Ramadan Q & A #7
by: Ahmad Musa Jibril

Q1: As salamu alaikum, I'm new to the mailing list, but have been listening to your lectures online for quite some time now. May Allah reward you for your work and increase you in iman and ikhlas. I have a question regarding fasting, will it break my fast if I use my fingers to clean the bacteria from the back of my tongue (deep inside the throat) which cause bad breath. Jazakallah khair

A1: Jazakum allahu khair for contacting us may Allah reward you and protect you from evil.

Placing a finger in one's mouth to clean bacteria from the back of the tongue does not break the fast. The only time it may break the fast is if it causes one to vomit. The reason it does not break the fast is because the matters that break the fast are limited and known to us. Anything outside those requires proof.

Q2: Does one have to make the intention every night that he will fast the next day? Or is it enough to make the intention once at the beginning of the month to fast the whole month of Ramadan?

A2: The niyah (intention) is a must for fasting in Ramadan as it is a must in every act of worship.

There is a minor dispute by Alzuhry - Ata' and Zafar (rahimahum Allah) who said that niyah was not required because fasting in itself shows niyah.

However, some scholars said that every night before fajer, one needs to renew his intention. Intention, of course, just means that you intend in your heart that you will fast. Saying it verbally is an innovation. Therefore, one who wakes up for suhoor has impliedly intended to fast. Someone who took a sip of water before fajer so he will not get thirsty during the day has impliedly with that intention to fast.

Even though some scholars required every Muslim to renew his intention every night, the great vast majority of scholars, as well as the al-muhakikeen (revivers), believe that one intention in the start of the month is sufficient.

Imam Malik and one of two Riwayah on Ahmad, and Iskah bin Rahawieh considered Ramadan one type of worship requiring one intention. They say this is because even though Ramadan is divided over 30 days it is still one type of worship, the same way hajj has many activities divided over many days and only requires on niyah.

Given this is the case, however, a problem may arise if the fast is broken due to a legitimate travel, illness or menstruation as well as any other legitimate reason. When that occurs, one must renew his intention because the fast was broken.

This as well is the opinion adopted by imam ibn Uthiemeen [rahimahu allah] (Fatawa ibn uthiemeen - Dawah 1-144/145)

Q3: My name is *****., I am a H.S student in VA- USA. I was visiting your website and reading about the link you had mentioned about COMMON MISTAKES OF FASTING that was officially taken from SHEIKH AHMAD'S FIGH OF RAMADHAN CLASS ( I really don't know if this sheikh Ahmad is you or someone else ) and as I was reading and somehow enjoying about what have sheikh Ahmad provided

" SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU CANNOT USE SCANTED OILS OR PERFUMES DURING RAMADHAN, THIS TOO IS FALSE" It is understandable that Muslim should always smell good especially in this country that we are under close sight from people who work day and night to destroy Islam, but my concern is that I never have read any hadith, note, saying, or anything in our holy Qur'an…."

A3: Aslamu aliekm dear brother. Jazak allahu khair for contacting us.

We were unable to totally understand what you meant in your question, as we seem to think you may have misunderstood that comment. If the following answer is not sufficient please email us and we will clear it up.

I said that oil and perfume during Ramadan does not break the fast and the reason is because there is no proof that it does . Anything that one says breaks fast must be followed with proof.

Ibn Taymieh (rahimahu allah) said, "There is no problem that one uses cologne while he is fasting, because it was available during the prophet's (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) time and it was never problem that he avoided. If it were to break the fast he would have told us, even if bakhoor enters the nose and possibly the brain."

Q4: Also, after Ramadan, if one has to make up a fast for whatever reason, and some time during the day breaks his fast, does he get a sin for that (since it was a qada'a of a fard)?

A4: One does not sin if he breaks a fast after Ramadan which one intended to make up for lost days of Ramadan as long as it is due to travel, illness, or menstruation. If one breaks the fast which was intended to make up a fast for Ramadan, it is not permissible for him to break the fast without an excused (those mentioned above). If one breaks the fast without a valid excuse, he has to ask Allah for forgiveness. Ibn Qudamah was quoted as saying, "If a person starts an obligatory fast, such as making up a missed Ramadan fast, or a fast that he vowed to observe, or an expiatory fast, it is not permissible for him to break the fast. There is no scholarly difference of opinion on this point, praise be to Allah."