Hugging and fasting
Question
I know that sex during the daylight hours of Ramadan ruins the fast. If I climax as the result of hugging my wife or something of that sort and not through sex, would that ruin my fast?
Answer
It is necessary to distinguish whether or not the semen or sexual fluid resulted due to mubashara i.e. direct skin-to-skin contact between spouses such as kissing and the like. If semen is ejaculated through direct skin-to-skin contact, fasting is vitiated and it is mandatory to make up the missed fast day. But if it is discharged due to engaging in sexual thoughts or hugging without skin-to-skin contact, fasting is deemed valid.
In his book Mughni Al-Muhtaj, Al-Khatib Al-Shirbini said, "Fasting is vitiated if semen is ejaculated due to direct skin-to-skin contact, touching, kissing or copulation. If semen is discharged due to engaging in sexual thoughts or lustful looks, or even due to hugging one's wife without direct skin-to-skin though with desire, or even if the three occur at the same time, it does not vitiate fasting and takes the same ruling as wet dreams."
In his book Al-Mabsut, the luminary scholar Al-Sarkhasi said, "Whoever kisses his spouse during [the fasting hours of] Ramadan and discharges semen must make up the fast of that day and he does not have to pay expiation. This is based on the words of Maymuna Bint Sa'ad who reported that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who kissed his wife during the fasting hours, he said, "Their fasting was vitiated."
And God Almighty knows best.