Does vaping break the fast?

Why vapour counts

The Quran tells fasting Muslims to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to nightfall. Scholars extend this to anything you deliberately take into the body through the mouth or nose, whether or not it is food. The Prophet ﷺ gave a hint about this when he said: "Snuff up water freely unless you are fasting" (Sunan Abi Dawud 2366). Scholars understand this as a warning that water sniffed too hard can travel inward, which shows that what reaches the inner body matters.

E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid, usually with flavouring, into an aerosol. That aerosol carries particles and flavour into your throat, and you taste it on the way. Since you inhale it on purpose, most scholars treat it like smoking. The ruling on smoking is explained in Does smoking break the fast?

Different cases

• Nicotine vapes: break the fast.
• Nicotine-free or flavour-only vapes: also break it, since the inhaled mist is what matters, not the nicotine.
• Disposable vapes and vape pens: the same ruling applies.
• Steam from a shower, kettle or sauna: does not break the fast. It is not something you drink or inhale as a substance.
• Second-hand vapour you can't avoid: does not break the fast.

Medical sprays and puffers are a different question, since they treat an illness. See Does using an inhaler break my fast?

What if I vaped by mistake?

If you forgot you were fasting, your fast stays valid. The Prophet ﷺ said: "If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk has been given to him by Allah" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1933). Most scholars apply this to other forgetful slips like vaping as well. Stop as soon as you remember and carry on.

If you vaped on purpose, the fast for that day is broken. You should make up the day after Ramadan and sincerely ask Allah for forgiveness. Keep going for the rest of the day with the others, rather than giving up the whole month.

Getting through the day if you vape

Many people who vape find the first week hardest. A few things help:

• Plan what you will do straight after iftar, such as dates, water and a walk, so the craving has less power.
• Ask your pharmacist about nicotine patches, which most scholars allow while fasting.
• Keep your hands busy with a stress ball, a tasbih or a short walk.
• Tell a friend that you are trying to cut down, and treat Ramadan as the start of quitting for good.

Patches work through the skin, so they are a common choice. See Can I use a nicotine patch while fasting? If vaping is part of how you deal with stress, ask your doctor about quitting support. Vaping and wudu are a separate matter. See Does vaping break wudu?