❖ Question:
What is the ruling for a person who eats or drinks forgetfully while fasting? And if someone sees a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully, is it obligatory to remind them?
❖ Answer:
If a person eats or drinks forgetfully while fasting, their fast remains valid. However, once they remember, it is obligatory to stop immediately. Even if the morsel of food or sip of water is in their mouth, they must spit it out.
The validity of the fast in this situation is based on the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
"Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink."
[Authentic: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Fasting, 1933; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Fasting, 1155]
Additionally, if a person commits a prohibited act due to forgetfulness, there is no accountability upon them, as Allah ﷻ has said:
"Our Lord! Do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake."
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:286)
And Allah responded: "I have done so."
Furthermore, if someone sees a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully, it is obligatory to remind them, as this falls under forbidding what is wrong (nahi ‘an al-munkar).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable, then with his tongue; and if he is unable, then with his heart."
[Authentic: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Faith, 78]
There is no doubt that a fasting person eating or drinking during the fast, even forgetfully, is from the munkar (wrongful actions). Though they are excused due to forgetfulness, the onlooker has no excuse for failing to stop it.
— Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله)
What is the ruling for a person who eats or drinks forgetfully while fasting? And if someone sees a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully, is it obligatory to remind them?
❖ Answer:
If a person eats or drinks forgetfully while fasting, their fast remains valid. However, once they remember, it is obligatory to stop immediately. Even if the morsel of food or sip of water is in their mouth, they must spit it out.
The validity of the fast in this situation is based on the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
"Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink."
[Authentic: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Fasting, 1933; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Fasting, 1155]
Additionally, if a person commits a prohibited act due to forgetfulness, there is no accountability upon them, as Allah ﷻ has said:
"Our Lord! Do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake."
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:286)
And Allah responded: "I have done so."
Furthermore, if someone sees a fasting person eating or drinking forgetfully, it is obligatory to remind them, as this falls under forbidding what is wrong (nahi ‘an al-munkar).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable, then with his tongue; and if he is unable, then with his heart."
[Authentic: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Faith, 78]
There is no doubt that a fasting person eating or drinking during the fast, even forgetfully, is from the munkar (wrongful actions). Though they are excused due to forgetfulness, the onlooker has no excuse for failing to stop it.
— Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله)
