Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah Who fed him and gave him drink

Chapter: The one who eats, drinks, or has intercourse by mistake does not break his fast

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1155

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ الْقُرْدُوسِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏

مَنْ نَسِيَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ فَأَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَسَقَاهُ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah Who fed him and gave him drink."

Reported by Muslim (No. 1155), Al-Bukhari (No. 1933, 6669), Ibn Majah (No. 1673), Ahmad (No. 8773, 9125, 9974, 10251) and Ad-Darimi (No. 1663, 1664).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that whoever eats or drinks forgetfully while fasting, whether the fast is obligatory or voluntary, should complete his fast and not break it because he did not intend to break the fast; rather, it is sustenance that Allah provided him with, and it is Allah Who fed him and gave him drink.

Lessons

The validity of the fast of whoever eats or drinks forgetfully.
Whoever eats or drinks forgetfully incurs no sin because he does not do this by his choice.
The kindness of Allah towards His slaves and how He facilitates things for them and removes hardship and difficulty from them.
The fasting person does not break his fast by any of the fast invalidators unless three conditions are met: 1. Being aware; if he is ignorant, the fast is not broken. 2. Remembering; if he is forgetful, his fast is valid and he does not need to make up for it. 3. Willingness; not under compulsion, meaning he consumes the invalidating means by choice.

Explanation in Arabic

بَيَّنَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنَّ مَن أَكَلَ أو شرب ناسيًا وهو في صوم فريضة أو تطوّع فلْيُتمّ صومَه ولا يُفطر؛ لأنه لم يَتَقَصَّد الفطر، وإنما هو رِزْقٌ ساقَه الله إليه وأطعمه وسَقَاه.

صحة صوم من أكل أو شرب ناسيًا.
ليس على من أكل أو شرب ناسيًا إثم؛ لأنه ليس باختياره.
لُطْفُ الله بعباده والتيسير عليهم ورَفْع المشقّة والحَرَج عنهم.
لا يُفطِر الصائم بشيء من المفطِّرات إلا إذا توافرت ثلاثة شروط: الأول: أن يكون عالمًا، فإن كان جاهلًا لم يفطر، الثاني: أن يكون ذاكرًا، فإن كان ناسيًا، فصيامه صحيح ولا قضاء عليه، الثالث: أن يكون مختارًا لا مُكرَهًا بأن يتناول المفطِّر باختياره.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( مَنْ نَسِيَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ فَأَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ , فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّه وَسَقَاهُ ) فِيهِ دَلَالَةٌ لِمَذْهَبِ الْأَكْثَرِينَ : أَنَّ الصَّائِم إِذَا أَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ أَوْ جَامَعَ نَاسِيًا لَا يُفْطِرُ , وَمِمَّنْ قَالَ بِهَذَا الشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَبُو حَنِيفَة وَدَاوُد وَآخَرُونَ , وَقَالَ رَبِيعَة وَمَالِك : يَفْسُدُ صَوْمُهُ , وَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاء دُون الْكَفَّارَة , وَقَالَ عَطَاء وَالْأَوْزَاعِيُّ وَاللَّيْث : يَجِبُ الْقَضَاءُ فِي الْجِمَاعِ دُونَ الْأَكْلِ , وَقَالَ أَحْمَد : يَجِب فِي الْجِمَاع الْقَضَاء وَالْكَفَّارَة , وَلَا شَيْء فِي الْأَكْل.…

Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 1933

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah."

إِذَا نَسِيَ فَأَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَسَقَاهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6669

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody eats something forgetfully while he is fasting, then he should complete his fast, for Allah has made him eat and drink."

مَنْ أَكَلَ نَاسِيًا وَهْوَ صَائِمٌ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَسَقَاهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 1673

"Whoever eats out of forgetfulness while fasting, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah Who has fed him and given him to drink."

"‏ مَنْ أَكَلَ نَاسِيًا وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَسَقَاهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 8773