Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Section Five: The rulings of those things which break the fast:

(1) & (2) Eating and Drinking

1- If a fasting person introduced food or drinks into his body through a way other than the normal one (e.g. introducing water through the nose), what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: Taking food or drink would invalidate thesawm even if they had been introduced through other than the normal manner.

2- Would the entrance of anything which breaks the fast into the body through a wound or the ear invalidate thesawm ?

A: If it came to the mouth cavity and then through the throat to the stomach or it is considered as food and used for nutrition, then it would invalidate thesawm , otherwise it would not.

3- If thesaim [fasting person] had swallowed nasal secretions before it reached the mouth cavity, would that harm hissawm ?

A: In the given question, it would not harm thesawm .

4- Asaim has something in his mouth wet with his saliva then he takes it out and returns it again to his mouth and swallowed the saliva on it, what is the ruling concerning this? With details please.

A: In the given question, hissawm would be invalidated by swallowing the moisture of his saliva unless this moisture was so little and it is mixed with amount of saliva in the mouth to the extent that it could not be considered that he had swallowed the saliva which had come out. 5- Is tooth picking after a meal obligatory for those who want to fast?

A: It is not obligatory unless one is certain that there are remnants of food between his teeth and he is sure that if he did not pick it out, they would get inside the throat.

6- If asaim had taken food or drink, forgetfully or inattentively, during the month of Ramadan or thesawm of itsqada or duringsawm al-mustahabb , what is the ruling concerning this?

A:Taking food or drink forgetfully or inattentively would not invalidate thesawm with no difference between its types.

7- If asaim while rinsing his mouth with water forwudu ofsalat al-wajibah ormustahabbah or not forsalat and the water is inattentively swallowed, what is the ruling?

A: In the given question, this would not invalidate hissawm .

8. When I was fasting, my mother forced me to eat or drink. Did it invalidate my fast?

A: Eating and drinking invalidates fast, even if it is done at the request or insistence of someone.

9. If something is forced into the mouth of someone fasting, or his head is forcefully submerged in water, does it invalidate the fast? What if one is coerced to break his/her fast, and he/she does it to avoid danger, for instance if he/she is told: If you do not eat, we will hurt you or your property. Is his/her fast valid?

A: Forcing food intosomeone''s month without his consent does not invalidate his/her fast and neither does submerging his/her head in water.

However, if one breaks the fast himself when forced or threatened by someone, the fasting becomes void.

10. While suffering from a cold, some mucus gathered in my mouth and I swallowed it instead of spitting it out. Was my fast valid? Also, once, while staying for some days with one of my relatives during the blessed month of Ramadan as I had a cold, and moreover felt shy to perform major ablution for the state of major impurity [ghusl al-janabah ], so I did dry ablution [tayammum ] instead, which I did not perform untilsome time before noon. This happened for several days. Were my fasts for those days valid? If not, do I have to pay thekaffarah as well?

A: Swallowing the mucus does not make one liable to anything, though as obligatory precaution one should performqada of that fast if it is done after the mucus enters the mouth. As for not performingghusl al-janabah before dawn, if thetayammum was done because of some legal excuse or done at the last moment due to shortness of time, then your fasting is valid; otherwise your fasts for those days are void.

(3). Masturbation While Fasting and in Other Instances

1. About seven years ago I intentionally invalidated my fast for several days during the month of Ramadan by masturbating. However, I do not know for sure how many days of fasting I violated in this way during the course of threeRamadans . I do not think they were less than 25 to 30 days. Whatis my obligation and thekaffarah that I should make?

A: Invalidating aday''s fast in the blessed month of Ramadan by masturbating, which is prohibited by Islamic law, requires one kind ofkaffarah :

(1)fasting for sixty days; or (2)feeding sixty poor persons, although it is a recommended precaution to observe both of the two. As far as feeding sixty persons is concerned, you can give each of them onemudd (750 grams) of food for each day missed. Giving money is not a substitute unless it is given to a poor person to buy food on your behalf; thus, his acceptance to buy the food for himself is considered askaffarah . Determining the price of the food given askaffarah depends on the kind of food you choose to give, either in the shape of wheat, rice, or any other kind of food. As for the number of fasts you invalidated by masturbating, you are allowed in performing itsqada and givingkaffarah to consider the number of days that you are certain about.

2. A person bound by religious obligation [mukallaf ], knowing that masturbation does invalidate the fast, and does masturbate; does he have to offer the two-foldkaffarah ? What is the rule if he does it without knowing that masturbation invalidates the fast?

