Does bathing during the day invalidate a fast? Here's what Buya Yahya says.

Bathing during the day while fasting is an activity to cleanse the body that is carried out while fasting. In general, bathing during the day does not invalidate the fast, as long as no water is intentionally swallowed into the mouth or enters the throat.

In Islamic jurisprudence, what invalidates a fast is eating, drinking, and certain things that enter the body intentionally. This was also affirmed by a prominent Indonesian cleric, Buya Yahya.

According to him, bathing during the day while fasting does not invalidate the fast. However, one must be more careful when doing so.

“Bathing is not for a major bath; if water enters the ears, it will invalidate the fast. But if it’s a major bath, it doesn’t invalidate it, because the major bath is obligatory,” said Buya Yahya, quoted from YouTube Al-Bahjah TV, Wednesday (25/2).

However, a bath that invalidates a fast is a non-obligatory bath, or simply done as a whim and intentionally to cool or refresh the body while fasting.

Moreover, if during the bath the water enters the ears, or is swallowed. That is what makes the fast invalid.

“Because this is just a whim, wanting to cool off, and then water enters the ears, it is invalid. Pouring water over the head is undesirable,” he explained.

But there are also baths that are recommended and do not invalidate the fast, namely the major bath or obligatory bath and the bath before performing Friday prayers.

“So, it’s okay to wash your hair during the day, but you have to be careful so that it doesn’t enter. If it enters, it becomes invalid, and that is not recommended. If it is an obligatory act, it is a sunnah, such as bathing before Friday prayers,” Buya Yahya concluded.

Bathing during the day while fasting is permissible and does not invalidate the fast, as long as it is done carefully and no water enters the body intentionally. (Z-4)