Some seemingly innocent errors made by a fasting person can actually affect his fasting.
- Not sniffing water during ablution
Neglecting the order to sniff during ablution to the extent of violation by just washing the tip of their nose. A person is required not to exaggerate during sniffing, if he is fasting, but not to violate by leaving it altogether either. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), said: “Exaggerate while sniffing unless you are fasting.” Imam As-San’ani, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “The narration is evidence to exaggerate the sniffing when not fasting. Exaggeration is forbidden when fasting in case something comes down the throat and ruins the fasting.”
Having Suhoor earlyHaving Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) early is another violation. By doing that we are rejecting a lot of rewards. The Sunnah states that a Muslim should delay the Suhoor in order for him to be following the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “We had Suhoor with the Prophet and then prayed.”
- Delaying the call for Maghrib prayer
From the violations that some people do in Ramadan is that they only call for prayer when it becomes completely dark. They are not satisfied with the complete setting of the sun and claim that it is better to be cautious. This is against the Sunnah. The Sunnah is to call for prayer when the sun sets completely without regard to anything else. Allah Says (what means): “Then complete the fast till the night [i.e. sunset].” [Qur’an; 2:187]
Allah made the end of fasting when the night begins, that is when the sun completely sets. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If night comes from this side, day goes form that side and the sun has gone, then break your fast.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- Delaying breaking the fast
Some people fall into the trap of delaying the breaking of their fast. Two points are relevant here: first delaying breaking the fast can delay Maghrib prayer or cause you to miss it altogether - which is worse. Therefore, a Muslim must eat on time in order to be able to catch the congregational Salah with other Muslims. Second, delaying Iftar is a contradiction to the Sunnah and an agreement with the Christians and the Jews based on the following: Sahl Ibn Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “People will continue to be upon virtue as long as they hasten the Iftar.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
He also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “My nation is still following my Sunnah as long as they don’t wait for the stars to break their fast.” [Ibn Hibban] Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him narrated that he Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Our religion will stay visible as long as people hasten breaking their fast because the Jews and Christians delay.”
- The guilt associated with waking up in Janabah
Another violation is the great guilt that fasting people feel if they wake up in Janabah (defilement due to sleeping with one’s spouse). To those we say there should be no guilt, complete your fast. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to be in Janabah when dawn came and he would take a bath and fast.
Shaykh Abdul-’Azeez Ibn Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked if a fasting person has a wet dream on a Ramadan morning, does it ruin the fast and does that person have to take a bath? He replied that wet dreams do not ruin the fast because it is not a voluntary act and that a bath is necessary if semen is secreted. It’s okay to delay the washing until Zuhr prayer if the wet dream occurred after Fajr salah. The same goes for Janabah.
- Feeling guilty in tasting food
Some women are reluctant to taste their food in case they ruin their fasting. There is no need for this reluctance as long as no food is swallowed. Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “It is okay to taste the food.” [Al-Bukhari]. Shaykh ‘Abdullaah Ibn Jibreen, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked: “Can a cook, while fasting, taste the food being cooked to make sure it is good?”
He replied: “It’s okay to taste the food when necessary by placing it at the tip of the tongue to know its sweetness, saltiness or the like. Nothing should be swallowed but it should be spit out. That will not ruin the fast.”
Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/
