Fasting  – Part 2

According to the fatwas of the Grand Religious Authorities: Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Sistani, and Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi (may Allah prolong their blessings):

Fatāwā presented without citing a differing opinion or a specific reference are the common rulings shared by all of the three respected Marāji‘. In cases where the ruling of one Marjaʿ differs from that of the other two, it is indicated in a footnote under the same number, mentioning the Marjaʿ by name.

Things that invalidate Fasting-2

“Sexual intercourse”

1. Sexual intercourse invalidates the fast, even if semen is not discharged.
2. If one forgets that they are fasting and has sexual intercourse, their fast is not invalidated, but as soon as one remembers it, they must stop intercourse immediately; otherwise, their fast is invalidated.

Masturbation

1. If a fasting person intentionally causes semen to be discharged, his fast is void.
2. If a person does something with the intention of discharging semen but the semen is not discharged, by way of precaution, he should complete the fast and then make up for it.

Ayatollah Sistani: If a person deliberately engages in play or sexual joking with the intention of causing semen to be discharged, but no semen is actually discharged, then if he does not renew the intention of fasting, his fast is invalid. If he renews the intention of fasting, he must — as an obligatory precaution — complete the fast and later make it up (perform its qada).

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If a person does something with the intention of causing semen to be discharged, his fast becomes invalid even if no semen is actually discharged.

3. If semen is ejaculated unintentionally, whether one is asleep or awake, the fast is not invalid.
4. Having a dream that results in ejaculation during the day does not invalidate one’s fast. Moreover, a person may sleep even if he knows that he will have such a dream during sleep.
5. If a fasting person wakes up while semen is being discharged, it is not obligatory to prevent it.
6. If a fasting person has a dream which results in ejaculation, it is not obligatory for him to perform a ritual bath (ghusl) immediately upon waking.

Remaining in a state of ritual impurity (janābah) until the Adhān al-Fajr).

1. If a person becomes post-coitus ritually impure (junub) at night during the month of Ramadan, they should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) before the dawn (fajr) ritual call for prayer (athān). If one intentionally does not perform a ritual bath (ghusl) until after that, their fast is invalid. Of course, one should refrain from doing things that invalidate the fast until evening (maghrib).

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If a person deliberately does not perform ghusl (ritual bath) until that time (the Adhān of Fajr), then based on obligatory precaution, his fast is invalid. However, if he is unable to perform ghusl or there is not enough time, he must perform tayammum instead. But if it was not intentional, his fast is valid.

2. During the month of Ramadan, if one becomes post-coitus ritually impure (junub) at night but unintentionally fails to perform a ritual bath (ghusl) before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān); e.g., if one has a dream that results in ejaculation but does not wake up before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān), their fast is valid.
3. A person who becomes post-coitus ritually impure (junub) while awake, or has a dream which results in ejaculation and then awakens, if one knows that they will not wake up before the ritual call to prayer (athān) to perform a ritual bath (ghusl), they are not allowed to sleep before performing the ritual bath (ghusl). If one sleeps without having performed a ritual bath (ghusl) before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān), their fast becomes invalid. However, if one thinks that they may awaken before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān) to take a ritual bath (ghusl) and intends to perform it but fails to awaken, his fast remains valid. However, if one awakens but sleeps again and does not awaken until the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān), they should redress the missed (qaḍā’) fast of this day.

Ayatollah Sistani: A person who is in a state of janābah during the night of the Holy Month of the Holy Month of the Holy Month of Ramadan and knows that if he goes to sleep, he will not wake up before morning — based on obligatory precaution — must not go to sleep without performing ghusl. If he deliberately goes to sleep before performing ghusl and does not wake up until morning, he must complete the fast of that day, and both qaḍāʾ (making up the fast later) and kaffārah (expiation) become obligatory upon him.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: A person who is in a state of janābah during the night of the Holy Month of Ramadan and knows that if he sleeps, he will not wake up before morning must not go to sleep. If he sleeps and does not wake up, his fast is problematic, and based on obligatory precaution he must perform both qaḍāʾ and kaffārah. However, if he thinks it is likely that he will wake up, he may go to sleep; though the precaution is that if he wakes up a second time, he should not sleep again until he performs ghusl.

4. In the month of the Holy Month of Ramadan, if a person forgets to make the ritual bath (ghusl) and starts their fast in the state of post-coitus ritual impurity (janābah), their fast of this day is valid. However, if one’s forgetfulness lasts for a few days, they should redress the fasts missed (qaḍā’) during their forgetfulness. Of course, their prayers during this time are invalid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If a person in a state of janābah during the month of the Holy Month of Ramadan forgets to perform ghusl and remembers after one day, he must make up (qaḍāʾ) the fast of that day. If he remembers after several days, he must make up the fast of however many days he is certain he remained in a state of janābah. For example, if he does not know whether he was junub for three days or four days, he must make up three days of fasting.

