Do injections or blood tests break the fast in the Shafi’ee Madhab?

Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah’s guidance)

Hijamah (taking blood from the body) does not render the fasting invalid without dislikeness. This is according to Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Imam Shafi’and the Jumhur (majority)(Rahmatullahi Alaihim). In another narration of Imam Shafi’ and Imam Malik it is Makruh. (Bidayatul Mujtahid Vol.1 Pg.212)

Evidence:

Ibn `Abbas (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) says that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was cupped while he was in the state of Ihram and while he was fasting. (Al-Bukhari)

Anas (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) was asked once, did you dislike cupping for the fasting person? He (Anas) said: No, (we did not) unless it made the person weak. (Al-Bukhari)

Also, the permissibility of performing cupping was reported from Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn `Umar, Anas Bin Malik, Husayn ibn `Ali, Zayd ibn Arqam, `A’ishah, and Umm Salamah (RadhiyAllahu Anhum). (‘Umdatul Qari Vol.11 Pg.39)

Imam Ahmad and Imam Ishaq and other scholars (Rahmatullahi Alaihim) says that Hijamah makes the fasting invalid. (Ma’alimus Sunan Lil Khattabi Vol.3 Pg.242)

Evidence:

Rafi’ Ibn Khadij (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) narrates that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,”The cupper and the cupped have broken the fast.” (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)

Imam Tahawi (Ramatullahi Alaih) says the meaning to this Hadith; “The cupper and the cupped have broken the fast” refers to the loss of reward due to Ghibah (Backbiting) and not cupping. Imam Tahawi mentions a Hadith which is narrated by Abu Al Ash’ath As San’ani (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,”The cupper and the cupped have broken the fast, because they have backbited.” (Tahawi Vol.1 Pg.295, 296)

Imam Shafi’ and others say that this Hadith has been abrogated by the Hadith of Ibn Abbas (RadhiyAllahu Anhu), which confirmed that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was cupped while fasting. (Kitabul Umm Vol.2 Pg.108)

Therefore, taking a blood test or applying injection does not affect the validity of fasting.

(See: Darse Tirmidhi Vol.2 Pg.608-612 and 622)

And Only Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.

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Moulana Qamruz Zaman
London, UK