Things That Break the Fast

The chapter on mufattirat al-siyam — things that break the fast — is among the most practically critical in al-Sharh al-Mumti', because knowing precisely what breaks the fast determines whether a person must make up a day, pay kaffarah, or has done nothing wrong. Ibn Uthaymin approaches this chapter with the same methodological discipline he applies everywhere: only what is established by authentic evidence constitutes a fast-breaker, and the list is not to be expanded arbitrarily by analogy or precautionary reasoning beyond what the Sharia has specified.

The first fast-breaker is eating and drinking intentionally. This is established by the Quran and Sunnah and is the primary meaning of fasting — to abstain from food and drink. Eating or drinking by forgetfulness, however, does not break the fast according to the hadith: "Whoever forgets and eats or drinks should complete his fast, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink." Ibn Uthaymin addresses contemporary questions such as IV infusions and injections — he distinguishes between nutritional infusions (which break the fast in his view) and medicinal injections into muscle or vein that are not nutritional (which do not break the fast).

The second fast-breaker is sexual intercourse. This is the most severe fast-breaker, requiring not only make-up of the day but also kaffarah (expiation) if it occurs during Ramadan. The kaffarah for this act is one of the most demanding in Islamic law: freeing a slave, and if that is not possible then fasting sixty consecutive days, and if that is not possible then feeding sixty poor people. Ibn Uthaymin explains this severe kaffarah as reflecting the gravity of violating the sanctity of Ramadan through the most complete form of breaking the fast.

The third fast-breaker is deliberate vomiting — inducing vomiting intentionally. The evidence is the hadith: "Whoever is overcome by vomiting has no obligation to make up the day, but whoever vomits deliberately must make up." Vomiting that occurs involuntarily does not break the fast. Ibn Uthaymin discusses the ruling on swallowing what returns to the mouth involuntarily after vomiting — if done deliberately, the fast is broken; if swallowed involuntarily before the person can prevent it, most scholars hold the fast remains intact.

The fourth fast-breaker specific to the Hanbali school is cupping (hijamah — therapeutic bloodletting). This is based on the hadith: "The one who does cupping and the one who has cupping done have both broken their fast." Ibn Uthaymin defends the authenticity and applicability of this hadith against those who argue it was abrogated or restricted, though he acknowledges this is one of the positions of the Hanbali school that is contested by other madhabs. He explains that the ruling is based on the hadith as transmitted and that the apparent reason is the weakness caused to the body by significant blood loss, which resembles the purpose of the fast-breaking prohibition on eating.

Ibn Uthaymin also addresses the conditions under which fast-breaking carries legal consequence: the act must be deliberate (intentional), the person must be aware it is a fast day (ignorance of the obligation to fast in certain circumstances is excused), and there must be no valid excuse. He also addresses the question of one who is uncertain whether they broke their fast — applying the principle of certainty prevailing over doubt. The chapter concludes with a discussion of acts that do not break the fast despite being physically similar to fast-breakers, such as rinsing the mouth without swallowing, applying eye drops, and using inhalers.