/185]. And He, The Almighty, Says (What means): "Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night], then complete the fast until nightfall." [Al-Baqarah /187]
Thus, Allah, The Exalted, Commands us to safeguard our fasting and avoid negligence in its observance, Warning us against any action that may invalidate it. Given this, it is incumbent upon us to highlight certain behaviors that may compromise fasting and invalidate it, so that we may be cautious and avoid them. Exercising caution in matters of religion is essential, and it was well said:
"I recognized evil not to indulge in it, but to avoid it,
For whoever does not recognize evil among people will fall into it."
The details are as follows:
First Issue: Disapproval of Excessive Gargling and Sniffing Water While Fasting
Excessive gargling and sniffing water are Sunna in ablution, except for the fasting person, for whom it is disliked (Makruh) as a precaution to protect the fast, lest it be invalidated. This is based on the hadith of Laqit Ibn Sabirah (May Allah Be Pleased with him), where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: "Perform the sniffing of water thoroughly, unless you are fasting." [At-Tirmidhi]. Thus, if a fasting person exaggerates in gargling or sniffing and water reaches their throat, their fast is invalidated. They must abstain (from further eating/drinking) and make up the fast after Ramadan. Just as it is impermissible for a fasting person to excessively gargle, it is also inappropriate to abandon gargling altogether and merely wipe the lips. The essence of gargling is swishing water in the mouth, and the intended warning is against exaggeration while fasting—not abandoning it (gargling) entirely.
An exception is made for excessive gargling to remove impurities in the mouth, such as gum bleeding. If water accidentally reaches the throat in such a case, it does not harm the fast due to necessity.
Second Issue: Disapproval of Tasting Food and Chewing Gum in Ramadan
A fasting person should avoid tasting food as a recommended precaution, lest some of it reaches the throat and invalidates the fast. Moreover, tasting may lead to consuming the food due to intense hunger or overpowering desire. Therefore, a Muslim keen on safeguarding their fast should refrain from this, except for those with a genuine need, such as:
• A woman whose husband has a bad temper (and she must taste food for him).
• A person working in a restaurant preparing meals for fasting people who fears the food may spoil if not tasted.
They may taste food on the condition that nothing reaches the throat; otherwise, the fast is invalidated, and they must abstain and make it up later.
As for chewing gum, this refers to plain Arabic gum with no flavor. It is preferable for the fasting person to avoid it, fearing that fragments may detach and enter the throat, thus breaking the fast.
As Al-Imam Ash-Shirbini (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "It is recommended to avoid... tasting food, fearing it may reach the throat or lead to consuming it due to overpowering desire, and to avoid chewing gum, as it gathers saliva. If swallowed, it invalidates the fast in one view, and if spat out, it causes thirst."[1]
Third Issue: Linking Iftar and the Commencement of Fasting to Precise Adhan Timings
The general rule for a Muslim is to exercise due diligence and caution in observing the fast by abstaining from food, drink, and all other nullifiers from the break of dawn until the Maghrib Adhan. The fasting person must strive for precision, take necessary precautions, and avoid falling victim to personal desires or following opinions that permit continuing to eat and drink after the Fajr Adhan or allow breaking the fast before the sun has set in one's locality.
The Noble Qur'an has established this matter by making the criterion clear visibility (Tabayyun). Thus, abstention is contingent upon the clear appearance of dawn, and Iftar is linked to sunset, as Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until nightfall." [Al-Baqarah/187].
Further, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, Bilal calls the Adhan at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls the Adhan." [Al-Bukhari].
As for those who cite as evidence the hadith narrated by Abu Dawood from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If one of you hears the call (Adhan) while holding a vessel, let him not put it down until he fulfills his need." Al-Imam al-Nawawi, quoting Al-Bayhaqi, responded that this—if authentic—is understood by the general scholars to mean that the Prophet (peace be upon him) knew the Adhan was being called before the actual dawn [2], ensuring the drinking occurred just before Fajr. Alternatively, the "call" here refers to the first Adhan (before Fajr) to align with other hadiths [3].
As for the evidence cited to permit breaking the fast before the Maghrib Adhan, the hadith narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) states: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on a journey. When the sun had set, he said to a man: "O so-and-so, get down and prepare some gruel for us." The man said: "O Messenger of Allah, let it get darker first." He said: "Get down and prepare some gruel for us.' The man said: "But it is still daytime." He said: "Get down and prepare some gruel for us." So he prepared it, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) drank it. Then he said: "When you see the night approaching from here"—and he pointed towards the east—"then the fasting person may break his fast." [Agreed upon].
Imam An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The meaning of the hadith is that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his companions were fasting—and this was in Ramadan, as explicitly stated in the narration of Yahya Ibn Yahya. When the sun had set, the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed him to prepare the gruel so they could break their fast. The addressed companion saw the remnants of light and redness after sunset and thought that breaking the fast was only permissible after that had disappeared [4]."
