❀ Forced Marital Intercourse During Fasting and Its Expiation ❀
Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām ḥafiẓahullāh
In Islam, forcing one's wife into sexual relations during a state of fasting in Ramaḍān is a grave sin, comprising two major offenses:
◈ Coercion of the wife – This is an undesirable, ḥarām (prohibited), and oppressive act.
◈ Breaking the fast – Which entails a severe expiation (kaffārah).
If a person engages in sexual intercourse with his wife while fasting during Ramaḍān, then expiation becomes obligatory upon him. As established in the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ, the expiation involves three levels, in order:
A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ in distress and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I am ruined!”
The Prophet ﷺ asked:
“What happened?”
He replied:
“I had intercourse with my wife during a day in Ramaḍān.”
So the Prophet ﷺ instructed:
◈ Free a slave (if capable).
◈ If that is not possible, then fast for two consecutive months.
◈ If that too is not possible, then feed sixty poor people.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1936, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1111)
If a husband forces his wife into intercourse without her consent, it is a serious transgression. Islam strictly prohibits injustice in any form, and mutual consent is essential even within marital intimacy.
◈ The husband must repent sincerely to Allah ﷻ.
◈ He should apologize to his wife and make efforts to reconcile.
◈ According to some jurists (fuqahā’), this act may even warrant ḥadd or taʿzīr (disciplinary punishment) under Islamic law.
◈ Forcing one’s wife is strictly ḥarām and a major sin (kabīrah).
◈ Intercourse while fasting in Ramaḍān necessitates expiation (kaffārah), which consists of fulfilling one of the following:
➊ Freeing a slave (if one has the means).
➋ Fasting two consecutive months.
➌ Feeding sixty poor persons.
◈ The husband must repent to Allah ﷻ and firmly resolve never to repeat such an act.
This act is not only an oppression against the wife, but also a violation of the sanctity of fasting, a core pillar of Islam. Every Muslim must strive to avoid such sinful behavior.
Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ Forcing Intercourse on One’s Wife While Fasting
In Islam, forcing one's wife into sexual relations during a state of fasting in Ramaḍān is a grave sin, comprising two major offenses:
◈ Coercion of the wife – This is an undesirable, ḥarām (prohibited), and oppressive act.
◈ Breaking the fast – Which entails a severe expiation (kaffārah).
❖ What Is the Expiation for Breaking the Fast?
If a person engages in sexual intercourse with his wife while fasting during Ramaḍān, then expiation becomes obligatory upon him. As established in the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ, the expiation involves three levels, in order:
➊ Expiation According to the Hadith
A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ in distress and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I am ruined!”
The Prophet ﷺ asked:
“What happened?”
He replied:
“I had intercourse with my wife during a day in Ramaḍān.”
So the Prophet ﷺ instructed:
◈ Free a slave (if capable).
◈ If that is not possible, then fast for two consecutive months.
◈ If that too is not possible, then feed sixty poor people.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1936, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1111)❖ The Sin of Forcing One’s Wife
If a husband forces his wife into intercourse without her consent, it is a serious transgression. Islam strictly prohibits injustice in any form, and mutual consent is essential even within marital intimacy.
❖ Sharʿī Consequences of This Sin:
◈ The husband must repent sincerely to Allah ﷻ.
◈ He should apologize to his wife and make efforts to reconcile.
◈ According to some jurists (fuqahā’), this act may even warrant ḥadd or taʿzīr (disciplinary punishment) under Islamic law.
✿ Summary:
◈ Forcing one’s wife is strictly ḥarām and a major sin (kabīrah).
◈ Intercourse while fasting in Ramaḍān necessitates expiation (kaffārah), which consists of fulfilling one of the following:
➊ Freeing a slave (if one has the means).
➋ Fasting two consecutive months.
➌ Feeding sixty poor persons.
◈ The husband must repent to Allah ﷻ and firmly resolve never to repeat such an act.
This act is not only an oppression against the wife, but also a violation of the sanctity of fasting, a core pillar of Islam. Every Muslim must strive to avoid such sinful behavior.
