Conditions Obligating the Fast
Fasting during Ramadan becomes obligatory when the following criteria are met:
- Muslim
- Sane and has reached the age of puberty
- Does not have any valid reasons for not fasting i.e.
- menstruation or post-natal bleeding
- insanity
- unconsciousness for the whole day
- illnesses that can be fatal if the person fast
- traveller who travels at least 58 miles one-way for permissible reasons
- unfit to fast because of old age or illnesses that are unlikely to recover
Recommended (sunnah) fasting
- day of Arafah (9 Zulhijjah)
- day of Ashura (10 Muharram)
- Mondays and Thursdays
- the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar months
- six days in the month of Shawal
Mandatory integrals for fasting to be valid
- Intention to fast for Ramadan. The intention is to me made the night before and before dawn
- To refrain from acts that invalidate fasting
Things that Invalidate the Fast
- eating and drinking
- inserting an object into a body cavity e.g. ears, nose, anus, vagina
- Intentional vomit
- Sexual intercourse
- Intentional acts that causes the release of seminal fluid
- Menstruation or postnatal bleeding
- Insanity
- Leaving the fold of Islam
Etiquette & recommended acts of fasting
- Breaking fast promptly
- Sahur i.e having pre-dawn meal
- Delaying sahur to just before dawn
- Avoiding ugly words e.g. slander, lying, foul language
- Avoiding wet cupping (hijama)
- Reciting du’a when breaking fast e.g اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ ، عَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا اَلرْحَمَ الرَّحِمِين
- Providing food for those breaking fast
Offensive (makruh) days for fasting
- Making Fridays only as special days for fasting
- Making Saturdays only as special days for fasting
- fasting daily
Unlawful (haram) days for fasting
- Both days of Eids i.e. eidul fitri and eidul adha
- the 3 days of tashriq i.e. the 3 days following eidul adha
- ambiguous day i.e. unsure if 30th sha’ban or 1st ramadan
