Issue 761: If a person who is fasting eats or drinks something intentionally, their fast will be void.

Issue 762: If a person observing fast intentionally swallows something which comes from between his/her teeth, his/her fast will be void.

Issue 763: If, while eating or drinking, a person realizes
that dawn has come, he/she must throw that thing out of his/her mouth, and if he/she swallows it intentionally, his/her fast will be void and he/she will have to give Kaffarah (atonement) as it will be explained later.

Issue 764: Swallowing one’s saliva does not invalidate one’s fast, even if the amount is large.

Issue 765: Swallowing one’s saliva does not invalidate one’s fast, even if it collects in his/her mouth due to thinking of sour things and the like.

Issue 766: It does not matter if a person swallows his/her phlegm or mucus from the head or lungs as long as it does not come up to one’s month; however, if it reaches one’s mouth, the obligatory precaution is to avoid swallowing it back.

Issue 767: If a person observing fast becomes so thirsty that he/she fears he/she may die of thirst, he/she can drink as much water as would ensure the fear is averted and he/she would not die of thirst; however, his/her fast becomes void, and if it is the month of Ramadhaan, he/she must avoid the things which invalidate the fast for the rest of the day.

Issue 768: Chewing food in order to feed a child or a bird and tasting food etc., which does not go down the throat will not invalidate one’s fast, even if it happens to reach there inadvertently; but if a person knows that the act of chewing or tasting will lead to swallowing the food etc., his/her fast will be void if it is swallowed, and he/she must observe the Quadha and give Kaffarah as well.

Issue 769: If a person who is fasting, eats or drinks ignorantly (i.e., he/she does not know he/she is fasting), his/her fast will be not void.

Issue 770: It is not allowed to break or abandon one’s fast on account of weakness; however, if the weakness is to such an extent that fasting becomes totally unbearable, he/she is allowed to break his/her fast.

Q771: Is it allowable for a pilgrim on the lesser pilgrimage to break his/her fast with Sunnite Muslim due to dissimulation?

A: Based on my recent view, it is allowable to break the fast when the sun sinks below the horizon, and one does not need to dissimulate breaking his/her fast.