NULLIFIERS THAT ENTAIL REDEMPTION (Al-Qada)
The first nullifiers are when the fast is rendered invalid and it must be redeemed after Ramadan in a period extending over eleven months, but no later than the next Ramadan.
The nullifiers are:
1. Intentionally eating or drinking by allowing food and drink to travel through the mouth or nose to the stomach. When this happens, the fast is nullified, even if it is just a bite or a sip.
On the other hand, if eating or drinking occurs unintentionally, by mistake, and, for example, if a person forgetfully drinks after jogging, the fast is correct and resumes and no redemption is necessary provided the faster does not continue to eat or drink after he remembers. This ruling rests on the hadith narrated by many reporters by way of Abu Hurairah (raa) that the Prophet (saas) said: "Whoever forgets -while fasting - and eats or drinks, should stop immediately and resume or complete his fast. For he has just been fed and quenched by Allah." (Agreed Upon)
The hadith indicates there is no need to worry if forgetfulness overcomes a faster causing him or her to eat or drink. Besides, Allah (SWT), in His mercy, justifies the person continuing to fast because the sustenance that he took was a direct gift from Allah, to the faster. The believer must be aware that this phenomenon occurs usually in the first few days of the fast, before the body and the mind adjust themselves to the new eating schedule.
2. A substitute for food and drink is as good a nullifier of fast as the real thing. By food substitute we mean two things:
Giving a faster a blood transfusion due to the loss of blood resulting from an injury, invalidates the fast, the reason being blood is a form of nourishment like food. Is not one of the reasons for eating to get blood flowing within our system?
Feeding an individual through the stomach, or intravenously, (through the veins), parenteral feeding (injecting nutrients into the body) as a substitute for food and drink invalidates the fast. Because this is substitute for food it takes its case in nullifying the fast.
3. Inducing vomiting nullifies the fast. By this is meant, intentionally causing the contents of the stomach to be ejected through the mouth either by wringing the stomach, or palpating the throat, or by smelling or looking at an emetic substance. In this case, the fast should be redeemed later or after Ramadan, but if the fast is a Sunnah fast, one has a choice to make it up later or not. In a hadith related by Abu Hurairah (raa) the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Whoever is overcome by vomiting wouldn't have to make it up, but if vomiting is the result of inducement (the fast is invalidated) and would have to be made up." (Ahmed)
It is important to say that the amount of the ejected contents, whether it is little or much, has no effect on the ruling.
One of the reasons why induced vomiting invalidates fasting is when the contents of the belly are thrown up, the body, which is already short on nourishment, is further weakened. Therefore, the Lawgiver as a mercy tells the believer to go ahead and break this day, and make it up later.
However, no faster should break his fast because he or she feels nausea, until the vomiting actually occurs.
4. Bleeding as a result of menstruation (known as hayd), or post childbirth bleeding, (nifaas), nullifies the fast, even if it occurs moments before sunset, and the iftar time. In this case, the fast is no longer valid, and even if the woman tried to continue, it would still not be valid. It has been reported that the Prophet (saas) said regarding menstruation, "when a woman experiences her monthly period, she will not pray or fast, but she shall redeem the fast after Ramadan, but not Salaat."
5. Ejaculation of semen, as a result of kissing, hugging, using the hand (as in self-pollution) or using any object for a sexual purpose for both men and women invalidates the fast because this is shahawah, a sensuous or lustful act that nullifies the fast. In a hadith Al-Qudsi, the Messenger of Allah (saas) has been reported as saying referring to the faster: "He who abstains from his food, his drink and his lustful desires for My (Allah) sake." (Al-Bukhari)
But if ejaculation occurs as result of a wet dream, or just unintentional thinking that is devoid of actual acts or inducements, the fast remains valid. Allah (SWT) will not hold one responsible for things randomly thought of which do not accompany the deed. The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Verily, Allah has pardoned my community, (Ummah) what their souls entertain in so far as they do not do or speak." (Agreed upon) This citation is referring to the case of thoughts borne in mind. There are bad thoughts and good thoughts. The bad thoughts and intentions are left unpunished so far as they are not rendered into deeds, a blessing from Him (SWT). For were He to hold us accountable for our thoughts, man would not have been able to escape His wrath. On the other hand, a good thought is rewarded regardless of whether the thought is being rendered into deed or not.
In a hadith, related by Ibn Abbas (raa) the Messenger of Allah (saas) conveying the Message from His Lord, says: "Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it (by saying that) he who has intended a good deed and not done it, Allah records it with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah records it with Himself as from ten good deeds, multiplied to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah records it with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it, and has done it, Allah records it as one bad deed." (Bukhari/Muslim)
[Next] [Previous] [Top]
Generated with WebMaker