A: In both cases he must offer just one kind ofkaffarah , if he masturbates intentionally, although it is a recommended precaution to observe the two foldkaffarah .

3. I had an emission of semen during the blessed month of Ramadan for no reason other than excitement that I felt during a telephone conversation with a non-mahram woman. If the phone conversation was not for the purpose of pleasure, was my fast invalid? And if it was, do I have to paykaffarah as well?

A: If it was not a previous habit of yours to have an emission of semen while conversing with a woman, and the phone conversation was not intended for pleasure and the emission was involuntary, then your fast is valid, and you are not liable to anything.

4. A person had the habit of masturbating for a number of years while fasting in the month of Ramadan and at other times. What is the rule regarding his prayers and fasts?

A: Masturbation is absolutely prohibited, and when it leads to ejaculation it causes one to become in the state of major impurity [junub ]. If this done during fasting, it amounts to breaking the fast by unlawful means. If one performs prayers and fasts in the state of major impurity [janabah ], without performing major ablution [ghusl ] or dry ablution [tayammum ], his prayers and fasting are void and he must make them up [do theirqada ].

5. Someone at the beginning of legal maturity [bulugh ] fasts during the month of Ramadan, and masturbates while fasting, continuing in fasting for some days without knowing that fasting requires a state of purity [taharah ], that is not being in the state of major impurity [janabah ]. Is it sufficient for him to performqada of the fasts of those days, or some other rule applies to him?

A: In the light of the question, he has to perform bothqada andkaffarah .

6. If someone who is fasting looks at a sexually arousing scene during the month of Ramadan, does it void his fast?

A: If he looks with the purpose of having an orgasm, or if he knows that it will cause him to become in the state of major impurity [junub ], and it had been his habit before, and still he views it intentionally and becomesjunub , then the rule that applies to him is the one that applies to someone who makes himselfjunub intentionally.

(4) Sexual Intercourse

1- How would sexual intercourse be achieved?

A: It would be achieved by the complete penetration of theglans penis inside the vulva or the anus of a human being or an animal.

2- If asaim [fasting person] intended to have sexual intercourse but he did not do it, would this intention invalidate hissawm ?

A: This intention is considered like the intention of doing practices or taking things that would break the fast, and thesawm would not be invalidated just by this intention.

3- If asaim had sexual intercourse in a state of forgetfulness, what is the ruling regarding hissawm ?

A: Hissawm would not be invalidated.

4- If asaim is forced to have sexual intercourse and becomes deprived of his volition, what is the ruling about hissawm ? A: If he had been really forced to theextend that he is deprived of his volition; hissawm would not be invalidated.

(5) Plunging

1- If asaim had plunged his head into water while his body was out, what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: It isharam forsaim to do this and hissawm would be invalidated according to the obligatory precaution.

2- If he introduced his head into water gradually until the entire head was in the water, was the strict meaning of plunging be applied here? A: After the entire head was under the water, it will be counted as plunging. 3- If he plunged the right side of his head into water and then got it out to plunge the left side, would this act invalidate thesawm ? A: There is no objection to it and the ruling of plunging would not be applied here.

4. A fasting person was unaware that he was in the state ofjanabah [major ritual impurity - caused by discharged semen] until the time of the afternoon prayers. He then performed the major ablution via submerging the whole body in water [ghusl al-irtimasi ]. Does this invalidate his fast? And if he realizes what he has done only after performingghusl al-irtimasi , does he have to perform theqada of the fast? A: If one performsghusl al-irtimasi out of forgetfulness or unintentionally (to the fact that he is fasting), then both his fast and the major ablution [ghusl ] are valid; thus, he does not have to performqada of the fast.

5. What rule applies to someone who immerses himself in water wearing waterproof clothing such as a diving suit which does not allow the body to become wet?

A: If the clothing has close contact with his head, there is a problem in his fast being valid. Hence, as an obligatory precaution he should perform itsqada .

6- What are the boundaries of the head in the issue of plunging?

A: What is meant by the head, plunging of which while fasting isharam , is the entire head till the neck.

7- If one plunges the upper part of his head down to the ears, would this harm the correctness of hissawm ?

A: Unless the entire head is plunged into the water, thesawm would not be harmed.

8- If asaim had plunged his head into water sparing his hair, what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: Plunging by sparing just the hair is consideredharam and would invalidate fasting.

9- Plunging the head in adulterated water [mudaf ], would it validate thesawm ?

A: There is no objection in plunging the head inmudaf liquid. However, it is according to precaution to avoid plunging of the head in rose-water (maul-ward).

10- If asaim had smeared his head with a substance that would prevent water reaching it and then plunged it into water, then what is the ruling about hissawm ?

A: The standard is the actual plunging of the head into water even if one had smeared it with such a substance. 11- If one had plunged while he was putting his head in a bottle, then what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: If this was in such a way that it would not be applied correctly to the plunging of the head i.e. he put his head into a bottle and then plunged the bottle into the water, it would not harm hissawm .

12- If asaim had jumped intoa water imagining that he would not plunge but plunging occurred, then what is the ruling?

A: If the water was not of the kind that which usually necessitates plunging or he was not aware that it would necessitate it, it would not harm the correctness of hissawm , but he is obliged to get his head out of the water immediately.

13- If asaim was in state ofjanabah and he could not perform hisghusl but by plunging, then what could he do? A: If he could not perform sequentialghusl (tartibi ) his duty will be diverted totayammum and he is not allowed, as per obligatory precaution, to plunge into water forghusl .

14- If asaim had plunged into water forghusl , then what is the rulingif?a ) Thesawm wasmustahabb or awajib [obligatory] but unspecified for a certain time.

b) Thesawm waswajib but specified for certain time.

A: In amustahabb and unspecifiedwajib sawm , hisghusl is correct but thesawm would be invalidated. While in a specifiedwajib sawm if it was asawm of the month of Ramadan, bothghusl andsawm would be invalidated unless he repented after plunging and then intended to doghusl even at the time he was getting out of the water, then hisghusl will be correct even though that hissawm had been invalidated by the plunging.

(6) Making dust to reach the throat

1- What about the ruling concerning dust which is difficult to avoid?

A: In the given question, to say that thesawm is void is a matter of contemplation. Thus, precaution should not be neglected in combining fasting andqada .

2- Would thesaim break hissawm if he swallowed steam?

A: There is no objection in swallowing steam unless it wouldcovert into water inside the month.

3- If smoke had entered the mouth of thesaim , what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: Smoke would not harm the correctness ofsawm .

4- Would smoking invalidatesawm or not?

A: It is based on the obligatory precaution to avoid it.

5. I work in an iron mine and the nature of my work requires me to enter the mine daily. While working with mining equipments dust enters my mouth. This is my daily routine throughout the year. What is my duty? Is my fast valid in such a case?

A: Swallowing dust invalidates the fast as per obligatory precaution. Therefore, one must guard against it. However, the mere entering of dust into the mouth and the nose without its being swallowed does not invalidate the fast.

(7) Lying

1- Would lying in general invalidatesawm or is there a special kind of it?

A: Lying which would invalidatesawm is specified by inventing of lie about Allah, His Prophet Muhammad (s.) and about the Infallible Imams (a.) according to the obligatory precaution.

2- If asaim had invented a lie about jurisprudents andmujtahids would that entail invalidating of hissawm ? A: Although inventing lies about them isharam , yet it would not invalidate the correctness of thesawm . 3- If thesaim intended to say the truth but it appeared to be an untruth and vice versa, what about the ruling? A: In both cases hissawm is correct.

4- If asaim had just quoteda saying from someonewhich was lying, would that invalidate thesawm ? A: If the saying was a kind of narration or quotation from a person or a book, it would not harm the correctness of hissawm , although it is based on obligatory precaution to relate the saying to the book from which it is quoted.

5- If thesaim had said a lie, which really would invalidate thesawm , without directing his speech to someone or he is directing it to an irrational creature (like an animal), would this invalidatesawm ?

A: It would not invalidate hissawm unless it could be truly said that he was telling lie to someone, i.e. he wants to tell someone who would hear and understand it, even later.

6- If asaim invents a lie about the Prophet Muhammad (s.) or the Infallible Imams (a.) in a secular issue, would that invalidate hissawm ? A: In invalidating thesawm there is no difference, according to the obligatory precaution, whether one invents a lie about them in the religious or in the secular issues.

7- Would the invention of lies about the Prophets and legates orFatimat al-Zahra (s.) invalidate thesawm ?

A: It is based on obligatory precaution to join them with Infallible Imams (a.) in this issue.

8- If one tells a lie as a joke, i.e. he did not mean the real meaning, what about the ruling?

