📜 الأَعْمَالُ الْمُبَاحَةُ — Permissible Acts While Fasting

"The people will remain upon goodness as long as they hasten to break the fast."
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

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📜 Foundational Texts

Quran

﴿ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ ﴾
"Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship."
— Surah Al-Baqara, 2:185

Prophetic Hadiths

'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet ﷺ used to kiss while fasting, and he had the most control over his desire."
— Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet ﷺ used to use the siwak while fasting."
— Al-Bukhari

Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: "The Prophet ﷺ had cupping done while fasting."
— Al-Bukhari

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🎓 Scholarly Statements

Imam Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH)

"What does not reach the stomach and does not extract anything from the body does not harm the fasting person."
— Al-Muwatta'

Ibn Al-Qasim (d. 191 AH)

"Malik said: There is no harm in the fasting person using siwak at the beginning or end of the day, whether moist or dry."
— Al-Mudawwana

Ibn Rushd Al-Jadd (d. 520 AH)

"The principle in fasting is permissibility for what is not explicitly prohibited, and ease is an objective of the Shariah."
— Al-Muqaddimat Al-Mumahhadat

Al-Qadi 'Iyad (d. 544 AH)

"Everything that does not reach the stomach through a natural passage is permissible for the fasting person, and hardship is lifted."
— Ikmal Al-Mu'lim

Ibn Juzayy Al-Kalbi (d. 741 AH)

"Permissible acts for the fasting person are many; only what reaches or exits the stomach intentionally is prohibited."
— Al-Qawanin Al-Fiqhiyya

Shaykh Al-Dardir (d. 1201 AH)

"Permissible for the fasting person: siwak, kissing for one who controls himself, kohl, and cupping according to the well-known view."
— Al-Sharh Al-Kabir

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🔍 Linguistic Analysis

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📚 Detailed Explanation

Permissible Acts for the Fasting Person

1. Siwak (Tooth Stick)

• Permissible throughout the day according to Malikis
• Whether moist or dry
• Does not invalidate unless something is swallowed

2. Rinsing Mouth and Nose

• Permissible without exaggeration
• Excessive rinsing is disliked
• Should avoid water reaching the stomach

3. Bathing and Cooling Off

• Permissible to pour water on the head
• Swimming is permissible with caution
• Feeling coolness does not harm

4. Kohl (Eye Liner)

• Permissible according to the majority
• Even if its taste is felt in the throat
• Because the eye is not a passage to the stomach

5. Kissing

• Permissible for one who controls himself
• Disliked for one who fears losing control
• Prohibited if it leads to ejaculation

6. Cupping (Hijama)

• Permissible according to the majority
• Disliked according to some scholars
• Safer to delay until after iftar

7. Tasting Food

• Permissible when needed (for cooks)
• On condition of not swallowing
• Then spit and rinse

Table of Permissible Acts

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⚖️ Differences Between Schools

Siwak After Noon

Cupping

Kissing

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🌍 Contemporary Applications

Medical Permissibilities

Daily Permissibilities

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⚠️ Common Mistakes

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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🎯 Contemporary Cases

🏊 Case 1: Going to the Swimming Pool During Ramadan

Situation: It's very hot and Karim wants to take his children to the pool to cool off. He fears swimming might invalidate his fast.

❓ Can he go to the pool while fasting?

📜 View Answer

Analysis:

Criterion	Application
Bathing	✅ Permissible for the fasting person
Water on skin	Does not invalidate the fast
Precaution	Avoid swallowing water
Advice	Keep mouth and nose closed when diving

💡 Rule: Swimming is permissible during fasting. The Prophet ﷺ used to pour water on his head due to the heat while fasting. The only precaution is to avoid swallowing water intentionally.

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🦷 Case 2: Brushing Teeth with Toothpaste

Situation: Aisha feels embarrassed by her bad breath during the day. She wants to brush her teeth with toothpaste but fears invalidating her fast.

❓ Can she use toothpaste while fasting?

📜 View Answer

Analysis:

Criterion	Application
Toothpaste	✅ Permissible if nothing is swallowed
Fasting person's breath	Dearer to Allah than musk
Alternative	Siwak is a Sunnah
Advice	Brush before Fajr or use siwak

💡 Rule: Toothpaste is permissible on condition of not swallowing anything. However, the Prophet ﷺ said the breath of the fasting person is more beloved to Allah than the fragrance of musk. Siwak remains the best option during the day.

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👁️ Case 3: Eye or Ear Drops

Situation: Munir has an eye infection and must put drops several times a day. He sometimes feels a bitter taste in his throat afterward.

❓ Do the drops invalidate the fast?

📜 View Answer

Analysis:

Type	Status	Reason
Eye drops	✅ Do not invalidate	Eye is not a digestive pathway
Ear drops	✅ Do not invalidate	Ear is not a digestive pathway
Taste in throat	Does not invalidate	Side effect, not ingestion

💡 Rule: According to the majority of scholars, including Malikis, eye and ear drops do not invalidate fasting because they are not normal pathways to the stomach. Even if a taste is felt, this does not invalidate.

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🍲 Case 4: Tasting Food While Cooking

Situation: Khadija is preparing iftar for her family. She needs to check if the salt is sufficient in the soup, but she is fasting.

❓ Can she taste the food without invalidating her fast?

📜 View Answer

Analysis:

Criterion	Application
Legitimate need	✅ Checking seasoning
Method	Put on tip of tongue
Condition	Swallow nothing, spit out
Without need	Makruh to taste for pleasure

💡 Rule: Maliki scholars permit tasting food to check seasoning on condition of not swallowing anything and spitting it out. Rinsing the mouth afterward is advised. Without need, tasting becomes makruh.

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🩸 Case 5: Cupping (Hijama) or Blood Donation

Situation: Abdullah wants to have hijama (cupping) because he feels heavy. His friend tells him it's forbidden during fasting. Another day, Salma wants to donate blood at the hospital.

❓ Do hijama and blood donation invalidate the fast?

📜 View Answer

Analysis:

Act	Maliki View	Hanbali View
Hijama	✅ Does not invalidate (makruh)	❌ Invalidates
Blood donation	✅ Does not invalidate	⚠️ Difference
Precaution	Postpone until after Maghrib if possible

💡 Rule: According to Malikis and the majority, hijama does not invalidate fasting but is makruh (disliked) as it weakens. Blood donation follows the same reasoning. As a precaution and to preserve strength, it is preferable to do these acts after Maghrib.

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💭 Reflection

"Allah intends ease for us. Permissible acts during fasting show that Islam is a religion of balance. We can take care of our health, hygiene, and responsibilities while preserving our fast. Piety does not mean excessive deprivation."

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🎯 Practical Action Plan

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📝 Supplication

O Allah, ease our fasting for us, help us in Your obedience, and do not burden us with what we cannot bear.

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📚 Sources

• Al-Muwatta' — Imam Malik
• Al-Mudawwana Al-Kubra — Imam Sahnoun
• Al-Qawanin Al-Fiqhiyya — Ibn Juzayy
• Al-Sharh Al-Kabir — Al-Dardir
• Sahih Al-Bukhari — Al-Bukhari
• Sahih Muslim — Muslim

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وَاللهُ أَعْلَم
And Allah knows best