1652. A person who has touched a dead body—caused a part of his body to touch a part of the deceased’s body—can fast without having performed the ghusl for it. In fact, even if he were to touch a dead body whilst fasting, his fast will not be voided.
985. If a person deems it probable that he may be able to offer his prayer standing towards the end of the allocated time, it is better he delay his prayer. Then, if he was unable to stand, he should offer his prayer in a manner that accords to his duty (at that moment). Similarly, it is better that a person who can offer his prayer while lying on his side or his back at the onset of the allocated time, delay it and act according to his obligation towards the end of the allocated time.
If a person offers his prayer in its prime time, but later develops the ability to offer it standing or sitting, he should repeat his prayer according to his ability.
986. It is recommended to perpendicularly uphold one’s vertebral column and neck while standing, slacken the shoulders, place the hands on the thighs, conjoin the fingers and look at the place of sujÙd. He should also spread the weight of his body equally between his feet, keep both feet in line, and stand in humility and submission. If the one praying is a man, the distance between his feet should be between three open fingers to a hand span, whereas a woman should keep her feet together.
1653. Getting an enema with a fluid will invalidate one’s fast, even if a person is compelled to do so and even if it is for treatment purposes.
1654. Vomiting delibately —even if it be out of compulsion due to a sickness or similar condition—will invalidate one’s fast. However, there is no harm if a person vomits inadvertently or involuntarily.
987. In the first two rak‘ah of the daily obligatory prayers, one should first recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and then another complete sÙrah. SÙrat al-ÃuÎÁ and alam nashraÎ are together considered one sÙrah in the prayer, and so are sÙrat al-fÐl and li-ÞÐlÁf.
988. If there is nominal time remaining for prayer, or if a person is compelled to omit the latter sÙrah—for example, if a person fears that a thief, a beast or something else may cause him harm—he should abstain from reciting it. If a person is ill, or has an urgent need, he is exempt from reciting the latter sÙrah. However, if such a person recites it, he should not recite it with the intention of it being a component of prayer; rather, he may recite it with the intention of reciting the Qur’an.
989. If a person deliberately recites the second sÙrah before sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, while deeming it a component of the prayer, his prayer is invalid. However, if he does so mistakenly, and recollects during its recitation, he should abandon it, and after reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he should recite it from the beginning.
1655. If a person consumes something at night, which he knows will cause him to vomit involuntarily the next day, it will not invalidate his fast. The recommended precaution is that he fast the qaÃÁ of that day’s fast.
990. If a person forgetfully omits sÙrah al-FÁtiÎah or the latter sÙrah, or both, and recollects after entering rukÙ‘, his prayer is valid.
991. If prior to bowing for rukÙ‘, a person realizes that he has not recited sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the latter sÙrah, he should recite them. If he realizes he only omitted the latter sÙrah, he should only recite the latter sÙrah. However, if he realizes he only omitted sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he should first recite it and then repeat the latter sÙrah. Similarly, if a person bows, but prior to entering rukÙ‘ realizes he omitted sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, the second sÙrah or both, he should abide by the aforementioned instructions.
1656. If a person who is fasting can avoid vomiting, he should do so if it does not entail any harm or hardship for him.
992. If a person deliberately recites one of the four sÙrahs containing the verse that makes sujÙd obligatory, as elaborated in article 361, it is obligatory to perform the sujÙd for reciting it, after reciting the verse. Obligatory precaution dictates in such an event, he should complete his prayer and thereafter repeat it. One should similarly repeat his prayer if he commits a sin by not performing the sujÙd.
1657. If—for example—a fly enters the throat of a person who is fasting, and he is able to remove it without vomiting, he should do so and his fast will be valid. However, if this is not possible, and it is located such that swallowing it would be counted as eating, it should be removed even if it be by vomiting. In this case his fast will be void. However, if it does not amount to eating, he should not remove it, and his fast will be deemed valid.
993. If a person accidentally begins reciting a sÙrah containing a verse which makes sujÙd obligatory, but realizes prior to reaching the verse that obligates sujÙd, he should abandon reciting it and instead recite another sÙrah. However, if he realizes after reciting the verse that obligates sujÙd, he should out of precaution perform sujÙd by means of signaling, complete the sÙrah, and recite another sÙrah with a non-specific intention of attaining proximity—in the sense that if his duty is to recite another sÙrah, then this be it, and if not, it be with the intention of reciting the Qur’an—and he should perform its sujÙd after completing the prayer.
