What Breaks the Fast - Nullifiers, Doubts and Makeup
Eating, drinking, marital relations and deliberate vomiting break the fast; forgetfulness, wet dreams and medical greys each have rulings - know them before Ramadan, not during.
Also searched as: roza kin cheezon se tootata hai | does injection break fast | fasting nullifiers | roza tootne ki sooratein | vomiting while fasting
How to
Steps in order
- 1Learn the four clear nullifiers and the forgetfulness rule before Ramadan.
- 2Get your medical rulings (injections, drops, inhalers) from scholars in advance.
- 3If you break a fast: note whether it needs qada only or kaffarah too.
- 4Make up missed fasts promptly - before the next Ramadan where possible.
Clear nullifiers
Deliberate eating, drinking, smoking, marital intercourse and intentional vomiting break the fast and require qada (makeup); intercourse in Ramadan daytime additionally requires kaffarah (60 consecutive fasts or feeding 60 poor). Menstruation and postnatal bleeding stop the fast immediately - those days are made up later.
Forgetful eating or drinking does not break it - complete the day and thank Allah; likewise wet dreams, swallowing saliva, dust or smoke unavoidably, and tasting food without swallowing when necessary.
Medical and modern greys
Eye/ear drops, non-nutritional injections, inhalers for asthma, blood tests and tooth extraction without swallowing: most contemporary fatwa councils rule these do not break the fast - but nutritional IV drips do. Scholars differ on details, so take your school’s or council’s ruling before Ramadan and follow it consistently.
Missed fasts (illness, travel, pregnancy, menstruation) are made up before next Ramadan; deliberate delay past it adds feeding a poor person per day in many schools.
Sources & review
Quran 2:187; Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim; contemporary fatwa councils for medical rulings
Learn personal details from a qualified teacher; minor school differences exist.
Educational content — not a fatwa. See methodology and disclaimer.
Reviewed • 2026-01-01Our methodology
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do injections or drips break the fast?
Non-nutritional injections do not in most councils’ rulings; nutritional IV drips do. Confirm with your scholars for your case.
I ate forgetfully - is my fast valid?
Yes, fully valid - the Prophet ﷺ said Allah fed and watered you; complete the day.
What is the kaffarah for intercourse while fasting?
Freeing a slave, else 60 consecutive fasts, else feeding 60 poor - in that order per the hadith.
Duas
Related duas
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