A: The ruling of lying would not be applied here unless one was serious in telling it.

(8) Remaining intentionally in the state ofjanabah

1. If one stays in the state of major impurity [janabah ] (because of some difficulty) until the morning call to prayer [adhan ], can he/she fast the following day?

A: There is no problem if one is performing a fast other than that of Ramadan or itsqada . However, as to the fasting of Ramadan or itsqada , if one has a lawful excuse for not performingghusl , then it is obligatory to performtayammum . And if he does not perform dry ablution [tayammum ] either, the fast is invalid.

2. A person fasts for some days in the state of major impurity [janabah ] without knowing thattaharah fromjanabah is required for a valid fast. Does he/she have to paykaffarah for the days fasted in the state ofjanabah , or it is enough to perform theqada of those fasts?

A: If he woke up in a state of major impurity [janabah ] and stayed in that state because of ignorance of the fact that one has to perform major ablution [ghusl ] (or dry ablution [tayammum ]), then as per obligatory precaution he should also observekaffarah in addition to performing theirqada . However, if his ignorance was due to negligence with inability to get the ruling, apparentlykaffarah is not obligatory upon him, though precaution lies in making it.

3. Is it permissible for one who is fastingqada or recommended [mustahabb ] fast to perform major ablution [ghusl ] for the state of major impurity [janabah ] after sunrise?

A: If one deliberately stays in the state ofjanabah until morning call to prayer [adhan ], then his fast is not valid if it is a fast of Ramadan or one of itsqada fasts. Other than that, it is strongly probable that the fasting is valid, especially recommended one.

4. A faithful brother has asked me the following question: He got married ten days prior to the month of Ramadan. He had heard that the legal ruling regarding a person in a state of major impurity [janabah ] was that if one becomes in that state after the morning call to prayer [adhan ] and performs major ablution [ghusl ] before the call to the afternoon prayers, his fast would be valid (he claims he was convinced that this was the rule). Accordingly, he would have intercourse with his wife on the basis of such a notion. Later, he realized that the rule on the issue was not what he believed itbe . What is the ruling concerning this case?

A: The rule for one who intentionally becomes in a state of major impurity [junub ] after morning prayers is the same as that of one who intentionally breaks the fast; that is, bothqada andkaffarah are obligatory upon him.

5. A person staying as a guest in hishost''s house becomes in a state of major impurity [junub ] at night during the month of Ramadan. As he is a guest and does not have any extra clothes, he decides to travel the following day to avoid fasting. He takes off after the morning call to prayer [adhan ] with the intention to travel without breaking the fast. The question is, does his intention to travel relieve him of thekaffarah or not?

A: Neither mere intention of traveling at night nor traveling in the day is sufficient to relieve one of thekaffarah if one becomes in a state of major impurity [junub ] and knows that he is in the state ofjanabah without making an immediate attempt to perform major ablution [ghusl ] or dry ablution [tayammum ] before dawn.

6. Is it permissible for one to intentionally become in a state of major impurity [junub ] during the night in the month of Ramadan even if he does not have water or has some other excuse of performingghusl (except shortness of time)?

A: It is permissible, if his duty was to performtayammum and he had sufficient time to perform it.

7. A person woke up before the morning call to prayer [adhan ] but did not realize that he was in a state of major impurity [junub ] and went back to sleep. Later, he woke up during the morning call to prayer [adhan ] and realized that he has been in a state of major impurity [junub ]. What is the ruling concerning his fast?

A: If he did not realize that he was in the state ofjanabah before the morning call to prayer [adhan ], then his fast is valid.

8. A person wakes up after the morning call to prayer [adhan ] during the month of Ramadan and realizes that he is in a state of major impurity [junub ] and then goes back to sleep to rise some time after sunrise (without performing the morning prayers). Then he delays the major ablution [ghusl ] until after the call to the afternoon prayers, and says the afternoon [zuhr ] and late afternoon [asr ] prayers. What is the ruling regarding his fast on that day?

A: His fast is valid, and delayingghusl until noon does not affect it.

9. During the month of Ramadan a person doubts before the morning call to prayer [adhan ] whether he has had a wet dream or not. However, he goes back to sleep without ascertaining his doubt. After the morning call to prayer [adhan ], he wakes up gain to realize that he had been in a state ofjanabah . What is the ruling concerning his fast?

