Expiation for eating deliberately in a fast

 

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  Once, we were sitting with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that a person came and said:  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  I am doomed.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked:  What happened?  He said:  I have had sex with my wife while fasting.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Do you have any slave that you may free as an expiation.  He said:  No. Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked:  Do you the strength to fast continuously for 2 months (to expiate for it).  He said:  No, I don’t (have such strength).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked:  Can you feed 60 poor people two times over as an expiation?  He said:  No (I don’t have such means).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked him to sit down and held His peace (as if waiting for someone) and we also kept sitting.  Then a huge sack of dates was brought to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked:  Where is that person who asked for the ruling?  He said: I am at your service!  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Take this sack and give it in charity.  That person said:  Shall I give it to someone needier than me?  By Allah!  Between the 2 mountains (of Madina), i.e. in the whole population of Madina, there is no one needier than my household.  On this, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) laughed so much that His blessed teeth could be seen.  Then, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Okay.  Give it to members of your household only.

 

Bukhari and Muslim have related this Hadith.

 

There is another Hadith narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered that person to be seated.  Two sacks of eatables were presented to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave them to that person and ordered him to give them away in charity.

 

There is another narration by Ibn Majah on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him).  In this Hadith, it is additionally mentioned that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked that person to fast for 1 day in lieu of that fast.

 

Expiation for deliberately eating in a fast

 

Daraqutni has related a narration on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) that a person deliberately ate in a fast.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered that person to free a slave (as an expiation).

 

Thus, if, while fasting, anyone deliberately eats something or has sex, then the expiation of invalidating the fast is that that person should free one slave (man/woman).  If this is not possible, then that person should fast for 2 months consecutively.  If that is not possible, then 60 needy people should be fed twice a day.  In this expiation, it is up to the person to free either a Muslim slave or a non-Muslim slave (as in the expiation for Zihaar).  For expiation for (accidental) homicide, it is necessary to free a Muslim slave.

 

        The order mentioned in the Hadith must be followed.  Which means that first a slave should be freed.  If that is not possible, then one should fast for 2 months continuously.  If one doesn’t have the strength to do that as well, then 60 needy people have to be fed twice a day.