Fatwa ID: 06598

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Question:

I used to get acid reflux a lot during Ramadan when I was young and my mom used to tell me that my fast is broken when I got it and that I can eat the rest of the day as long as I fasted after Ramadan, so whenever I felt like I got acid reflux (sometimes not even sure), I would eat the rest of the day. Now I did my research and realised that my mom was wrong, what do I do?

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

If a fast is broken due to an acceptable reason, then Qadhā is necessary. However, if a fast is broken without a valid reason, then Kaffarah is due (i.e., to fast for 60 consecutive days as an expiation for the deliberately broken fast). [Radd ul-Muhtār: vol. 2, pg. 413] [1]

Acid reflux or indigestion is caused by acid on the stomach lining causing food in the stomach to return up the oesophagus rather than digesting it. The fast only breaks if the food returns to the mouth and you deliberately swallow it.

You would need to do Qadhā only.

Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.

Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1]ولو تكرر فطره ولم يكفر للأول تكفيه واحدة ولو في رمضانين عند محمد وعليه الاعتماد بزازية ومجتبى وغيرهما