Ramadan Q & A

RAMADAN Q & A

Updated in: Thu Al Qi'da 1440 / July 2019

On this page I will be answering lots of questions about Ramadan.

Note that the answers to the following questions were taking from trusted sunni sources.

Q: What is Ramadan?
A: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hijri calendar in Islam religion. A holy month where Muslims start fasting from Fajr time (dawn) until Maghreb time (sunset). Fasting Ramadan means a Muslim should not eat nor drink anything during that period of time. Muslims spend the month of Ramadan reading the Holy Qur'an, making duaa' (supplications), giving charity and getting closer with Allah (swt) and trying to stay that way even after Ramadan ends.

Q: How is Ramadan calculated?
A: Ramadan is announced by the appearance of the moon. The last 2 days of the month of Shaaban will determine the beginning of the month of Ramadan by looking at the moon in its crescent shape. If the moon shows up on the 29th day of Shaaban then the next day will be the first of Ramadan. However, if the moon did not show up that night then Ramadan will start the day after the 30th day of Shaaban. Same way goes for Eid Al Al Fitr holiday.

Q: What happens if a Muslim eats or drink by accident during fasting time?
A: If a Muslim eats or drinks by accident, then remembers he/she was fasting, then their fast is accepted and they should stop eating and continue their fast. However, if they were eating and knew they were fasting and continued eating, their fasting is broken.

Q: What are the cases of breaking your fasting in Ramadan?
A: there are some cases where a Muslim can break their fasting. They are:
   - If a Muslim is sick, especially throwing up. He/she can break their fasting so they won't harm their health and body.
   - If a Muslim is traveling a long distance, he/she should break their fasting so they won't get dizzy or sick while traveling.
   - A menstruating woman or a woman who just had her baby.
   - An old Muslim who will be affected by fasting.
For these cases, A Muslim will have to make up the days he/she missed after the end of Ramadan. Only one day for each day they miss. However, if a Muslim ate during Fasting time on purpose, he/she should make up that day after Ramadan.

Q: What are the causes that breaks a Muslim's fasting?
A: As mentioned above, eating on purpose is one of the biggest sins for breaking your fasting. There are also some causes that will either break your fasting or not depending on the behavior of a Muslim. Here are some of the behaviors that will not affect the fast as long as they were NOT done intentionally.
   - Rinsing your mouth, whether you are using just water, or using a mouth wash or a toothpaste will NOT break the fast as long as you make sure no water or any of the products will be swallowed.
   - Tasting the food will not affect your fast as long as you spit it out afterwards and not swallow it.
   - If you find some pieces of food stuck between your teeth and you are able to spit it out, then you should do so or you will break your fasting, unless it was too late for you to realize it and you swallowed it by accident then you should be fine.
   - Licking your lips with your tongue will not break your fasting. Remember, do not let anything from outside get in your mouth.
   - Blood will not break your fasting unless you are using Bloodletting or Cupping, which is an old way for remedy where small cups are being put on a person's body, especially the back, to let out the blood. Both the person being treated and the person performing the remedy will break their fasting.
   - Mucus will not break your fasting, as long as you don't let it out of your mouth and put it back it. It is preferred that you spit it out.
   - When performing Wuduu' (ritual washing), prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told us to inhale the water and extract it when it comes to washing your nose. However, during Ramadan, do not let the water get all the way in your nose and in your body, just try to take in enough of the water where it can reach the inside of the nose then extract it.
   - Smoking cigarettes or hookah will break your fasting.
   - Using insult words about ALLAH (swt), or kufr, will break your fasting.
   - Taking shots for ill people will not affect their fasting.
   - Taking medicines will break your fasting.
(If you have any questions regarding this question, please contact me at the bottom of the page and en sha' ALLAH I will answer you as soon as I can).

Q: Who is exempt from fasting?
A: There are some cases for people for being exempt from fasting:
   - A child who did not reach 7 years. Once he/she reaches 7 years, it is the parents' responsibility to urge him to start fasting.
   - Anyone who is mentally disabled.
   - Anyone who is ill and can't fast due to his/her health. In that case they will have to feed a poor or a needy person food that can be enough for lunch and dinner.
   - An old person who feels too tired from fasting a day. In that case he/she should feed a needy or a poor person for everyday they missed.

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