500 children in Gaza, Sudan & 13 more countries are waiting for a guardian — earn 12 months of sadaqah jariyah today.
Sponsor a child500 children are waiting for a guardian — earn 12 months of Sadaqah Jariyah today.
Sponsor a child
500 children in Gaza, Sudan & 13 more countries are waiting for a guardian — earn 12 months of sadaqah jariyah today.
Sponsor a child500 children are waiting for a guardian — earn 12 months of Sadaqah Jariyah today.
Sponsor a child
21st September 2026
Fasting is a deeply personal act of worship, and it's natural to wonder whether something you did — or didn't do — affected it. The good news is that Islam is forgiving of genuine mistakes, and the rules here are more straightforward, and more compassionate, than many people expect.
Knowing what breaks a fast in Islam — and just as importantly, what doesn't — takes the guesswork out of Ramadan. Whether you've swallowed water by accident during wudu or you're wondering if toothpaste counts, this guide covers what actually invalidates your fast, what's a common myth, and what to do if your fast is broken.
Before we get into the details, remember that Ramadan is also a time to give — you can support our Ramadan appeal to help provide food and support to families who are fasting with very little.
The following actions, if done deliberately, break a fast and generally require it to be made up:
Eating or drinking anything, intentionally, during fasting hours.
Smoking or vaping.
Deliberately inducing vomiting.
Sexual intercourse during fasting hours.
Intentionally taking medication or nourishment via injection that's designed to feed or hydrate the body (scholars differ on non-nutritional injections such as vaccines).
Menstruation or postnatal bleeding beginning during the day (for women) — the fast is considered broken and must be made up later.
Deeply inhaling smoke, such as shisha or cigarettes, into the lungs on purpose.
Intentionally taking oral medication, tablets, or sublingual drops that are swallowed during fasting hours.
Deliberately swallowing something that isn't food or drink, such as a small non-food object.
In most of these cases, if done deliberately and without a valid excuse, the day's fast must be made up later (qada). Deliberately breaking a fast without any valid reason can, in some circumstances, also require Kaffarah — covered below.
A number of common daily actions do not break your fast, according to the majority of scholars:
Brushing your teeth with toothpaste — permitted, as long as you're careful not to intentionally swallow any of it.
Using eye drops or ear drops — the majority view is that these don't break the fast, since they don't reach the stomach through the normal route of eating or drinking.
Unintentional or forced vomiting — for example due to illness — does not break the fast (only deliberately induced vomiting does).
Swallowing your own saliva.
Tasting food without swallowing, such as a cook checking a dish, as long as nothing is swallowed.
An injection that isn't intended to nourish or hydrate the body, such as a vaccine or blood test — many scholars consider this permissible, though views differ.
Blood tests, cupping (hijama), or non-nutritional injections such as vaccines.
Chewing gum without sugar or flavour that dissolves — though many scholars discourage it as disliked (makruh) rather than fast-breaking, so it's best avoided if you can.
Swimming or bathing, provided you don't deliberately swallow water.
Nasal sprays or inhalers used for a medical condition such as asthma — many scholars permit these, though some advise caution and recommend using them outside fasting hours where possible.
Dental treatment, including fillings, extractions or a clean, as long as nothing is deliberately swallowed.
Kissing between spouses, provided it doesn't lead to further intimacy.
Because a few of these points (particularly injections and eye drops) are genuinely debated between scholars, it's worth following the guidance of your local scholar or madhhab if you want to be extra cautious.
If you eat or drink completely by accident — for example, out of genuine forgetfulness that you were fasting — the majority of scholars agree your fast remains valid. You simply stop as soon as you remember, and continue fasting for the rest of the day as normal. There's no need to make up the day, and no penalty applies.
This is based on the well-known hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ taught that someone who eats or drinks out of forgetfulness should complete their fast, since it is Allah who fed and gave them drink (reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
The key distinction scholars draw is between forgetfulness (no penalty, fast continues) and a deliberate choice to break the fast (the fast is invalidated and must usually be made up).
If a fast is broken deliberately, without any valid excuse such as illness, travel or pregnancy, most scholars agree the day must be made up with an additional fast afterwards (qada).
In more serious cases — most notably deliberately eating, drinking or having intercourse during a Ramadan fast without a valid reason — Kaffarah (expiation) may also be required. This is typically fulfilled by fasting 60 consecutive days, or, if that's not possible, feeding 60 people for each day the fast was broken.
For the full breakdown of costs, worked examples, and a side-by-side comparison, see our dedicated guide to Fidya vs Kaffarah [link here].
If your missed fast was due to a valid, excusable reason (such as illness, travel or pregnancy) rather than being broken deliberately, Fidya rather than Kaffarah usually applies instead — a much lighter obligation equal to feeding one person per missed day.
Whatever stage of Ramadan you're at, remember that fasting is also about empathy for those who go without food and water not by choice, but by circumstance — you can support our Ramadan appeal to help provide meals to families who are struggling to fast with dignity this year.
Spiritual
Fidya vs Kaffarah: learn the difference, when each applies, how much to pay, and how to make up missed Ramadan fasts, with a quick comparison table.
Spiritual
Discover what the white days in Islam are, their spiritual and physical benefits, how to calculate them, and how to observe this monthly Sunnah fast.
Spiritual
While Ramadan is about much more than abstaining from food, fasting has a number of health and spiritual benefits. Read more.
No — none of these break the fast, since they don't involve eating, drinking, or anything entering the body through the mouth.
If it's genuinely accidental and you spit it out as soon as you realise, the majority view is that your fast remains valid, following the same principle of forgetfulness and genuine accident covered above.
Yes — if illness forces you to break your fast partway through the day, it's treated the same as missing the fast for a valid reason, and should be made up on another day once you've recovered.
If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: Allah looks at your sincerity and intention far more than a single accidental sip of water. Fast with confidence — and if you ever slip up unintentionally, simply continue your day, knowing your fast still counts.
Last Ramadan, Human Appeal helped 552,607 people across 18 countries — support that includes exactly this kind of Fidya and Kaffarah relief for families who are fasting with very little.
