A fast begins from Fajr and ends at Maghrib. 

Types of Fasts

A fast can be: 

  • Wajib (Obligatory)
    • Fasts of the holy month of Ramadhan
    • Qadha (make up) fasts of the holy month of Ramadhan 
    • Fast on the third day of Itikaf (Retreat in a Mosque)  
    • Fast of Nazr (Commitment), Ahd (Promise), or Qasam (Oath)
    • Fast of Kaffara (penalty)
    • Qadha fasts of the father, Wajib (Obligatory) upon the eldest son
    • Qadha fasts of the mother, Wajib (Obligatory) upon the eldest son (Check the rulings of your Marja-e-Taqlid)
    • Fast instead of sacrificing an animal in Hajj-e-Tamatu
  • Haram (Prohibited) 
    • Fast of someone for whom fasting is harmful
    • Fast of a traveller 
    • Fast on the day of Eid-ul- Fitr or Eid-ul-Adha
    • Fast for a haram Nazr (Commitment) 
    • Fast of silence (not speaking to anyone)
    • A fast that connects two fasts without breaking the first fast in between 
    • Fasting on the last day of Shaban with the intention of fasting for the first day of the holy month of Ramadhan
    • A mustahab fast for which parents have not given permission (Check the rulings of your Marja-e-Taqlid)
    • A mustahab fast which a woman’s husband has forbidden 
    • Fasting on the days of Tashriq (Prohibited only for those who are in Mina. The days of Tashriq are the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth of Dhul-Hijjah.)
  • Mustahab (Recommendable)
  • Makrooh (Reprehensible)

Things that break the fast

  • Eating or drinking
  • Deliberate vomiting
  • Deliberately inhaling smoke
  • Immersing the entire head in water
  • Telling lies about Allah, or his Messenger (saww) and his family (as)
  • Taking injections (Check the rulings of your Marja-e-Taqlid)
  • Travelling to place which is more than 27.5 miles (50 according to some scholars)
  • Sexual Intercourse or masturbation
  • Remaining in the state of Janabah () till dawn

Conditions of Fasting

For a fast to be valid, the person fasting must fulfil the following conditions: 

  • Sanity 
  • Islam
  • Iman
  • Not be travelling at the time of Zawal (The time after the sun reaches its highest point)
  • Not be in danger of illness by fasting 
  • If a woman, she must be free from Haidh (her period) and Nifas (blood seen after childbirth) during the fast  

People who are exempt from fasting

In the holy month of Ramadhan, fasting is Wajib (Obligatory) for everyone who is Baligh (Adult according to Islamic principles) except those who are too old to fast, have an illness which will be affected by fasting, or those who fear the health of their baby if they are pregnant or breast-feeding. Those unable to fast must either make up for their fasts (fast in Qadha) or give Kaffara (feed the poor) for each missed fast. 

To read more about Rules of Fasting click here

Fasting

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