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Spousal Intimacy While Fasting

Question

My question is in extension to your Fatwa in which it was said that a husband can kiss and hug his wife while fasting. I want to ask if the husband can see his wife naked, that is part of her body or full? And if can touch her body parts or can kiss his wife's breasts? Please answer in detail which covers all the aspects of physical contacts between husband and wife while fasting.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

A husband is not allowed during the day of Ramadan to satisfy his lust in any form or means such as kissing and hugging, since such a desire is similar in the Sharee'ah ruling to food and drink.

In other words, he is allowed to talk to her and to sit or teach her and so on. But, he has to avoid having sex and any foreplay or matters leading to sex such as kissing, hugging, touching, etc… Allah Almighty, has Praised those who avoid such things in the sacred Hadeeth: “…. He leaves his food, drink and lust for my Sake.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The most dangerous of sex motives is to embrace with affection/touching bodies, even private parts, with each other. Such a state may lead to ejaculation or introducing the penis into the wife's vagina, which contradicts the goal of fasting.

As for touching between the private parts during the day while fasting, it is completely forbidden, even if there is no ejaculation or penetration.

Such a state, in fact, is not meant by ‘Aa’ishah's Hadeeth that states the Prophet's  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) kissing and touching while he is fasting, since the Hadeeth gives the reason: “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) can control himself, and no one is like him!

Scholars who permit a fasting person to kiss his wife stipulate that such a fasting person should be able to control himself and be able to shun doing what is after the kiss; otherwise, the kiss becomes forbidden with no difference of opinion among scholars.

In the same vein, Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that a man asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) about kissing while one is fasting, and the Prophet, permitted it, whereas he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) did not give permission to another inquirer. So, we found that the first person was old and the other one was young.

If a fasting person kisses his wife during the day of Ramadan and finds pleasure and then ejaculates, then his fasting becomes void and he has to make up the missed day; he has also to repent and seek Allah's pardon.

But, if only al-Madhi (pre-seminal fluid) comes out, then his fast is still sound according to the predominant opinion among the scholars. Other scholars believe that his fast becomes void. So, it is better to make up for such a day so that one avoids the difference of opinion among the scholars.

If one kisses and nothing takes place due to that, then his fast is still valid and he has nothing to do as an expiation. However, it is better to avoid kissing due to fear of ejaculation or even having sex.

For more benefit on kissing while fasting, please refer to Fataawa 81596 and 384187.

Allah knows best.

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