The conclusion is that this hadith does not contradict the general principles of fasting. Fasting ends with the arrival of night, the sign of which is sunset. It is known that after sunset, some light remains for a while, and the red twilight appears. However, as long as the sun has set, the presence of some daylight afterward until complete darkness does not affect the ruling.
Therefore, using this hadith as evidence to break the fast before the Maghrib Adhan could compromise the validity of the fast, disrupt the unity of Muslims in a single country, and create chaos and discord, which Muslims must guard against.
Moreover, the hadith explicitly states that the Muslims were on a journey and observed the sunset directly. When it had set, the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed them to break their fast. In settled areas, however, we find the Prophet (peace be upon him) linking people to the Adhan, as in the previously mentioned hadith: "Indeed, Bilal calls the Adhan at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls the Adhan." Thus, Islam calls for order and organization, while chaos that invalidates fasting and divides Muslim unity is not sanctioned by the Sharia.
I fear that those who break their fast before confirming sunset may fall under the warning in the hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) described a vision of people in Hell: "While I was sleeping, two men took me by the arms and brought me to a steep mountain. They said: "Climb." I said: "I cannot." They said: "We will make it easy for you." So I climbed until I reached the summit. There, I heard loud screams. I asked: "What are these screams?' They said: "This is the screaming of the people of Hell." Then I was taken further, and I saw people hanging by their hamstrings, their jaws torn and bleeding. I asked: "Who are these?" They said: "These are the ones who broke their fast before it was permissible." [Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, who said it is authentic according to the conditions of Muslim, though neither he nor Muslim recorded it.]
Fourth Issue: Recommendation of Performing Ghusl (Ritual Bath) Before Fajr
The Shafi‘i school recommends performing Ghusl for Janabah (major impurity), menstruation, or postpartum bleeding before Fajr for several reasons [5]:
1. To avoid the disagreement of those who invalidate the fast of one who remains in Janabah at dawn (a view attributed to Abu Hurairah, though he reportedly retracted it) [6].
2. To begin the day in a state of purity.
3. To prevent water from entering the ears, anus, mouth, or nose—especially if one exaggerates in washing.
Fifth Issue: Disapproval of Kissing While Fasting
Kissing is disliked for a fasting person if it arouses desire (whether male or female), lest it lead to intercourse or ejaculation, which invalidate the fast. The same applies to embracing or touching without a barrier [7]. If it does not arouse desire, it is still better to avoid it as a precaution, as one may misjudge their own arousal.
This disapproval is considered prohibited (Tahrim) by the Shafi‘i school due to the potential corruption of worship. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against nearing forbidden matters [8]: "Whoever grazes near a restricted zone may soon enter it." [Al-Bukhari].
Sixth Issue: Disapproval of Cupping and Blood Donation While Fasting
It is preferable for a fasting person to avoid cupping and blood donation, as they may cause weakness, hindering the completion of the fast [9]. However, if one is confident in their ability to fast despite donation, it is permissible. This is contextualized by the hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed cupping while fasting (Bukhari).
Eighth Issue: Disapproval of Swimming While Fasting
Swimming is disliked for a fasting person due to the likelihood of water entering the throat—whether through the mouth, ears, or nose—thus invalidating the fast. If one knows or suspects (based on experience) that water will reach their throat, it may even be prohibited (Haram). However, if they are certain no water will enter, it remains merely disliked.
This ruling aligns with Imam Ash-Shirbini’s reasoning for recommending pre-dawn Ghusl:
"And to prevent water from entering the inner ear, anus, or similar passages."
We ask Allah to Accept our fasting and night prayers in Ramadan and to Count us among those He frees from the Fire. All Perfect Praise is due to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.
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Footnotes:
([1]) Al-Shirbini, Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj ila Ma'rifat Ma'ani Alfaz al-Minhaj, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr (Vol. 2, p. 196).
([2]) Al-Nawawi, Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf, Al-Majmu', 1997, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut (Vol. 11, p. 208).
([3]) Al-Nawawi, Al-Majmu' (Vol. 6, p. 319).
([4]) Al-Nawawi, Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf, Sharh Sahih Muslim, 1392 AH, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut (Vol. 7, p. 211).
([5]) Al-Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj (Vol. 2, p. 195).
([6]) Malik ibn Anas al-Asbahi, Al-Muwatta' (Riwayat Muhammad ibn al-Hasan), Dar al-Qalam, Damascus, 1991 (Vol. 2, p. 164).
([7]) Al-Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj (Vol. 2, p. 179).
([8]) Ibid. (Vol. 2, p. 179).
([9]) Ibid. (Vol. 2, p. 181).
([10]) Ibid. (Vol. 2, p. 195).
