Rulings regarding eating and drinking intentionally while fasting

Dr. Zakir: Eating and drinking while fasting intentionally, deliberately is a major sin. So anyone eats intentionally while fasting, it is a major sin. And that person has to repent to Allah (swt) and he has to make up for that fast later on after the Ramadhaan. And this food when it enters the mouth, nourishment it breaks the fast or if any liquid enters to the nose that too breaks the fast

According to the Hadith of Muhammad (Saws) which is mentioned in

Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 2360 where the Prophet said that

“When you’re doing Wudu, you snuff the water into your nose excessively except while fasting.”

It does give the indication that the water enters the nose and it enters the throat and goes into the stomach that breaks the fast. So but natural when we drink any liquid that enters the nose that goes into the stomach through the throat that too invalidates the fast. But if someone eats or drinks unintentionally out of forgetfulness then the fast does not break. And this happens many a times, the first few days of Ramadhaan, people are so used to getting up and eating, you know, and drinking water, going to the kitchen so the first few days it does happen with some people that they forget and they have the water, or they eat not knowing they are fasting. So if a person unintentionally or out of forgetfulness drinks or eats the fast has to be completed its not invalidated.

This is again according to the Hadith of Muhammad (saws) which is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari vol. no. 3 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1933 that the beloved Prophet said that

“If a person eats or drinks unintentionally, he should complete his fast. And what he has eaten and drunk it is from Allah (swt).”

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) also said it’s mentioned in

Ibn Maajah Vol. no. 3 Hadith no. 2043 as well as 2045, our beloved Prophet said that

“Allah (swt) has excused my Ummah from forgetfulness, from mistakes and if something is forced on them.”

If something is done out of mistake, out of forgetfulness, out of compulsion, Allah excuses you. So only intentional eating and drinking breaks the fast and it’s a major sin.