If a man has intercourse with his wife in the month of Ramadan before the sun sets, what must he do?

The questioner : regarding the rulings of fasting: If a man has intercourse with his wife in the month of Ramadan before the sun sets, what must he do?

The Shaykh : Is there a difference in your question between saying "before the sun sets" or "before the time of 'Asr"?

The questioner : I mean before hearing the iftar, meaning.

The Shaykh : You did not answer me.

The questioner : How do you mean?

The Shaykh : Is there a difference between saying "before the sun sets" or "before the 'Asr prayer"?

The questioner : No, before Maghrib, before 'Asr or before Maghrib, meaning.
Abu Layla : Because he lives in France, perhaps he does not understand the phrases well.

The Shaykh : Do you know the French language?

The questioner : In Ramadan, meaning a person fasts from Fajr until Maghrib.

The Shaykh : Until the sun sets.

The questioner : Until the sun sets, and if he has intercourse, as I told you, before the sun sets, what does he do? Before 'Asr or before Dhuhr?

The Shaykh : Why did you specify "before the sun sets"?

The questioner : I mean before Maghrib.

The Shaykh : Do you mean before Maghrib, the setting of the sun, or before the adhan of Maghrib?

The questioner : Before the adhan of Maghrib.

The Shaykh : And did the sun set or did it not set?

The questioner : Yes, the sun set, no.

The Shaykh : So there is no difference between before the sun sets and before the adhan of Maghrib. Do you want to clarify something?

Another questioner : I understood from his question that the man has intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadan.

The Shaykh : No, but he is telling you "before the sun sets."

The questioner : He is confused; once before Dhuhr, once before 'Asr.

The Shaykh : No, he is not confused. I am asking him if there is a difference between "before the sun sets" and "before 'Asr"? He does not answer so that we know what is in it.

The questioner : I understand now, meaning before the adhan of Maghrib.

The Shaykh : Before the adhan of Maghrib, and is that before the sun sets?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Is that so?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : My brother, there is still something unclear in your question. Do you distinguish between a man who has intercourse with his wife before the adhan of Maghrib, before the sun sets, or before 'Asr? Is there a difference for you? I want to understand why this precise condition of "before the sun sets"?

The questioner : I mean before the sun sets, meaning it is the month of Ramadan, because after the adhan of Maghrib it is permissible to have intercourse with his wife.

The Shaykh : Understand from him what the difference is between the two matters.

The questioner : He wants to ask, O Shaykh, that a man had intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadan, perhaps he made a mistake.

The Shaykh : Correct his mistake, perhaps he wants something else.

The questioner : Your question is that a man had intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadan before breaking his fast; what must he do?

Another questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : My brother, it is not enough for you to avoid the word; you must circle around the word, perhaps there is something in his mind.
Al-Halabi : Your mention of the phrase "before the sun sets," does it have a result with this restriction other than that it is before the permissibility of iftar? Or if it was before Maghrib, or before 'Asr, or before Dhuhr, is it the same? Before the permissibility of iftar.
Al-'Awaisheh: Before he breaks the fast, it could be after Fajr, after Dhuhr, after 'Asr. This is before its specified time. So you said "before the sunset." Do you mean before the time becomes permissible? He could do this after Fajr, he could do this after Dhuhr, he could do this after 'Asr, he could do this before Maghrib. Do you mean this or not?
Al-Halabi : Or do you think that before Maghrib there is something extra?

The Shaykh : This is what he is afraid of.
Al-Halabi : Regarding the other rulings, or before 'Asr, meaning the one who has intercourse with his wife before 'Asr is different from the one who has intercourse with his wife before Maghrib?

The questioner : I will clarify my question. There are two sunsets: after Maghrib, meaning before 'Asr, and after Maghrib, regarding 'Asr and Maghrib.

Another questioner : I mean if the sun sets, he considers it a sunset.

The Shaykh : Is he French? Let them talk to each other, perhaps they will understand.

Another questioner : We are traveling, the time of food in Ramadan... is it permissible or not permissible?

The questioner : The question is clear: what must he do if a person has intercourse with his wife before the adhan of Maghrib?

The Shaykh : We will answer you this question. The answer to it is easy, but we fear that you want something and do not express it well, so we will fall into error with you. So I say he must fast two consecutive months. Did you understand the answer?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : He must fast two consecutive months.