Can a Muslim Touch His or Her Private Parts While Fasting?
C.J Ahmed-09.04.2023
A Muslim can touch his or her private parts as a way of getting sexual satisfaction through masturbation or otherwise while fasting during Ramadan or in other months and this act will not nullify your fast. The argument that masturbation nullifies fasting is based on the wrong understanding of the following verse,
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous"(Al-Quran-2:183)
First of all there is no evidence from the Quran or the authentic sunnah to prove that masturbation will break the fast. The above verse in the Quran has nothing to do with masturbation. Like all the other false arguments, this argument is also misrepresented. In this verse Allah (Swt) says why fasting is prescribed and the word "Taqwa" (Righteousness) is what Islam explains as righteousness and not any person's personal opinion. The weak argument that is put forward using this verse is that you cannot attain taqwa while fasting if you masturbate. My question is,who said so. If that is so, then it would have been mentioned in the Quran or a sahih hadith. The next argument is used by quoting a few hadiths and they are:
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) narrated
The Prophet (Sal) said,
"Allah said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah's Sight than the smell of musk."
(Sahih- Al-Bukhari)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be given a ten-fold reward, up to seven hundred. Allaah says: ‘Except fasting, for it is for me, and I shall reward for it, for he gives up his desire and his food for my sake”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim) and in another hadith the prophet (Sal) said,
"Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink”.
(Bukhari)
If looked closely at all these hadiths mentioned, you can realize that none of these hadith talk about masturbating while fasting. The argument taken from these hadiths is that of leaving sexual desire while fasting. There is clear evidence to prove that the prophet (Sal) did have sexual relations with his wives while fasting and the term "sexual desire" should be understood with the actions of our beloved messenger (Sal) and not the various assumptions put forward by ordinary people. The meaning of leaving sexual desires means not penetrating the penis inside the vagina and this is how we should understand it because this is what's in context to the authentic hadiths and the Sahaba's understanding.
You can watch my video on how to masturbate during the month of Ramadan or while fasting.
Evidence to prove that masturbation won’t break the fast.
The other wrong notion that is prevalent among Muslims is that during Ramadan or during other voluntary fasts, if a person masturbates, his/her fast or in other words sawm will be invalidated (broken). Let me answer this wrong argument with the most authentic hadiths of the prophet(sal) and according to the understanding of the sahaba and the salaf-us-saliheen. The most important point to note is that there is no evidence from the Quran or the authentic Sunnah to prove that masturbation will break your sawm (Fast). Below are the five powerful proofs to prove why istimna while fasting is halal in Islam.
Powerful Proof-1
Sheikh Albani (Raheemahullah) clearly explains this in his book “Tamaam al minnah” pages 418-420, with all the authentic evidence that masturbation does not invalidate fast. In a hadith,
Narrated by Aisha (Rali), “The prophet (Sal) would do Mubaasharaah (having sexual relations) when he was Fasting, and would place a cloth between him and her, meaning over the private part.”
(Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh. Its Isnad is Good (Jayyid)).
Proof-2
In another hadith,
“He (the Prophet, Sallallaahu alayhi wa Sallam) used to kiss when fasting, touch when fasting, and was the most in control of his desires”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others).
The above hadiths prove from the actions of the prophet (Sal) that having sexual relations during Ramadan is not haram except having intercourse by entering the penis in to the vagina. These hadiths prove clearly that doing anything other than sexual intercourse even if you ejaculate semen or other female secretion, would not invalidate the fast and there is no kaffara for this.
Proof-3
Proofs that masturbation while fasting is halal is further strengthened with the below narration of Aisha (Rali) in response to someone who asked her:
“What is Halaal (permissible) for a man to do with his wife when he is fasting?”
She said, “Everything except intercourse.”
(This was reported by ‘Abdir-Razzaaq in his Musannaf (4 / 190/8439) with a Saheeh (authentic) chain).
Proof-4
The word “Mubaasharaah” in these hadiths are used to interpret that the meaning is to kiss.
This is a false argument because this is not the meaning as explained in the below hadith.
“If one of us was menstruating, and Allah’s Messenger (Sal) wanted to touch us (Mubaasharah), he would command her to wrap a cloth around her area of menstruation, then touch her. She then said, and who amongst you is capable of controlling his desires [like him]?”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim).
The meaning in this hadith for “Mubaasharah” is the same as quoted in the above hadith of Ahmed and Ibn Khuzaymah. The meaning for Mubaasharaah is not kissing. It is to touch. This is what was understood by the companions of the prophet (Sal) Like Aisha (Rali) and others.
A Muslim can touch his or her private parts as a way of getting sexual satisfaction through masturbation or otherwise while fasting during Ramadan or in other months and this act will not nullify your fast. The argument that masturbation nullifies fasting is based on the wrong understanding of the following verse,
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous"(Al-Quran-2:183)
First of all there is no evidence from the Quran or the authentic sunnah to prove that masturbation will break the fast. The above verse in the Quran has nothing to do with masturbation. Like all the other false arguments, this argument is also misrepresented. In this verse Allah (Swt) says why fasting is prescribed and the word "Taqwa" (Righteousness) is what Islam explains as righteousness and not any person's personal opinion. The weak argument that is put forward using this verse is that you cannot attain taqwa while fasting if you masturbate. My question is,who said so. If that is so, then it would have been mentioned in the Quran or a sahih hadith. The next argument is used by quoting a few hadiths and they are:
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) narrated
The Prophet (Sal) said,
"Allah said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah's Sight than the smell of musk."
(Sahih- Al-Bukhari)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: The Messenger of Allaah (Sal) said: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be given a ten-fold reward, up to seven hundred. Allaah says: ‘Except fasting, for it is for me, and I shall reward for it, for he gives up his desire and his food for my sake”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim) and in another hadith the prophet (Sal) said,
"Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink”.
(Bukhari)
If looked closely at all these hadiths mentioned, you can realize that none of these hadith talk about masturbating while fasting. The argument taken from these hadiths is that of leaving sexual desire while fasting. There is clear evidence to prove that the prophet (Sal) did have sexual relations with his wives while fasting and the term "sexual desire" should be understood with the actions of our beloved messenger (Sal) and not the various assumptions put forward by ordinary people. The meaning of leaving sexual desires means not penetrating the penis inside the vagina and this is how we should understand it because this is what's in context to the authentic hadiths and the Sahaba's understanding.
You can watch my video on how to masturbate during the month of Ramadan or while fasting.
Evidence to prove that masturbation won’t break the fast.
The other wrong notion that is prevalent among Muslims is that during Ramadan or during other voluntary fasts, if a person masturbates, his/her fast or in other words sawm will be invalidated (broken). Let me answer this wrong argument with the most authentic hadiths of the prophet(sal) and according to the understanding of the sahaba and the salaf-us-saliheen. The most important point to note is that there is no evidence from the Quran or the authentic Sunnah to prove that masturbation will break your sawm (Fast). Below are the five powerful proofs to prove why istimna while fasting is halal in Islam.
Powerful Proof-1
Sheikh Albani (Raheemahullah) clearly explains this in his book “Tamaam al minnah” pages 418-420, with all the authentic evidence that masturbation does not invalidate fast. In a hadith,
Narrated by Aisha (Rali), “The prophet (Sal) would do Mubaasharaah (having sexual relations) when he was Fasting, and would place a cloth between him and her, meaning over the private part.”
(Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh. Its Isnad is Good (Jayyid)).
Proof-2
In another hadith,
“He (the Prophet, Sallallaahu alayhi wa Sallam) used to kiss when fasting, touch when fasting, and was the most in control of his desires”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others).
The above hadiths prove from the actions of the prophet (Sal) that having sexual relations during Ramadan is not haram except having intercourse by entering the penis in to the vagina. These hadiths prove clearly that doing anything other than sexual intercourse even if you ejaculate semen or other female secretion, would not invalidate the fast and there is no kaffara for this.
Proof-3
Proofs that masturbation while fasting is halal is further strengthened with the below narration of Aisha (Rali) in response to someone who asked her:
“What is Halaal (permissible) for a man to do with his wife when he is fasting?”
She said, “Everything except intercourse.”
(This was reported by ‘Abdir-Razzaaq in his Musannaf (4 / 190/8439) with a Saheeh (authentic) chain).
Proof-4
The word “Mubaasharaah” in these hadiths are used to interpret that the meaning is to kiss.
This is a false argument because this is not the meaning as explained in the below hadith.
“If one of us was menstruating, and Allah’s Messenger (Sal) wanted to touch us (Mubaasharah), he would command her to wrap a cloth around her area of menstruation, then touch her. She then said, and who amongst you is capable of controlling his desires [like him]?”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim).
The meaning in this hadith for “Mubaasharah” is the same as quoted in the above hadith of Ahmed and Ibn Khuzaymah. The meaning for Mubaasharaah is not kissing. It is to touch. This is what was understood by the companions of the prophet (Sal) Like Aisha (Rali) and others.