Engaging in sexual intercourse duri...

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

Engaging in sexual intercourse during the fasting hours of Ramadan

Question

What is the legal ruling for engaging in intercourse during the fasting hours of Ramadan?

Answer

If a Muslim engages in sexual intercourse with his wife during the fasting hours in Ramadan, his fast is invalidated and he is obliged to make it up in addition to making expiation.

Textual Evidence

A man came to the Prophet [pbuh] and said, "I am ruined!"

"Why?" asked the Prophet.

He replied, "I engaged in intercourse with my wife while I was fasting (in the month of Ramadan)."

The Prophet asked, "Do you have enough money to free a slave?"
"No," replied the man.

The Prophet asked, "Can you fast two months consecutively?"
"No," replied the man.

The Prophet asked, "Can you afford to feed sixty poor persons?"
[Again] the man said, "No."

The man then sat down whereupon a basketful of dates was brought to the Prophet.

He said, "Take this and give it out as expiation."

The man said, "There is none in Medina more in need of this than me."

The Prophet smiled and said, "Go and give it to your family."

Upon whom is expiation obligatory?

Many scholars maintain that expiation in this case is obligatory upon the husband only because he engaged in sexual intercourse while remembering he is fasting. The expiation is paid in the same sequence mentioned in the above hadith. It consists of:
• Freeing a slave.
• If not possible, fasting the days of two months consecutively.
• If not possible, feeding sixty poor persons on a scale of the average of what he provides for his family.

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