Kissing one's wife during the day in Ramadan, resulting in the emission of semen or pre-seminal fluid: does this invalidate the fast?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: If a man kisses his wife during the day in Ramadan and emits semen or pre-seminal fluid, does his fast become invalid?
The Shaykh : The question here is that we should ask whether he commits a sin or not. We say that if he is traveling with his wife, he does not commit a sin, even if he emits semen, even if he emits pre-seminal fluid, and even if he has intercourse. Accordingly, if a man performs 'Umrah with his family and then, during the day, he misses his family...
The questioner : ...in Ramadan.
The Shaykh : ...in Ramadan, and he is fasting, he misses his family. So we tell him: There is nothing wrong with you having intercourse; it is lawful for you. However, you must make up this day. Why? Because a traveler is not obligated to fast. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:185] The Companions were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and they would fast and break their fast. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) broke his fast while fasting during the day in Ramadan while traveling. When it was said to him that fasting had become difficult for the people and that they were waiting to see what he would do, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called for water after 'Asr, meaning when there was only a little time left until sunset. He called for water after 'Asr and drank it so that the people would drink, because fasting had become difficult for them and they disliked breaking their fast while the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting. So he broke his fast for the sake of the people (peace and blessings be upon him). The result is that intercourse, touching, kissing, the emission of semen, and the emission of pre-seminal fluid in Ramadan: if a person is traveling, is it permissible or not? It is permissible, but on the condition that he is not in a state of ihram, because one in a state of ihram is not permitted to have intercourse with his wife, even outside of Ramadan. As for Ramadan, a man may kiss his wife while fasting if he is not traveling. He may kiss his wife while fasting because 'Umar ibn Abi al-Salamah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about that, about a fasting man kissing his wife. He said to him: "Ask this one, your mother." Who was it? Umm Salamah. She reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do it. So he said: Sahih Ibn Hibban 14:80 (peace and blessings be upon him). It is permissible for a fasting person to kiss and to touch, even if he emits pre-seminal fluid, and his fast is valid.
The questioner : Even with desire, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Outside of travel. Outside of travel, it is permissible for a fasting person in Ramadan to kiss his wife and to touch his wife, but without intercourse or the emission of semen. If he emits pre-seminal fluid because of that, his fast is valid, because pre-seminal fluid does not break the fast. Semen breaks the fast, but pre-seminal fluid does not break the fast. Some people may be surprised by this. Do not be surprised, my brother. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more mindful of Allah than you and more fearful of Allah than you. He used to kiss while fasting (peace and blessings be upon him) and touch while fasting, as A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said. If someone says: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would restrain himself," we say: Yes, he would restrain himself from intercourse, and you will also refrain from intercourse. If someone says: "Pre-seminal fluid breaks the fast," meaning if a person emits pre-seminal fluid by looking at something with desire, or by kissing, or the like, then his fast is invalid, we say to him: Where is the evidence that the fast is invalidated by the emission of pre-seminal fluid? Where is the evidence that the fast is invalidated by the emission of pre-seminal fluid? Here we give you a rule, especially for students of knowledge: "When something is established by an explicit text, it is not negated except by an explicit text". It is known that a fasting person has abstained from eating and drinking and from what Allah has forbidden. So if he touches and emits pre-seminal fluid, we say to the one who claims that his fast is invalid: You must provide the evidence. Bring the evidence that the emission of pre-seminal fluid invalidates the fast. If he says: "I have none," we say: The original state is the continuation of validity, and praise be to Allah for the expansion. But here is an issue: the one who fears for himself that he will fall into what is prohibited must avoid that. If he is a young man with strong desire, and if he does that, he will not be able to control himself from having intercourse, we say: This is forbidden for him; it is not permissible. Yes.
The Shaykh : The question here is that we should ask whether he commits a sin or not. We say that if he is traveling with his wife, he does not commit a sin, even if he emits semen, even if he emits pre-seminal fluid, and even if he has intercourse. Accordingly, if a man performs 'Umrah with his family and then, during the day, he misses his family...
The questioner : ...in Ramadan.
The Shaykh : ...in Ramadan, and he is fasting, he misses his family. So we tell him: There is nothing wrong with you having intercourse; it is lawful for you. However, you must make up this day. Why? Because a traveler is not obligated to fast. Allah the Exalted said:
and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days
ومن كان مريضا أو على سفر فعدة من أيام أخرO Messenger of Allah, may Allah forgive you for your past and future sins. He said: I am the most knowledgeable of you regarding Allah and the most fearful of you of Him.
يا رسول الله غفر الله لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر قال : إني أعلمكم بالله وأخشاكم لهThe questioner : Even with desire, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Outside of travel. Outside of travel, it is permissible for a fasting person in Ramadan to kiss his wife and to touch his wife, but without intercourse or the emission of semen. If he emits pre-seminal fluid because of that, his fast is valid, because pre-seminal fluid does not break the fast. Semen breaks the fast, but pre-seminal fluid does not break the fast. Some people may be surprised by this. Do not be surprised, my brother. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more mindful of Allah than you and more fearful of Allah than you. He used to kiss while fasting (peace and blessings be upon him) and touch while fasting, as A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said. If someone says: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would restrain himself," we say: Yes, he would restrain himself from intercourse, and you will also refrain from intercourse. If someone says: "Pre-seminal fluid breaks the fast," meaning if a person emits pre-seminal fluid by looking at something with desire, or by kissing, or the like, then his fast is invalid, we say to him: Where is the evidence that the fast is invalidated by the emission of pre-seminal fluid? Where is the evidence that the fast is invalidated by the emission of pre-seminal fluid? Here we give you a rule, especially for students of knowledge: "When something is established by an explicit text, it is not negated except by an explicit text". It is known that a fasting person has abstained from eating and drinking and from what Allah has forbidden. So if he touches and emits pre-seminal fluid, we say to the one who claims that his fast is invalid: You must provide the evidence. Bring the evidence that the emission of pre-seminal fluid invalidates the fast. If he says: "I have none," we say: The original state is the continuation of validity, and praise be to Allah for the expansion. But here is an issue: the one who fears for himself that he will fall into what is prohibited must avoid that. If he is a young man with strong desire, and if he does that, he will not be able to control himself from having intercourse, we say: This is forbidden for him; it is not permissible. Yes.