Friday, July 11, 2014

Sex In The Fasting Month of Ramadan

Sexual Intercourse during Ramadaan
 

Intercourse during the day in Ramadaan is haraam for men and women alike, who are obliged to fast during the day. Doing that is a sin for which expiation (kafaarah) must be offered. The kafaarah is to free a slave; if that is not possible then the person must fast for two consecutive months; whoever is not able to do that must feed sixty poor persons. 
 
 

Regarding intercourse during the night in Ramadaan, this is permitted and is not forbidden, and the time when it is permitted lasts until the onset of dawn. When dawn comes, intercourse becomes forbidden. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Sawm (the fasts). They are Libaas [i.e. body-cover, or screen, or Sakan (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with them] for you and you are the same for them. Allaah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allaah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”

[al-Baqarah 2:187] 

This verse clearly states that it is permissible to eat, drink and have intercourse during the nights of Ramadaan until dawn. 

After having intercourse it is obligatory to do ghusl, then pray Fajr. 

To abstain from sexual intercourse, masturbation, and inserting anything with a volume into the head or the body cavity through an open inlet, excluding one’s pure, tahir saliva while still inside the mouth during the time from the dawn until the sunset.


The intention is in the heart, and does not have to be uttered with the tongue. The one who slept at night without having had the intention to fast and woke up after the dawn is obligated to abstain from whatever a fasting person would abstain and then fast a make up for that day. If the menstrual or postpartum bleeding of a woman stopped at night, then she must intend to fast the following day. The purificatory bath is not required to start fasting, but rather to start praying.




The fasting person must abstain from taking into his body cavity any material that has a tangible volume from an open inlet, whether this material was food or drink or other than that. If a person intentionally takes into his body cavity any material that has a tangible volume during the fasting day, while remembering he is fasting, and knowing that it is unlawful to do so, and not because another threatened to kill him (or the like) if he did not break his fast, then this invalidates his fast, and he has to make it up. The open outlets of the body are like the mouth, nose, anus, vagina, and other. Materials which are absorbed by the pores of the skin do not invalidate the fast because the pores of the skin are not considered to be an open inlet to the body cavity. For example, rubbing oil into the skin does not invalidate the fast.



Also among the conditions for the validity of fasting is for one to abstain from sexual intercourse during the day of fasting. If the person did not know that one must abstain from sexual intercourse during the fasting day, or he forgot that he was fasting and he performed this act, then it does not invalidate his fast. However the man or woman who performs sexual intercourse during the day of fasting while knowing this is unlawful and remembering he is fasting, would invalidate his/her fast by that.

The expiation due for invalidating one’s fasting by sexual intercourse is in the following order:

1. To set a Muslim slave free;
2. If he was unable, then to fast two consecutive months, other than making up the day which was invalidated by his sexual intercourse;
3. If unable, then to feed each one of 60 poor people two cupped, average-sized handfuls of the most common staple food of the country.

Masturbation or making the semen come out of one by using the hand or the like invalidates one’s fasting, whether one used his own hand, or the hand of his wife, or because of a kiss, or because of other physical contact. If, however, one experienced a wet dream or semen exited from him because of certain thoughts, one’s fast is not invalidated.
.

Masturbation or making the semen come out of one by using the hand or the like invalidates one’s fasting, whether one used his own hand, or the hand of his wife, or because of a kiss, or because of other physical contact. If, however, one experienced a wet dream or semen exited from him because of certain thoughts, one’s fast is not invalidated.

Menstruation and post-natal bleeding:
A woman who bleeds due to any one of these two reasons has broken her fast, even if a woman gets her period seconds before sunset. This is the opinion of the majority of the scholars. The number of fasting days missed must be made up prior to the next Ramadan.

Ejaculation:
Regardless of whether this resulted due to the husband kissing his wife, caressing her etc. This is the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars and Allah knows best.

Sexual Intercourse:
If a fasting person has sexual intercourse during the day of Ramadan, irrespective of whether ejaculation takes place or not the fasting has been broken. In this case a person must repent, seek forgiveness from Allah, and make up this day. Furthermore, he must free a slave if he owns one, if not, then two consecutive months of fasting must be done prior to the next Ramadan. If fasting two consecutive months is detrimental to one’s health then sixty poor or needy people must be fed.




Question
Why is sexual intercourse prohibited during the daytime of Ramadhaan?

