Is my Fast Valid Despite a Vaginal Discharge? [Maliki School]

Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour

Question: Assalamu alaikum,

I have felt sexual feelings which I have never intended and a discharge with pleasure during my fast, but when I checked it looked like normal vaginal discharge. Is my fast valid? Do I need to make ghusl?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

According to the Maliki school, if a person does not intend sexual thoughts but has a release of some fluid while fasting (such as madhy or many), the fast is valid. If sexual thoughts or touching was intended and there was a release of fluid, then the fast would not be valid.

In terms of the ghusl, the only time that it is obligatory is if there is the:

1) discharge of sexual fluid (many)
2) associated with pleasure
3) that is normal.

If any of these three aspects are absent, then there is no ghusl (full body shower) that is required. As an example, if a person has the release of fluid without pleasure then no ghusl is required. Or, if a person has pleasure but no release of fluid then ghusl is not required. Or, if there is fluid released and there was pleasure, but it was an abnormal situation (like the sting of a scorpion), then no ghusl is required. [Mukhtasar Khalil, Section of Ghusl]

Rami