In the month of Ramadan, when I wake up from sleep, I sometimes find blood in my mouth and swallow it by mistake, knowing that this happens to me daily. Does this invalidate my fast?
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The questioner : In the month of Ramadan, when I wake up from sleep, I find blood in my mouth. Sometimes I am forgetful and swallow this blood. What is the ruling on my fasting, given that this happens to me daily?
The Shaykh : This questioner’s fast is valid. The blood that comes out of him during sleep, if some of it enters his body while he is sleeping, is excused, because the sleeper is not sinful for what happens to him, as the pen has been lifted from him. However, if he wakes up and then swallows some of it unintentionally, he does not have to make it up, and his fast is not invalidated by it, because he swallowed it without his choice.
It is well known that the things that invalidate the fast, i.e., the things that break the fast of the one fasting, do not break his fast except with three conditions:
The first condition is that he must be aware.
The second condition is that he must be mindful.
The third condition is that he must intend the invalidator, i.e., the thing that breaks the fast. If he is unaware, his fast is valid, whether he is unaware of the legal ruling or unaware of the situation, i.e., the time. An example of one who is unaware of the legal ruling is a person who cups his blood while fasting, thinking that cupping does not break the fast. In this case, he does not have to make it up.
An example of one who is unaware of the situation is a person who eats and drinks after the dawn has appeared, thinking that the dawn has not yet appeared, and then it turns out that it has. Or, he breaks his fast based on his strong assumption that the sun has set, because he is on a cloudy day or confined in a place where he cannot see the sun, and then it turns out afterwards that the sun has not set. His fast is also valid, as al-Bukhari narrated from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that she said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1674Sahih (Darussalam) and she did not mention that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to make it up.
Similarly, being unaware of the situation includes a person consuming something that breaks the fast, thinking it is not one of the things that break the fast. He knows, for example, that eating breaks the fast, but he consumes something he thinks is one of the things that break the fast, such as thinking that the thing that breaks the fast by eating is what is nutritious, and then he swallows a bead or something similar that does not nourish, thinking it does not break the fast. In this case, he also does not have to make it up because he is unaware.
As for the one who is forgetful, he also does not have to make it up. That is, if he forgets and eats or drinks, he does not have to make it up. The evidence for this, i.e., that the unaware and the forgetful do not invalidate their fast by consuming what breaks the fast, is the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] and His saying: [Al-Ahzab 33:5]. The specific hadith is the hadith of Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding their breaking the fast before the sun set, and then the sun rose. The specific hadith regarding the forgetful is the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1155.
As for the one who does not intend the thing that breaks the fast, such as water entering his stomach during rinsing without intention, this is because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:[Al-Ahzab 33:5] and He, Mighty and Majestic, says: [Al-Ma'idah 5:89]. This man did not intend the invalidator, so he is in the meaning of the unaware and the forgetful in one aspect, and the two pieces of evidence mentioned apply to him. It is well known that the sleeper does not intend what he swallows, if he swallows blood that came out of his teeth while he was sleeping.
In summary, the answer to thisThe questioner : is that this blood that comes out of him while he is sleeping during his fast does not break his fast. Even if we assume that he swallowed some of it while sleeping. As for after waking up, he must spit out this blood. If some of it goes into his stomach without intention, there is no blame on him, and his fast is valid.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This questioner’s fast is valid. The blood that comes out of him during sleep, if some of it enters his body while he is sleeping, is excused, because the sleeper is not sinful for what happens to him, as the pen has been lifted from him. However, if he wakes up and then swallows some of it unintentionally, he does not have to make it up, and his fast is not invalidated by it, because he swallowed it without his choice.
It is well known that the things that invalidate the fast, i.e., the things that break the fast of the one fasting, do not break his fast except with three conditions:
The first condition is that he must be aware.
The second condition is that he must be mindful.
The third condition is that he must intend the invalidator, i.e., the thing that breaks the fast. If he is unaware, his fast is valid, whether he is unaware of the legal ruling or unaware of the situation, i.e., the time. An example of one who is unaware of the legal ruling is a person who cups his blood while fasting, thinking that cupping does not break the fast. In this case, he does not have to make it up.
An example of one who is unaware of the situation is a person who eats and drinks after the dawn has appeared, thinking that the dawn has not yet appeared, and then it turns out that it has. Or, he breaks his fast based on his strong assumption that the sun has set, because he is on a cloudy day or confined in a place where he cannot see the sun, and then it turns out afterwards that the sun has not set. His fast is also valid, as al-Bukhari narrated from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that she said:
We broke our fast on a cloudy day at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then the sun appeared.
أفطرنا في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في يوم غيم ثم طلعت الشمسSimilarly, being unaware of the situation includes a person consuming something that breaks the fast, thinking it is not one of the things that break the fast. He knows, for example, that eating breaks the fast, but he consumes something he thinks is one of the things that break the fast, such as thinking that the thing that breaks the fast by eating is what is nutritious, and then he swallows a bead or something similar that does not nourish, thinking it does not break the fast. In this case, he also does not have to make it up because he is unaware.
As for the one who is forgetful, he also does not have to make it up. That is, if he forgets and eats or drinks, he does not have to make it up. The evidence for this, i.e., that the unaware and the forgetful do not invalidate their fast by consuming what breaks the fast, is the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
رَبَّنَا لا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَاAnd there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended
وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْIf anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink.
من نسي وهو صائم فأكل أو شرب فليتم صومه ، فإنما أطعمه الله وسقاهAs for the one who does not intend the thing that breaks the fast, such as water entering his stomach during rinsing without intention, this is because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended
وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْAllah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths
لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأَيْمَانَIn summary, the answer to thisThe questioner : is that this blood that comes out of him while he is sleeping during his fast does not break his fast. Even if we assume that he swallowed some of it while sleeping. As for after waking up, he must spit out this blood. If some of it goes into his stomach without intention, there is no blame on him, and his fast is valid.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.