Nullifier and Non-Nullifiers of Fasting in Islam

Fasting is the abstinence from eating, drinking, and engaging in sexual intercourse from dawn till sunset.

Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam and an obligatory act of worship. Allah mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah:

“O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become righteous.” (Qur’an 2:183)

However, Allah has also exempted certain individuals from fasting. As mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah:

“And whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of days [are to be made up].” (Qur’an 2:185)

Additionally, elderly people who can only fast with great difficulty have the choice to either fast or feed a poor person for each day they miss.

There are also other groups of people who are exempted from fasting according to the Qur’an and the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, such as:

Actions That Completely Nullify the Fast

Certain actions, when done intentionally, break the fast. These include:

Consuming Nutrition: Eating or drinking anything that passes through the throat, nose, or veins and reaches the stomach nullifies the fast.
Eye and Ear Drops: If the drops reach the throat or stomach, some scholars consider the fast broken, while others do not. It is best to avoid them during fasting hours.
Intravenous Nutrients: Receiving intravenous injections that provide nutrition (not just medication) breaks the fast.
Deliberate Eating and Drinking: Intentionally consuming food or drink during the fasting hours is a sin and nullifies the fast.
Intentional Vomiting: Forcing oneself to vomit (e.g., by inserting a finger into the throat) invalidates the fast.
Sexual Intercourse: Engaging in intercourse during fasting hours is a major sin. The penalty (kaffarah) is either feeding sixty poor people or fasting for sixty consecutive days.
Smoking: Smoking during fasting hours breaks the fast.
Swallowing Mucus: If mucus is expelled from the nose and then swallowed, it breaks the fast.
Blood Transfusion or Excessive Bleeding: Receiving a blood transfusion or losing a significant amount of blood due to illness nullifies the fast.
Major Ejaculation (without intercourse): Any deliberate ejaculation caused by stimulation invalidates the fast.

Certain actions performed accidentally or unintentionally do not break the fast. These include:

Medical Injections: Vaccinations, insulin injections, osteoporosis injections, blood-thinning injections, and other intramuscular or intracardiac injections for medical treatment do not break the fast.
Brushing Teeth: Brushing with toothpaste does not break the fast, even if some is accidentally swallowed. However, excessive gargling should be avoided to prevent swallowing.
Tasting Food: If necessary, tasting food without swallowing it does not nullify the fast.
Minor Sexual Discharge: Discharge due to touching, kissing, or looking (without full ejaculation) does not break the fast.
Cosmetic Applications: Applying powder or lip gloss does not break the fast. However, if excessive lip gloss is applied and one feels something in the throat, it is better to avoid it.