Makarem Shirazi: If a person in a state of janābah during the Holy Month of Ramadan forgets to perform ghusl and remembers after one or several days, he must make up the fast of the number of days he is certain he remained in janābah. For example, if he is unsure whether it was three days or four, he must make up three days, and making up the fourth day is recommended as a precaution (iḥtiyāṭ mustaḥabb).

5. If one must take a ritual bath (ghusl) during the night in the month of the Holy Month of Ramadan but is unable to do so because of a shortage of time, because the water is harmful to them, or because of another such reason, they must perform the dry ritual purification (tayammum=sub-ablution) instead of the ritual bath (ghusl) before dawn (fajr).
6. If a person who does not have time to perform either a ritual bath (ghusl) or a dry ritual purification (tayammum=sub-ablution) during the night in the month of the Holy Month of Ramadan, makes themself post-coitus ritually impure (junub), their fast is invalid, and they must redress (qaḍā’) it and pay expiation or penance (kaffārah). However, one’s fast is valid if they make themself post-coitus ritually impure (junub) while having time only for the dry ritual purification (tayammum=sub-ablution) and performs it before dawn (fajr).           

Remaining in a state of Hayḍ or nifās until the Adhān of Fajr.

1. If a woman becomes cleansed of menses or post childbirth bleeding (nifās), she must perform a ritual bath (ghusl) before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān). If she neglects it on purpose, her fast becomes invalid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If a woman becomes pure from menstruation (ḥayḍ) or post-natal bleeding (nifās) during the night of the Holy Month of Ramadan before the Adhān of Fajr and deliberately does not perform ghusl — and if her duty is to perform tayammum but she does not perform tayammum either — she must complete the fast of that day and also make it up (perform qaḍāʾ) later.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If during the blessed month of Ramadan, a woman becomes pure from ḥayḍ or nifās before the Adhān of Fajr and does not have enough time to perform ghusl, she must perform tayammum, and her fast is valid. However, if she has time for neither ghusl nor tayammum, she must perform ghusl later, and her fast is still valid.

2. If a woman experiences menstruation or gives birth while fasting, her fast is invalidated.
3. If a  woman  becomes  cleansed  of  nifās  or menstruation after the morning ritual call for prayer (athān),  she cannot fast that day.
4. If a woman forgets to perform a ritual bath (ghusl) for menstruation or post-childbirth bleeding (nifās) and remembers it later, the fasts she observed during this period are correct, whether they were the fasts of the month of Ramadan or otherwise.

The ruling of fasting and expiation (kaffārah) in cases of obligatory precaution (iḥtiyāṭ wājib)

1. If a woman becomes cleansed of menses or post-childbirth bleeding (nifās), she must perform a ritual bath (ghusl) before the dawn (fajr) ritual call to prayer (athān). If she neglects it on purpose, her fast becomes invalid.

Ayatollah Sistani: If a woman becomes pure from menstruation (ḥayḍ) or post-natal bleeding (nifās) during the night of Ramadan before the Adhān of Fajr and deliberately does not perform ghusl — and if her duty is to perform tayammum but she does not perform tayammum either — she must complete the fast of that day and also make it up (perform qaḍāʾ) later.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If during the blessed month of Ramadan, a woman becomes pure from ḥayḍ or nifās before the Adhān of Fajr and does not have enough time to perform ghusl, she must perform tayammum, and her fast is valid. However, if she has time for neither ghusl nor tayammum, she must perform ghusl later, and her fast is still valid.

2. If a woman experiences menstruation or gives birth while fasting, her fast is invalidated.
3. If a  woman  becomes  cleansed  of  nifās  or menstruation after the morning ritual call for prayer (athān),  she cannot fast that day.
4. If a woman forgets to perform a ritual bath (ghusl) for menstruation or post-childbirth bleeding (nifās) and remembers it later, the fasts she observed during this period are correct, whether they were the fasts of the month of Ramadan or otherwise.

“The ruling of fasting and expiation (kaffārah) in cases of obligatory precaution (iḥtiyāṭ wājib)”

In cases where — based on obligatory precaution (iḥtiyāṭ wājib) — the fast is considered invalid, the legally responsible person (mukallaf) must complete the fast for that day and also make it up (perform qaḍāʾ) later.

In cases where — based on obligatory precaution (iḥtiyāṭ wājib) — the fast is considered invalid, the legally responsible person (mukallaf) must complete the fast for that day and also make it up (perform qaḍāʾ) later.