Swimming when fasting? (4)

In the previous blog, we showed how the narrations show there is a real contradiction, which Ayatullah Khui does not beleive can be reconciled.

Therefore, we are left with a discussion as to how to best prefer one group of narrations over the other.

Method 1: "the numbers game"

The group that prevents one from immersing one’s head in water are many, and well-known (mash-hur) such that we can be sure that overall at least some came from the Imam (AS); whilst the one narration of ibn Ammar is by itself – then normally the latter would be discarded.

Method 2: Prefer those that are in line with the Qur`an

If the above method is not sufficient (and many do not look at the numbers of narrations), then we can try and prefer narrations that are in line with the Qur`an: 2:187 is the only relevant verse which does not talk about immersing one’s head in water so cannot help here

Method 3: Prefer those that are different to the Sunni position 


None of the Sunni schools say immersing one’s head invalidates the fast; although the Hanbalis say it is makruh unless it is for making oneself cool, or for ghusl

Therefore, given the muwathaq narration (allowing you to immerse your head in water) is in line with the Sunni opinion, it can be attributed to taqiyya and is therefore discarded.

[A reminder - the reason for this rule / methodology, although it is not used by all, is that at the time of the Imams (AS), there were dangers to their lives. Therefore, it is possible that on some occasions the Imams (AS) might have said the Sunni opinion in public, or if a Sunni asked a question - to avoid any risk to his followers.]

Therefore, according to Ayatullah Khui, the strongest opinion is that it invalidates the fast.

A reminder that the above discussion is only Ayatullah Khui's opinion - but by reading the above, you should be able to infer how the other opinions are likely to have been derived.

In the next set of blogs, we will look at smoking when fasting!

Swimming when fasting? (3)

In the previous blogs, we saw two sets of narrations - both of which advised against immersing your head in water, one of which implying directly that it breaks the fast.

Now we come to the third narration that explicitly seems to suggest it does not break the fast: the Muwaththaq narration of Ishaq ibn Ammar: “I said to Abu Abdullah (AS): ‘Does someone fasting who immerses [their head] into water intentionally have to do a qadha fast for that day?’ He said: ‘He does not have to do a qadha fast, nor does he have to repeat it.’” (Wasa`il, volume 8, page 27; chapters on what someone who is fasting should abstain from, chapter 6, hadith 1)

The chain of narration is Muhammad ibn al-hasan [Shaykh Tusi] with his chain from ibn Sa’d, from Imran ibn Musa, from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Abdullah ibn Jabla from Is-haq ibn Ammar.

However, some might claim there is a problem with the chain due to Imran ibn Musa (see http://www.al-khoei.us/books/index.php?id=7682 and http://www.alkhoei.net/arabic/pages/book.php?bcc=718&itg=36&bi=70&s=ct for details of this discussion) but Ayatullah Khui dismisses these as misunderstanding which Imran ibn Musa it is – not al-Khashshab as some erroneously think but al-Zaytuni, who is trustworthy.

 

Therefore, this narration is in contradiction to the previous narrations – as this is absolutely clear in saying that it does not break the fast. 

When there is a contradiction, the first thing to do, is to try and reconcile the narrations i.e. find a ruling that allows all the narrations to be valid. 

Consider the following options to try and re-interpret the first and second sets of narrations:

• Consider the first group of narrations as haram taklifi given that the fact that qada of the fast / repeating the fast is not required implies it is haram only [and does not invalidate the fast] but Ayatullah Khui notes that this does not deal with the sahih narration of ibn Muslim (group 2)

• Consider the first group of narrations as makruh wad’iyya (i.e. it is makruh whilst in the state of fasting) considering that the “idrar” is of different levels with eating and drinking affecting the fast strongly and breaking it; whilst immersing one’s head only affects it to the level of makruh. However, Ayatullah Khui says this does not work as it is one sentence and it is unlikely that the audience would differentiate between “eating and drinking” and “immersing one’s head in water”. 

Therefore, there is a real contradiction between this Muwath-thaq narration and the previous narrations. In the next blog, we will look at methods of actually reconciling this apparent contradiction.