Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Can husband & wife touch each other while fasting. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Touch wife while fasting

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 3.134a

It is reported that 'Aishah said: "The Prophet (saws) would kiss and embrace while he was fasting, for he had the most control of all of you over his desires." Umar said: "I was excited one time and I kissed [my wife] while I was fasting. I went to the Prophet (saws) and said: 'Today I committed a horrendous act--I kissed while I was fasting.' The Prophet (saws) asked: 'What do you think of rinsing with water while fasting?' I said: 'There is nothing wrong with that.' The Prophet (saws) said: 'Then what is the question about?'"

Ibn al-Mundhir says: " 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Abu Hurairah, 'Aishah, 'Ata, ash-Sha'bi, al-Hassan, Ahmad, and Ishaq permit kissing. The Hanafiyyah and Shaf'iyyah say that it is disliked if it incites one's desires. If it does not do so, it is not disliked although it is better to avoid it." There is no difference between an old man or a young man in this matter. The question is whether or not the kiss excites one's desires. If it does, it is disliked. If it does not, it is not disliked although it is best to avoid it. It does not matter if the kiss was on the cheek or on the lips, and so on. Touching with the hand or embracing follow the same ruling as kissing.

Al-Muwatta Hadith Hadith 18.13

Yahya related from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from Ata ibn Yasar that a certain man kissed his wife while he was fasting in Ramadan. This made him very anxious, and so he sent his wife to the Prophet (saws) to ask him about that for him. She went in and saw Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet (saws) and mentioned the matter to her, and Umm Salama told her that the Messenger of Allah (saws) used to kiss while he was fasting. So she went back and told her husband that, but it only made him find fault all the more and he said, "We are not like the Messenger of Allah (saws). Allah makes permissible for the Messenger of Allah (saws) whatever He wishes."

His wife then went back to Umm Salama and found the Messenger of Allah (saws) with her. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "What's the matter with this woman?", and Umm Salama told him. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Didn't you tell her that I do that myself?" and she said, "I told her, and she went to her husband and told him, but it only made him find fault all the more and say, 'We are not like the Messenger of Allah (saws). Allah makes permissible for His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whatever He wishes.'" The Messenger of Allah (saws) got angry and said, "By Allah, I am the one with the most ‘taqwa’ of Allah of you all, and of you all the one who best knows His limits."

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), provided one controls his desire and does not have sexual intercourse with his wife during the fasting hours, there is absolutely no harm if one touches them, or kisses them, or sits, or lies down and sleeps with them in one’s state of fasting.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan