A clear guide to everything that invalidates your fast — and everything that doesn't — with evidence from the Quran, Sunnah and scholarly consensus.
Fasting (sawm) during Ramadan means abstaining from food, drink and other specific things from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib). But many common situations cause confusion. This guide clarifies what breaks the fast and what is safe, based on scholarly consensus and the positions of major fatwa bodies.
Deliberately consuming food or drink of any kind during fasting hours invalidates the fast. You must make up the day (qada).
Oral medication (tablets, syrups, capsules) breaks the fast. If you must take medication, consult your doctor about adjusting timing to non-fasting hours.
Smoking (cigarettes, shisha, vaping) breaks the fast. The inhaled smoke and substances enter the body.
Intentionally inducing vomiting breaks the fast. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever vomits deliberately must make it up." (Abu Dawud)
Intravenous drips that provide nutrition or hydration break the fast because they nourish the body like food/drink. (Islamic Fiqh Academy)
The fast is automatically invalidated when menstruation or post-natal bleeding begins, even if minutes before Maghrib. Days must be made up after Ramadan.
Sexual intercourse during fasting hours invalidates the fast and requires both qada (making up) and kaffarah (expiation): freeing a slave, or fasting 60 consecutive days, or feeding 60 poor people.
Swallowing your own saliva is natural and unavoidable — it does NOT break the fast by scholarly consensus.
Brushing teeth or using miswak does NOT break the fast — just avoid swallowing toothpaste or water. Miswak is Sunnah at all times.
If vomiting happens without your control, the fast remains valid. "Whoever is overcome by vomiting, there is no making up." (Abu Dawud)
"Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it was Allah who fed him and gave him drink." (Bukhari & Muslim)
Taking blood for tests does NOT break the fast. Blood donation is permitted but avoided if it weakens you significantly (similar to cupping).
The majority of contemporary scholars say eye and ear drops do NOT break the fast — they don't reach the stomach in any nutritive way.
Insulin, vaccines, antibiotics and other non-nutritive injections do NOT break the fast. (Islamic Fiqh Academy position)
Bathing, showering or swimming does NOT break the fast — just be careful not to swallow water intentionally.
Wearing perfume, smelling food, or inhaling pleasant scents does NOT break the fast.
Tasting food (e.g. while cooking) without swallowing is permitted according to the majority, though it should be avoided unless necessary.
Many contemporary scholars (including the Saudi Permanent Committee) say inhalers do NOT break the fast as they deliver gas to the lungs, not nutrition. Some scholars disagree. If in doubt, consult a scholar you trust.
Some scholars say nasal sprays may break the fast if the liquid reaches the throat. Others permit them. The safer position is to avoid them during fasting hours if possible.