Cupping, Fasting, and the Hadith: “The One Who Cups and the One Who Is Cupped Break Their Fast”

Question:
This questioner says: I hope for an explanation of the issue of cupping. Does it break the fast or not? Because some people say that cupping does not break the fast, and the hadith is published. If it does break the fast, why would the one who cups ask? We ask you, may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
Cupping breaks the fast by the text of the authentic hadith, and it is not abrogated; rather, it is decisive. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is nothing that contradicts it. As for the hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was cupped while fasting, that is an error. The correct version is that he was cupped while in the state of ihram. This is the correct hadith: he was cupped (peace and blessings be upon him) while in the state of ihram, as Imam Ahmad, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and others have pointed out. He was cupped (peace and blessings be upon him) while in the state of ihram, not while fasting. Cupping breaks the fast of the one who is fasting, and the operative cause is that extracting a large amount of blood from the fasting person weakens him for fasting, like a sick person who cannot fast. Out of mercy for him, he does not fast. If he is cupped, he does not fast, because this weakens him. If he needs cupping, and it cannot be postponed until night, because it is necessary that he be cupped—he is cupped—but he makes up this day, in order to avert harm and for treatment. Because if a sick person needs treatment, he is treated; he breaks his fast. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) has permitted the sick person to break his fast, and to fast on other days. Cupping breaks the fast of the one who is fasting, and the hadith is not abrogated. As for the one who cups breaking his fast, they said that it is usually the case that blood flies to his throat, because he sucks the cup to draw the blood from the one being cupped, so some of the blood goes to his throat with the suction. It is a strong likelihood that blood reaches his throat and goes into his stomach. Therefore, he said: