Abstaining from eating, drinking, and engaging in sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset with the sole purpose of worshipping Allah is what is haram to do while fasting. This encompasses anything that breaks or invalidates the fast, in accordance with Islamic teachings.
Breakdown of Haram Acts During Fasting
These actions break the fast and require making up the missed day (and potentially expiation, depending on the severity):
- Eating and Drinking: This includes consuming any food or drink, regardless of how small the quantity. Intentionally eating or drinking invalidates the fast.
- Sexual Intercourse: Engaging in sexual relations during the fasting hours completely breaks the fast and carries severe consequences, including making up the missed fast and offering expiation (kaffarah).
- Intentional Vomiting: If someone deliberately induces vomiting, it invalidates their fast. However, involuntary vomiting does not break the fast.
- Menstruation and Post-Partum Bleeding: The onset of menstruation (period) or post-partum bleeding (nifas) in women automatically invalidates the fast.
- Intentional Ejaculation: Intentionally causing ejaculation invalidates the fast. This does not apply to wet dreams.
- Smoking: Smoking is considered haram while fasting as it introduces substances into the body.
- Intravenous feeding: Receiving nourishment through IV is considered as a mean of eating/drinking.
Other Considerations
While the above actions definitively break the fast, other actions are discouraged or considered makrooh (disliked) while fasting:
- Excessive talking or arguing: Fasting is a time for reflection and spiritual growth, so engaging in idle or harmful conversations is discouraged.
- Lying and backbiting: These actions are always wrong but are especially detrimental during fasting.
- Wasting time on frivolous activities: Fasting should be a time for increased worship and good deeds.
Table Summary
| Action | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eating/Drinking | Haram | Regardless of quantity, done intentionally. |
| Sexual Intercourse | Haram | |
| Intentional Vomiting | Haram | |
| Menstruation/Post-Partum Bleeding | Haram | Automatic invalidation. |
| Intentional Ejaculation | Haram | |
| Smoking | Haram | Introduces substances into the body. |
| IV Feeding | Haram | Nourishment through IV |
| Excessive Talking/Arguing | Makrooh | Disliked, reduces the spiritual benefit of fasting. |
| Lying/Backbiting | Makrooh | Always wrong, especially detrimental during fasting. |
| Frivolous Activities | Makrooh | Time should be spent in worship and good deeds. |
In conclusion, anything that introduces substances into the body or violates the spirit of fasting, which is abstinence and devotion, is haram to do while fasting.