Answer



Ramadhaan is a season of goodness which Allaah has bestowed on His servants in order to enhance their faith, increase their righteousness and deepen their relations with Him. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed,  prescribed upon you is fasting as it was  prescribed upon those before you that you may become righteous.} [Quran 2: 183]

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah  that the Prophet , said: "Allaah The Almighty says, 'Every act of the son of Aadam is for him, except fasting. It is (exclusively) meant for Me and I (alone) will reward for it…." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim. This is the wording of Al-Bukhaari]

The wording of another narration adds: "He has abstained from food and drink, and sexual pleasures for My sake…"

It is known that abstention from food, drink and sexual pleasures occurs only during the daytime of Ramadhaan, not its nights. There are several benefits behind this, which cannot be achieved except through fasting. Allaah has prescribed fasting to discipline the soul by curbing its desires and preventing it from what it is accustomed to. This contributes to the upbringing of the Muslim individual by training him to have strong determination and real will. This also makes him control the desires and inclinations of his soul without giving in to them. Rather, he is surrendering to the commands of Allaah, avoiding His forbiddances and giving precedence to what is beloved to Allaah over his material desires and lusts. Sex is one of the greatest material desires which a Muslim is required to control. Fasting achieves this goal.

Ar-Raazi  said, "Fasting inspires righteousness due to the consequent destruction of lusts and the suppression of desires. It deters ungratefulness and immorality, and decreases the value of worldly lusts. Fasting curbs the lust of the belly and the private parts. So, when one fasts often, these two matters will not control him and satisfying them will be very easy. This prevents him from committing immorality and prohibitions. These are the means for attaining  righteousness.
Question
Is it permissible for a wife to have foreplay with her husband in the case of a make up fast if he requests it from her?

Answer
 

Make up fasting is considered obligatory fasting. Therefore, one should not invalidate it. Foreplay, in itself, does not invalidate fasting. What invalidates it is intercourse or ejaculation. If one knows that most probably neither of these will happen, then there is no harm in engaging in foreplay.

If the husband or wife know that fasting will certainly or most probably be invalidated due to any of these things, then foreplay is impermissible for them. It is impermissible for her to obey her husband if he demands this from her. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  said: "It is impermissible for a man to engage in foreplay with his wife if he knows that this will lead him to ejaculate because some people ejaculate quickly. As soon as he begins foreplay with a woman or kisses her for example, or something of the like, he ejaculates. To this type of men we say: ‘You may not engage in foreplay with your wife as long as you fear ejaculation.’" [Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen]


Question

Had intercourse and the call for Al-Fajr prayer was made but did not realize it until five minutes after the Athaan. Is the fasting invalidated?

Answer



If intercourse takes place before the Athaan (call for prayer) and ends before it, then there is no problem and the fasting is valid. In the case that intercourse takes place during the Athaan and he knows of it, then he does not have to make up (the fast) nor offer expiation if he withdraws immediately (i.e., terminates the intercourse). If he continues, it is due upon him to make up the fast (for this day) and offer expiation. If this occurs after the Athaan while thinking that it has yet to come and he then finds that it was after the Athaan and the time of prayer, then the fasting is invalid and both of them should make up for this day. Expiation is due upon him if he continues after knowing that the call for Al-Fajr prayer was made because he violated the sanctity of this month by continuing. So, along with making it up, he should also offer expiation. If he stopped upon knowing that the Athaan passed, he does not have to offer expiation but he should make up for this day as mentioned above. The woman is like the man in all these cases if she does it willingly.

An-Nawawi  said, "If dawn rises while one is having intercourse with his wife and he comes to know but continues having intercourse, his fast is invalidated with no difference of opinion among scholars." He said, "There is no known difference among scholars concerning this matter. He should offer expiation according to this school of Fiqh (i.e., the Shaafi'i school)."

An-Nawawi  also said about the issue of the one who engages in intercourse while thinking that dawn has not yet risen but found the opposite to be true: "If he eats, drinks or engages in intercourse while thinking that the sun has set or that the dawn had not yet broken but then the opposite was discovered, then we have already mentioned that he should make up for this…. This is the opinion adopted by Abu Haneefah, Maalik, Ahmad, Abu Thawr

and the majority of the scholars ."