A: If no sign ofjanabah was observed the first time he woke up but had a mere suspicion that was not confirmed, and he went back to sleep until after the morning call to prayer [adhan ], then his fast is valid, even if he finds later that he had been in a state ofjanabah before the morning call to prayer [adhan ].

10. A person used impure [najis ] water to perform major ablution [ghusl ]during the month of Ramadan. A week later, he remembered that the water was impure. What is the ruling concerning his prayers and fasts during that period?

A: His prayers are void and he is liable to theirqada , but the days he fasted are valid.

11. A person suffers from dripping of urine for a limited duration, i.e., it continues for an hour or more after passing urine. What is the ruling concerning his fast if he has a wet dream on some nights and he might wake up an hour before the morning call to prayer [adhan ] and it is probable that semen may come out with urine afterwards? What is he to do to start the fast in a state oftaharah ?

A: If he performs the major ablution [ghusl ]or dry ablution [tayammum ] before the morning call to prayer [adhan ], his fast is valid, even if there is an involuntary discharge of semen afterwards.

12.A person sleeps prior to, or after, the morning call to prayer [adhan ]. He becomes in a state of major impurity [junub ], realizing it after the morningadhan . How much time does he have to perform the major ablution [ghusl ]?

A: Being injanabah under the condition stated does not void thatday''s fast. However, it is obligatory on him to performghusl for prayers, and he may delay it until the time of prayers.

13. If one forgets to performghusl al-janabah during the month of Ramadan, or during other days, and remembers during the day, what is the rule in this case?

A: If one forgets to perform the major ablution for the state of major impurity [ghusl al-janabah ] during the month of Ramadan at night before morning call to prayer [adhan ], his fast is void. As per obligatory precaution, the same rule applies toqada of Ramadan fasts. However, other fasts do not become void if one forgets to performghusl al-janabah before morning call to prayer [adhan ].

14- If thesaim thought that there was enough time till thefajr so he did not doghusl and then it appeared to be not, what about the ruling?

A: In the given question, if thesawm was that of Ramadan, it would be correct, but if it was of itsqada , then it would not be correct.

15- Remaining on the state of thehadath of menstrual period [hayd ] orpuerperium [nifas ] till thefajr time, would it invalidate thesawm ?

A: The ruling of this during thesawm of the month of Ramadan is the same as the ruling of remaining in the state ofjanabah during it.

16- If thesaim didtayammum instead ofghusl before thefajr time, is he obliged to stay awake till thefajr time?

A: No, he is not. He is allowed to sleep after doingtayammum .

17- If one had a wet dream [ihtilam ] during the day in the month of Ramadan, is he obliged to hasten immediately to do theghusl ?

A: No, he is not.

18- Is theghusl of touching the dead [mass al-mayyit ] a condition in the correctness of thesawm ?

A: No, it is not a condition.

19- Is it permissible for a person who had a wet dream to sleep before doingghusl ?

A: After he became aware of this he is allowed to go back to sleep as long as he believes that he would wake up before thefajr time and he was intending to doghusl after awaking up. But, in the given question, if he did not wake up untilfajr then he is obliged to doqada .

20- If he was not already used to waking up, yet he sleep untilfajr came, what is the ruling of hissawm ?

A: If he was not used to waking up and he did not think it possible that he would wake up when he went back to sleep and he slept until thefajr is came, then he is just like someone who intentionally remained in the state ofjanabah .

21- If he was used to waking up, yet he went back to sleep untilfajr came, what is the ruling?

A: If he thought it possible that he would wake up and he was already used to waking, yet he slept with the intention of doingghusl after waking up but he did not till thefajr time,qada would rest on him, although it is based on the recommended precaution to pay thekaffarah as well.

22- If he repeatedly slept for two or three times and he was used to waking up but he did not, then what is the ruling here?

A: In case before going to sleep he had intended to doghusl after waking up, he is morally obliged to refrain from eating and doqada later on in both given cases, otherwise he is obliged to makekaffarah as well.

23- If one was sure that he would have a nocturnal seminal emission if he slept in the month of Ramadan, is he allowed to sleep?

A: He is allowed to sleep and there is nothing upon him if he slept and had a nocturnal seminal emission.

24- Is thesaim who had a wet dream, during the day, allowed to doistibra '' by passing urine if he was sure that semen would come out?

A: He is allowed to do this before doingghusl .

25- If asaim had had a wet dream during the day and he wanted to doghusl and was sure that if he neglectistibra '' the remnant of semen would come out afterghusl ,then in this given question, is he obliged to doistibra ''?

