What breaks the fast — and what does not
What breaks it
- Eating or drinking on purpose
- Intercourse (this also brings the kaffarah)
- Making yourself vomit
- The start of monthly bleeding or bleeding after childbirth
What does not
- Eating by mistake — stop as soon as you remember; the fast stands.
- Miswak or brushing the teeth, as long as nothing goes down.
- Bathing, rinsing the mouth, eye drops, injections that do not feed.
- Giving blood or having a blood test.
- Vomiting without meaning to, dust or smoke in the throat.
When in doubt, the rule is: what was not done on purpose usually does not break the fast. For a hard case, ask a scholar.
Making up, and the kaffarah
A missed day is repaid one for one. A fast broken on purpose without a reason brings the kaffarah: sixty days one after another, or feeding sixty poor people.