Question
What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue, that what effect will having a blood test have on a fast? Will the fast become invalid for a patient by them having blood taken out? Please shed light on this issue with proofs. Questioner: Abdullah from England
Answer
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
A fast will not break by having blood taken out for a test, etc because the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself had his blessed blood taken out, meaning he ﷺ had cupping done.
Just as it is narrated in Bukhārī Sharīf by Sayyidunā ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Abbās,
“وَاحْتَجَمَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ”
The Holy Prophet ﷺ had cupping done whilst in the state of fasting
[al-Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Bāb al-Hijāmah wa al-Qay li al-Sāim, no. 1938]
In Arabia, cupping used to be performed as a cure and blood would be taken out from different places of the body. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had his blessed blood taken out, which proves that a fast does not break by having blood taken out, and there are many sahīh Hadīths present like this whose chains are totally sahīh.
Likewise, the fast will not break for a patient, etc if they have blood taken out. However, if there is fear of becoming weak, then it is makrooh [disliked].
Just as it is mentioned in Fatāwā Hindiyyah,
“وَلَا بَأْسَ بِالْحِجَامَةِ إنْ أَمِنَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الضَّعْفَ أَمَّا إذَا خَافَ فَإِنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ “
There is no problem with cupping if has no feeling of weakness, however if fears that will become weak, then cupping whilst in the state of fasting is makrooh.
[Fatāwā Hindiyyah, Ch. 3, Vol. 1, Pg. 200]
It is also stated in Bahār-e-Sharī’at that, ‘To have phlebotomy [venipuncture i.e. via a needle in the vein] or cupping done is not makrooh, if there is no risk of feeling weakness; and if there is a risk of feeling weakness, then it is makrooh. should rather delay it until after sunset.’
[Bahar-e-Sharī’at, Vol. 1, Pg. 997-998, print by Maktaba tul Madīnah]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0502] If I have a blood test/ hijamah – will it nullify my Fast?
Published by the Dar-ul-Ifta of Akhuwat-e-Islami as Q-ID0502. Read it on Akhuwat-e-Islami