Ruling On Swimming When Fasting
EsinIslam
Ramadan
The Awqaf -
Living Shariah
Can you swim while fasting for a school
requirement?
Praise be to Allaah.
The ruling on swimming when fasting depends on the
following:
Firstly:
If the swimmer thinks it most likely that no water
will enter his stomach through the mouth or nose, and
he is a good swimmer and can guarantee that his fast
will not be broken, then in that case there is nothing
wrong with him swimming. The ruling is the same as
that on doing ghusl when fasting. The scholars have
stated that that is permissible even if it is just for
the purpose of cooling down.
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Chapter on doing ghusl when fasting. Ibn ‘Umar (may
Allaah be pleased with him) wetted his garment and put
it on when fasting."
Al-Sha'bi entered the hammam (bath) when fasting. And
al-Hasan said: There is nothing wrong with the fasting
person rinsing his mouth and cooling himself off … and
Anas said: I have a tub which I keep immersing myself
in when I am fasting.
Abu Bakr al-Athram narrated with his isnaad that Ibn
‘Abbaas entered the hammam when he was fasting, he and
some of his companions, during the month of Ramadaan.
Al-Mughni, 3/18
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (10/281):
It is permissible to swim during the day in Ramadaan,
but the swimmer should take care to avoid letting
water enter his stomach. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said:
There is nothing wrong with the fasting person
swimming, and he may swim as he wants, and immerse
himself in the water, but he must be careful to avoid
letting water enter his stomach, as much as he can.
This swimming will energize the fasting person and
help him to fast, and whatever gives a person energy
to carry out Allaah's commands should not be
disallowed, for it is something that makes it easy for
people to carry out His commands. Allaah says in the
verses on fasting (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to
make things difficult for you. (He wants that you)
must complete the same number (of days), and that you
must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu
Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided
you so that you may be grateful to Him"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "This religion is easy, and whoever
overburdens himself in religious matter will not be
able to continue in that way." And Allaah knows best.
End quote.
He also said:
There is nothing wrong with a fasting person diving
into water or swimming in it, because that is not
among the things that break the fast. The basic
principle is that things are permissible unless there
is evidence to show that they are makrooh or haraam.
There is no evidence that swimming is makrooh or
haraam, rather some of the scholars regarded it as
makrooh lest anything enter the swimmer's throat
without him realizing it. End quote.
Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 19/284, 285
Secondly:
If he thinks it most likely that water will enter his
stomach because of swimming, then it is not
permissible for him to do this, and it is haraam for
him to go swimming during the day in Ramadaan. The
evidence for that is the report narrated from Laqeet
ibn Sabirah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:
I said: O Messenger of Allaah, tell me about wudoo'.
He said: "Do wudoo' well, make the water go between
your fingers and toes, and go to extremes in rinsing
the nose, unless you are fasting." Narrated by Abu
Dawood (142) and al-Tirmidhi (788), who said it is
hasan saheeh. Classed as saheeh by Ibn Hajar and
al-Albaani.
Imam Ahmad said that a fasting person may immerse
himself in water if he does not fear that it will get
into his ears.
Al-Hasan and al-Sha'bi regarded it as makrooh to
immerse oneself in water, lest water get into the
ears. al-Mughni (3/18).
Al-Adhra'i (one of the Shaafa'i fuqaha') said:
If he knows that water usually enters his stomach when
he immerses himself in water, and he cannot avoid it,
it is haraam for him to immerse himself. End quote.
Haashiyat al-Bujayrami (2/74).
The question now is: if he goes to extremes in rinsing
his nose – and similarly if he immerses himself in
water and swims during the day in Ramadaan – and water
reaches his stomach without him intending it to,
whether he thought it most likely that water would not
enter his stomach or not – is he regarded as having
broken the fast?
The scholars differed concerning that.
The first view is that of the majority of Hanafi,
Maaliki and Shaafa'i scholars, which is that his fast
is invalidated.
The second view is that it is not invalidated. This is
the view of some of the Taabi'een, and is the view of
the Hanbalis, and was the view favoured by Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). Al-Sharh
al-Mumti' (6/407).
See: al-Majmoo' (6/338); al-Mughni (3/18).
You must also be careful to avoid showing the ‘awrah
when swimming. Do not swim in a place where people
uncover their ‘awrahs, and do not take lightly the
issue of looking at the ‘awrahs of others.
See also the answer to questions no. 23464 and 38907.
Ramadan Team
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