1658. If a person inadvertently swallows something, and it passes his throat, but he remembers before it reaches his stomach, he will not have to take it out, and his fast will remain valid.
994. If a person gives ear to a verse that obligates sujÙd during prayer, his prayer is valid. He should however signal with the intention of performing the sujÙd of recitation. Recommended precaution dictates that he should also perform a conventional sujÙd after completing his prayer.
1659. If a person is certain that should he burp, something will be expulsed from his throat, then obligatory precaution will dictate that he should avoid burping intentionally. However if he is not certain of it, there is no problem in doing so.
995. It is not necessary to recite the second sÙrah in the recommended prayers, even if the prayer is deemed obligatory due to a nadhr or something similar. However, some recommended prayers have a particular sÙrah prescribed for them, such as ÒalÁt al-waÎshah Refer to article 664 for details on ÒalÁt al-waÎshah({^Refer to article 664 for details on ÒalÁt al-waÎshah^}). If a person wishes to offer it according to its prescribed instructions, he should recite the very sÙrah that was recommended.
1660. If a person burps, causing something to enter his mouth, he should take it out of his mouth. If it is swallowed involuntarily, his fast will remain in order.
996. It is recommended to recite sÙrat al-jumu‘ah in the first rak‘ah and sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn in the second rak‘ah, after reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah in the Friday prayer and the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday. Recommended precaution dictates that if a person begins to recite them, he should not abandon them for another sÙrah.
997. If a person begins to recite sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn after sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he cannot abandon them and begin another sÙrah. However, if a person forgetfully begins reciting one of them in the Friday prayer or the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday, in lieu of sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn, he may abandon them and recite sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn. The recommended precaution is that one should not abandon it after half or more of the sÙrah has been recited.
998. If a person deliberately recites sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn in the Friday prayer or the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday, obligatory precaution dictates that he should not abandon it for sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn, even if he has yet to recite half of it.
1661. If a person intentionally and voluntarily commits an act which invalidates the fast, his fast will be invalidated. On the other hand, if it is not committed intentionally, it will not harm his fast. However, if a person in the state of janÁbah goes to sleep, and based on the details that were elaborated in article 1636, does not perform his ghusl prior to fajr adhÁn, his fast will be void.
999. If a person begins reciting a sÙrah, other than sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn, he may abandon it in lieu of another as long as half of it has not been recited. Obligatory precaution dictates that one should not abandon it between half and two thirds of its recitation. However, once two thirds has been recited, it is not permissible to abandon it for another sÙrah.
1662. If a person who is fasting forgetfully commits an act which invalidates his fast, and then thinking that his fast is invalidated, intentionally commits another act that invalidates a fast, his fast will be void.
1000. If a person forgets a part of the latter sÙrah, or due to compulsion, such as constriction of time or other causes, is unable to complete the latter sÙrah, he may abandon it and begin another sÙrah, even if two thirds of it has been recited and even if it be sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn.
1663. If something is forced down the throat of a person who is fasting, it will not invalidate his fast. However, if he is duresed to break his fast, like if he is told that should he fail to eat, his family will be harmed or his property will be damaged, and he eats something to fend off the harm, his fast will as a result be invalidated.
1664. A person who is fasting should not venture into an area where he knows or is fairly satisfied that something will be forced down his throat, or he will be duresed to break his own fast. If he does so, and something is forced down his throat, or he is coerced to commit an act which invalidates his fast, his fast will as a result be invalidated. In fact, even if he makes a conscious decision to go but does not end up going to that place, his fast will nonetheless be invalidated.
1665. A number of acts are makrÙh for one who is fasting. Some of these are:
1. Putting medicine in the eyes, or applying kohl, if its taste or smell reaches the throat
2. Performing any task that weakens the body, such as drawing blood or taking a shower
3. Snuffing (tobacco), if one does not know that it will reach the throat. In the event that he knows it will reach the throat, it is not permissible to snuff it
4. Smelling fragrant herbs
5. Sitting in water, for women
6. Using a suppository
7. Wetting the clothes that one is wearing
8. Getting a tooth pulled out, or any other task that causes bleeding in the mouth
9. Brushing the teeth with a wet stick
10. To put water or any other liquid in the mouth without a valid reason.
It is also makrÙh for a man to kiss his wife without the intention of ejaculating, or to do anything that would sexually excite him. Of course, if he does it with the intention of ejaculating, his fast will be void.