A: In the given question, it is based on the obligatory precaution to doistibra '' beforeghusl .

26- Is thesaim who had had a wet dream obliged to be careful not to let the semen come out, when he woke before it, especially if this would cause unbearable hardship and harm?

A: He is not obliged.Although, if no hardship or harm would follow, it goes with the precaution to do it.

(9) Liquid enemas:

1- If asaim is compelled to use a liquid enema due to a disease or something else, would that harm the correctness of hissawm ?

A: Using liquid enemas for asaim isharam and it would invalidate hissawm , even if it was to treat disease.

2- If asaim had used liquid enemas in a way that the liquid did not come up into his body but just entered into the anus, would this break fasting?

A: It is based on obligatory precaution to abstain from such an act.

Section Six: Things That Must Be Avoided

1. If a person who is fasting bleeds in the mouth, does it invalidate his fast?

A: Bleeding in the mouth does not void fast. However, the blood should not be swallowed.

2. Please, give your opinion concerning the use of snuff by a person who is fasting.

A: If the use of snuff causes anything to go down the throat from the nose, then it will be forbidden for a person who is fasting.

3. Some people use ''Naas'', which is made up of tobacco and other constituents, and they put it under their tongues for a few minutes, then they spit it out. Does that void the fast?

A: If they swallow the saliva mixed with Naas, then their fast will become void.

4. There is a medicine for asthma patients, which is in the form of a spray containing a vapor-borne powder which enters thepatient''s lungs through the mouth providing him relief. At times, asthma patients need to use it several times a day. Is it permissible to fast while using such a spray?

A: If what goes into their lungs through the mouth is only air, then their fast is not harmed. But if the air is mixed with medicine, be it in the shape of a powder or dust, the validity of the fast is problematic. However, if fasting without it is difficult or harmful, using the medicine is permissible, but it is based on obligatory precaution not to use anything else which would break fasting and if one becomes able, later on, to fast without using this medicine, he should observeqada of these days.

5. My gums often bleed and the blood gets mixed with saliva. At times I am not sure whether the saliva that enters my throat is mixed with blood or not. Please tell me what I am supposed to do to overcome this problem?

A: If the blood from your gums gets mixed with saliva in a way that it can no longer be distinguished, then the saliva is pure [tahir ] and can be swallowed.if you are not sure whether the saliva is mixed with blood or not, it can still be swallowed without affecting the correctness of the fast.

6. Once in the holy month of Ramadan, I forgot to brush my teeth, and some tiny bits of food remained in my mouth. I swallowed the bits unintentionally. Do I have to perform theqada '' for thatday''s fast?

A: If you did not know that some bits of food remained in your mouth, or you did not know that they might be swallowed, and they were swallowed unknowingly and unintentionally, then you are not liable to anything in respect of your fast.

7. The gums of a person who is fasting bleed a lot. Does that invalidate his fast? Moreover, is it permissible to pour water overone''s head with a jug?

A: The blood coming out of the gums does not invalidate the fast unless it is swallowed. Alsoone''s fast is not affected by pouring water over his head with a jug or something else.

8. There are certain medicines for feminine illnesses that are applied through the vagina. Does their use invalidate the fast?

A: The use of such medicine does not invalidate the fast.

9. Please explain your view on injections given by dentists or other physicians to persons fasting during the blessed month of Ramadan?

A: It is based on obligatory precaution for the fasting person to avoid having himself injected with any kind of supportive or nutritional injections in addition to all kinds of injections and fluids given intravenously, while there is no objection in using anesthetic injections and the like..

10. Is it permissible to take pills for high blood pressure during fasting?

A: If taking these pills during Ramadan is necessary for controlling high blood pressure, it is permissible, but it will invalidate the fast. 11. Since taking tablets for treatment is not commonly regarded as eating or drinking, would taking pills void the fast?

A: Taking pills through the mouth invalidates the fast. However, inserting suppositories through the anus does not affect the fast.

12. During the month of Ramadan my wife forced me to have intercourse. What is the rule concerning us?

A: The rule of intentional breaking of the fast applies to both of you. Hence it is obligatory for the two of you to perform itsqada '' along with itskaffarah .

13. When a man has foreplay with his wife during the day in the month of Ramadan, does it invalidate his fast?

A: As long as it does not result in ejaculation, his fast is not affected, otherwise it is not permissible for him to do that and his fast will be void as well.