Islamic Fiqh > Fasting > Disliked acts while fasting (makruhat)
Acts disliked for the faster by consensus or caution: the kiss with desire, tasting without need, occupying the mouth, and the differences on kohl.
Updated on 31 August 2026 at 3:55 AM
The four imams agree: kissing is disliked for one who is not sure his desire will not be stirred. Aisha said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would kiss and have contact with his wives while fasting, and he was the most in control of his desire among you" (al-Bukhari 1826, Muslim 1106). Amr ibn Abi Salama asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): does the faster kiss? He sent him to Umm Salama, who confirmed the Prophet did so; when the young man objected that his past and future sins are forgiven, he answered: "By Allah, I am the most God-fearing of you and the most pious towards Him" (Muslim 1108).
Among the Shafi'is, an-Nawawi details: kissing is disliked for whoever it stirs, old or young, on the cheek, the mouth or elsewhere; caressing by hand and embracing follow the same rule. Some make it a forbidden-degree dislike so long as there is no ejaculation; al-Rafi'i holds the forbidden-degree dislike the soundest, and the fast of one who kissed without ejaculating is not broken without divergence. Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi'i and a narration of Ahmad do not dislike the kiss for one who controls himself, on Aisha's hadith; Malik and a narration of Ahmad dislike it generally, reading the same hadith as a special case of mastery.
If ejaculation occurs, the fast is broken and the make-up obligatory (see the pages "What breaks the fast" and "What does not break the fast"); the expiation is discussed among the schools.
Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting: it is for Me and I reward it. Fasting is a shield. When one of you fasts, let him not speak obscenely nor shout; if someone insults him or provokes him, let him say: I am fasting.al-Bukhari 1894, Muslim 1151
The four imams agree that backbiting, lying, obscenity and shouting are disliked for the faster without breaking his fast (except al-Awza'i): this point is detailed in the page "What does not break the fast".
The single criterion of the schools on kissing is the heart's safety from desire: the Shafi'i madhhab dislikes it for whoever's desire stirs, old or young; Malikis and a Hanbali narration dislike it generally. The prudent faster defers what exposes him.