Lessons

Ramadan & Fasting

What breaks a fast, and what does not

Learn the essential boundaries of your fast and what happens if you make an honest mistake.

2 short lessons · about 2 min · every point has its source

1. The essential boundaries of fasting

Fasting in Islam has clear daily boundaries set by Allah. Your fast begins at the break of dawn, when the white thread of morning light becomes distinct from the darkness of night.¹ Food and drink become forbidden at that dawn moment.² The fast then continues through the daylight hours until sunset, when you break your fast.¹

During the fasting day, you step away from physical desires purely for Allah. A person observing the fast must refrain from eating, drinking, and intimate relations with their spouse.¹³ Allah made eating, drinking, and marital relations lawful during the nights of fasting, but you must stop as soon as dawn arrives.¹ The Prophet ﷺ also prohibited fasting continuously through the night without breaking your fast at sunset.⁴

Fasting also involves guarding your speech and actions. The Prophet ﷺ taught that fasting serves as a shield, meaning it protects the believer. While fasting, a person should stay away from foolish and disrespectful behavior. If someone attempts to argue or fight with you, you should simply respond that you are fasting.³

2. Eating or drinking by mistake

When you are new to fasting, old habits can easily take over. You might reach for a glass of water or eat a small snack before remembering what month it is. In the Quran, believers ask Allah not to blame them if they forget or fall into error. Allah does not place a burden upon any soul greater than its capacity.⁵

A slip of memory does not mean your effort is ruined. If someone eats or drinks because they forgot they were fasting, the Prophet ﷺ instructed them to complete their fast.⁶ He ﷺ explained that Allah has fed that person and given them drink.⁶⁷

Scholars differ on whether that day must be made up after Ramadan. If someone eats or drinks because they forgot they were fasting, they should complete their fast, as Allah has given them that food and drink.⁶ You can ask your local imam which view your community follows.

Sources

1. Quran 2:187 (Al-Baqarah)
   It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. 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 the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous
2. Sunan Abi Dawud 393 Read it in full
   Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Gabriel (ﷺ) led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka'bah). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when the shadow of everything was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when food and drink become forbidden to one who is keeping the fast. On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer at the time when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about the third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was a fair amount of light. Then turning to me he said: Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between two timesGrading: Al-Albani: Hasan Sahih; Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Hasan Sahih; Shuaib Al Arnaut: Hasan; Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Hasan
3. Sahih al-Bukhari 1894 Read it in full
   Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times
4. Sahih al-Bukhari 1961 Read it in full
   Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not practice Al-Wisal (fasting continuously without breaking one's fast in the evening or eating before the following dawn)." The people said to the Prophet, "But you practice Al- Wisal?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "I am not like any of you, for I am given food and drink (by Allah) during the night
5. Quran 2:286 (Al-Baqarah)
   Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people
6. Sahih al-Bukhari 1933 Read it in full
   Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah
7. Sahih Muslim 1155 Read it in full
   Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink

Every point in this lesson rests on a verse of the Quran or a hadith, listed above. Hadith come from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, or from other collections only where every listed scholar graded them sahih or hasan. Found a mistake? Tell us.

More on ramadan & fasting

• A day of fasting, from suhoor to iftarLearn how to begin, guard, and break your daily fast with confidence.
• A practice fast before RamadanLearn how and when to try voluntary fasts to prepare your heart and body for Ramadan.
• Fasting when your family is not MuslimLearn how to uphold your fasts while showing gentle kindness and love to non-Muslim relatives.
• If you cannot fast: illness, travel and other reasonsLearn Allah's allowances for missed fasts, feeding substitutes, and how to make up days.