Clarification of the two cases in which Sawm(fast) becomes invalid

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

What do Islamic scholars say about the following issue? The following ruling is stated in the book ‘Faizan-e-Ramadan’: If there is a morsel of food in somebody’s mouth at Sahari and the time of Sahari ends with the morsel still in his mouth or if somebody who is eating forgetfully recalls that he is in the state of Sawm(fast) whilst the morsel of food is in his mouth, but he swallows the morsel despite being aware that he is in the state of Sawm; then Kaffarah (expiation) will be Wajib in both the cases. However, if he takes the morsel out of his mouth and then eats it, only Qada(قضا) of the Sawm will be Wajib, there will be no Kaffarah (expiation). The question is, why is there a difference in both of these rulings?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

In the first case, Kaffarah (expiation) is Wajib for the reason that the morsel, as long as in the mouth, is eaten with relish. In the second case, only Qada(قضا) is to be made, there is no expiation. This is for the reason that the morsel, after it has been taken out of the mouth, is not eaten with relish. Rather, one does not naturally like to eat such a morsel.(Derived from: Minhat-us-Sulook, vol. 1, pp. 263; Bada`i’-us-Sana`i’, vol. 2, pp. 645)

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered by:Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari