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[Q-ID0341] Does backbiting and swearing invalidate the fast during Ramadan?

QUESTION:

What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: Does the fast invalidate due to backbiting and swearing?

Questioner: Brother from UK

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

Backbiting, slandering, swearing, etc. are impermissible and harām (prohibited), and more harām during fasting. However, the fast is not invalidated due to these things. The fast becomes makrūh (disliked) due to these acts. It is mentioned in Tanwīr al-Absār ma’ al-Durr al-Mukhtār,

“اغْتَابَ مِنْ الْغِيبَةِ۔۔۔وَإِنْ كُرِهَ لَمْ يُفْطِرْ“

“The fast is not invalidated due to backbiting but becomes makrūh.”

[al-Durr al-Mukhtār, vol 3, pg 421, 428]

The Hadīth states that backbiting is a graver sin than fornication. It has also been likened to eating the dead meat of one’s own brother. A Hadīth mentions a dreadful incident regarding backbiting done during fasting. It is as follows:

The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ once ordered his companions to fast and said, “None of you shall end the fast until I grant you the permission to do so.” They fasted and in the evening when they came to him ﷺ and asked for permission to end the fast, he ﷺ granted them the permission to do so. A companion came to him ﷺ and said, “O master! There are two young girls from my family who are fasting. Grant them permission to end their fasting.” The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ turned his blessed face away from him. When the companion repeated his plea thrice, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ replied,

“مَا صَامَتَا، وَكَيْفَ صَامَ مَنْ ظَلَّ يَأْكُلُ لُحُومَ النَّاسِ، اذْهَبْ فَمُرْهُمَا أَنْ كَانَتَا صَائِمَتَيْنِ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيئَا» فَفَعَلَتَا، فَقَاءَتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَقَةً“

“Those girls did not fast. How did they fast while they were eating the flesh of people? Inform them that if they are fasting, they must vomit.”

The companion went to them and informed them about what the Prophet ﷺ had stated. When they vomited, blood and pieces of flesh were found in their vomiting. When this news reached the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, he ﷺ stated,

“لَوْ مَاتَتَا وَهُمَا فِيهِمَا لَأَكَلَتْهُمَا النَّارُ“

“By the One in whose Power is my soul! If this would have remained in their bellies, then Hellfire would have eaten them (because they had committed backbiting).”

[al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb, vol 2, pg 95, Hadīth 8]

One must repent from backbiting and refrain from it in the future.

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri

Translated by the SeekersPath Team

Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0341] Does backbiting and swearing invalidate the fast during Ramadan?

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