Question
Mastubation in Ramadan

Answer
 

Masturbation is unlawful at any time. Also, it is an act that breaks the fast. If the initiated ejaculation occurred after the Athaan of Fajr was pronounced and you did it intentionally, knew it was  unlawful, and were conscious of that you were fasting and that the Athaan was being pronounced, then this means that  you broke your fast and it has become due upon you to make up for the fast of that day. However, if you did so while being forgetful of the fact that you were fasting, then your fasting on that day was valid.

What appears from your question is that you were forgetful. However, it would be better if you make up for the fast of that day to be on the safe side.

Furthermore, you must fear Allaah and avoid this incorrect practice during Ramadhaan and at any other time, since masturbation is prohibited at any time, and it becomes even more unlawful during Ramadhaan, for it violates its sanctity. Indeed, a sin is aggravated according to the time and place in which it is committed, to say nothing of harmful effects resulting from this prohibited practice. The expiation for it is true repentance, which is realized by three things: to give up the sin, to be determined not to return to it ever again, and to regret having done it.




Question
Forced Sex in Ramadan
Answer


If you were really raped as you mentioned, then you are not required to offer expiation or make up for that day, as the Prophet, , said: “Allaah pardons my Ummah [nation] for what they commit by mistake, or because of forgetfulness as well as what they were forced to commit.”

Although some scholars judged this Hadeeth as weak, its meaning is in accordance with the overall rules of the Sharee‘ah and Al-Albaani  judged it as Saheeh (authentic) based on its various narrations.

Nevertheless, coercion must be valid under Sharee‘ah, such as threatening with killing and unbearable harm. Thus, if the coercion was invalid, you must sincerely repent to Allaah The Almighty and make up for this day. As for expiation, scholars held different opinions whether the woman, with whom someone had sexual intercourse during a day of Ramadhaan, must offer expiation or not, and we chose the opinion that she is not required to offer it.

Finally, you should know that what happened to you is one of the countless evil consequences that have resulted from the woman’s working without observing the Sharee‘ah regulations and refraining from intermixing with men and being with them in seclusion.

Hence, you and all Muslim women must learn from this incident how to make adherence to chastity and modesty your top priority.

We supplicate Allaah The Almighty to cover our misdeeds and the misdeeds of all Muslims, and to protect our families and all Muslims from deviation.



Question. 

Foreplay in Ramadan
Answer.


In principle a husband should avoid foreplay with his wife while fasting. It is forbidden for him to have sexual intercourse with her and he should not engage in foreplay or the like with her, as that could lead to sexual intercourse and consequently to voiding his fast. Therefore, you should not have done what you did and you should avoid that in the future. The Muslim jurists differed regarding a person who indulged in foreplay with his wife and a white discharge came out of his sexual organ when having a desire for sexual intercourse. The most preponderant opinion of the scholars however, is that his/her fast is valid. Based on this opinion, your fast and the fast of your wife is correct but it would be more appropriate if each of you makes up for this day to avoid the difference of opinion of the scholars who say that the fasting in such case is invalid.

Finally, it should be noted that whoever was engaged in foreplay with his wife and ejaculated, his fasting is void and some scholars stated that there is a consensus about this.


Question
Sex after sunset

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

If the matter is as you mentioned here, that you enjoyed sex with your wife after the sunset then there is no harm since Allah made lawful for a fasting person eating, drinking, having sex, etc. from sunset till dawn.  Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allâh has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), ….}[2:187].

However, if one has sex with his wife or he enters the state of major impurity he has to take a ritual bath before performing prayers.  No prayer is valid without taking a bath.  Delaying a prayer from its fixed time is forbidden.  Mere Wudu does not remove the major state of Janabah; one has to wash all his/her body with the intention of removing this impurity. 

However, to eat or drink Suhoor (the meal a fasting person takes before Fajr) one does not need Wudu or Ghusl.
Question
Hugging and Fasting
Answer
If a couple is newly married, even a phone call might ignite sexual desires BUT if a couple is old, much physical contact might not ignite anything. It depends from couple to couple. The couple should talk and set boundaries during fast.

The idea here is not "if hugging is permitted" rather it is "if hugging ignites sexual desires to nullify the fast"

Sometimes the effect of certain gestures (like hugging) might not be known to the couple, so I advise not to involve in them so as to keep the fast intact.

Question
Kissing and Fasting
Answer

⁠Many people cite hadees that the Prophet(pbuh) used to kiss his wives, but there many types of kissing, so much so that there are books on the art of kissing. Hence in a the quranic verse that deems "sexual activity" as not permissible in fast and deduce that if a kiss raises sexual feelings then its not permitted in fast.



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