Question

I had a baby in Ramadhaan. The doctors were concerned about baby’s growth so decided to induce me at 38 weeks. I only required a cervical sweep. I assumed that this procedure necessitated ghusl and that my fast was broken.
I broke my fast before sunset and simply kept qadhaa fast later.
Is this sufficient or do I have to do 60 continuous fasts as kaffarah?
Please note, this took place when Ramadhaan was in autumn and the fast was just over 12 hours.

Answer

Generally when medical practitioners enter something into the vagina they will apply some sort of lubricant to reduce discomfort. This lubricant will break the fast according to traditional Hanafi jurists as they considered the vagina to have a direct passage to the digestive tract. However, modern research shows there being no direct passage to the digestive tract. For this reason, many contemporary scholars are of the opinion that inserting a substance into the vagina will not break the fast.

As there is a difference of opinion on this issue, it is reasonable to assume that you did not continue to fast assuming your fast was broken, and therefore you will only be required to make up one fast (qada). You will not be required to carry out the penalty (kaffarah). Although in the future you must continue to fast after such a procedure.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 399)
مس فرج بهيمة أو قبلها فأنزل أو أقطر في إحليله) ماء أو دهنا وإن وصل إلى المثانة على المذهب، وأما في قبلها فمفسد إجماعا لأنه كالحقنة
قوله فمفسد إجماعا) وقيل على الخلاف والأول أصح فتح عن المبسوط

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 401)
أو أكل) أو جامع (ناسيا) أو احتلم أو أنزل بنظر أو ذرعه القيء (فظن أنه أفطر فأكل عمدا) للشبهة ولو علم عدم فطره لزمته الكفارة إلا في مسألة المتن فلا كفارة مطلقا على المذهب لشبهة خلاف مالك خلافا لهما كما في المجمع وشروحه فقيد الظن إنما هو لبيان الاتفاق

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel