Does smoking break the fast?
Yes, smoking breaks the fast, according to all four schools of Islamic law. Inhaling smoke on purpose takes a substance into your mouth, throat and lungs, and scholars treat it like drinking. The same applies to vaping, e-cigarettes, shisha and chewing tobacco.
Why smoking counts
Tobacco didn't exist in Arabia in the Prophet's ﷺ time, so the ruling comes from scholars applying the basic rule of fasting: anything you deliberately take in through the mouth that reaches the throat and body breaks the fast. Cigarette smoke has particles and tar that you can see and taste, and smokers take it in on purpose because the body wants it.
That's why the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools all agree that smoking during the day breaks the fast, and the day must be made up.
Vapes, shisha and nicotine products
- Vaping and e-cigarettes: break the fast. The vapour is a liquid mist that you inhale on purpose.
- Shisha (hookah): breaks the fast, just like cigarettes.
- Chewing tobacco, snus and nicotine pouches: break the fast, because they release substances into your mouth that you swallow.
- Nicotine patches: do not break the fast for most scholars, because they work through the skin.
- Second-hand smoke you can't avoid does not break your fast.
Vaping also raises questions about wudu and prayer. See Does vaping break wudu?
Is smoking allowed at all?
Most scholars today say smoking is haram or at least strongly disliked, because of the clear harm it does to the body. The Prophet ﷺ said there should be no harm and no causing harm (40 Hadith an-Nawawi 32), and the Quran warns against destroying yourself:
If you smoked before you became Muslim, you're not alone, and you don't have to be perfect overnight. See Do I have to quit smoking before I become Muslim?
Ramadan: a perfect chance to quit
Many smokers find Ramadan the easiest time to stop. You already go 12 to 18 hours without a cigarette every day, so you're halfway there. The hard part is the moment after iftar. Try replacing that cigarette with something else: a date and water, a short walk, or Maghrib prayer at the mosque. See What is iftar and how do I break my fast?
Your doctor, pharmacist or a stop-smoking service can help with nicotine patches and support, which are fine to use while fasting.
- Smoking breaks the fast according to all four schools.
- Vaping, shisha, snus and chewing tobacco break it too.
- Nicotine patches and unavoidable second-hand smoke do not.
- Ramadan is a great time to cut down or quit for good.
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