Does Eating or Drinking Forgetfully Invalidate Fasting?

Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani

Question

Does eating or drinking forgetfully invalidate fasting in Hanafi school?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his Family, Companions, and those who follow him.

If a fasting person eats or drinks forgetfully, whether their fasting is obligatory in the month of Ramadan, makeup (qada), a vow (nadhr), or as a voluntary (nafl) fast, their fast is not invalidated, and they are not required to make up for the day on which they broke their fast due to forgetfulness. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

Ramadan Fasts

Evidence that eating or drinking forgetfully during Ramadan does not invalidate the fast is the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace):

“Whoever breaks their fast in Ramadan due to forgetfulness does not have to make up for it or offer expiation.” [Ibn Hibban]

Other

And evidence that eating and drinking forgetfully during Ramadan or outside of Ramadan, whether it’s an obligatory, necessary, or voluntary fast, does not invalidate the fast is the another hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):

“If someone forgets and eats or drinks, let them complete their fast, for it is only Allah who has fed and given them drink.“ [Bukhari]

There is no distinction between eating or drinking a little or a lot in these two hadiths.

Summary

A person is not sinful for forgetting, as there is no intention or willfulness in that act; rather, it is sustenance that Allah has provided for them. Thus, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) added feeding and giving drink to the person’s fast as acts to be directed towards Allah (Most High). Whatever is directed towards Allah (Most High) is not held against the servant.

From the grace of Allah in legislation regarding this matter, it follows that there is neither makeup nor expiation required from the servant because the Legislator made them fasting as a ruling.

And Allah knows best the intentions.

[Shaykh] Bassem Itani.

Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all. 

Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.

From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.

His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.