What Is the Fasting Ruling for Someone in a Major Ritual Impurity at Dawn?

Answered by Shaykh Dr. Bassem Itani

Question

What is the ruling on fasting for someone who finds himself in a state of major impurity (junub) due to sexual intercourse or a wet dream when the time for Fajr (dawn) begins?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions

For someone who finds himself in a state of major ritual impurity at the time of Fajr due to intercourse or a wet dream, his fast is valid and complete. There is no sin on him, nor is there any need for making up the fast or any expiation. It is obligatory for him to perform the ritual bath (ghusl) and pray the Fajr prayer.

The evidence for the permissibility of this includes:

From the Quran

Allah (Most High) says:

“So now you may be intimate with them and seek what Allah has prescribed for you. (You may) eat and drink until you see the light of dawn breaking the darkness of night, then complete the fast until nightfall.” [Quran, 2:187]

This verse indicates that it is permissible for a man to have sexual relations with his wife during the nights of Ramadan until dawn. If the intercourse happens at the end of the night, both the man and the woman remain in a state of major impurity after dawn, which shows that being in a state of major impurity does not affect the validity of the fast. [Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘]

From the Sunna

It is reported from ‘Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said: “The dawn broke upon the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) during Ramadan in a state of junub, not because of sexual dream (but on account of intercourse) and he washed himself and observed fast.” [Muslim]

This indicates that it is permissible to do so. This also applies to one who wakes up in a state of major impurity due to a wet dream, as it is a less significant cause than intercourse, which is intentional, whereas a wet dream occurs involuntarily during sleep.

Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), was asked about a man who wakes up in a state of major impurity. Should he fast? She said:

“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) (was at times) in a state of major impurity (junub) on account of intercourse, not from a wet dream, and he would not break his fast nor make it up.” [Muslim]

This means he would not break his fast for the remainder of the day, nor would he make up for that day’s fast, as his fasting was valid and without fault. This knowledge is known specifically from the wives of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and wives are more knowledgeable about their husbands’ conditions.

From the Companions (Allah be pleased with them)

The majority of the Companions agreed that if one wakes up in a state of major impurity during Ramadan, one’s fast remains valid. This was the opinion of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud, Zaid Ibn Thabit, Abu Darda, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Abdullah Ibn Umar, and Mu‘adh Ibn Jabal (Allah be pleased with them all). [Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘]

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) initially opined that if one wakes up in a state of major impurity, one’s fast is not valid. However, when he learned of the statements of the two noble ladies, Aisha and Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with them), he retracted his fatwa, saying: “They are more knowledgeable about the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).” [Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar]

Preferable

This act of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was to demonstrate the permissibility for a Muslim to wake up in a state of major impurity during Ramadan. This explanation is part of the legislation, and he conveyed Allah’s law through his actions, which is a highly esteemed role. However, it was generally the case during Ramadan that he would wake up not in a state of major impurity, thus it is preferable for a believer to wake up in a state of purity from major impurity during Ramadan or otherwise, as this is more befitting.

May Allah guide us to the right path.

[Shaykh] Dr. 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.