Does Donating Blood Break the Fast?
Can I Donate Blood for Testing While Fasting?
Donating blood is a necessary and normal situation for health checks. Blood is donated upon a doctor’s request to perform general health checks or to identify complaints. Blood tests performed in health institutions provide results within a few hours and provide clues about the person’s health status. You may also need to donate blood from time to time during Ramadan. If you have a chronic disease, having regular blood tests is beneficial for health monitoring.
When the month of Ramadan comes, people who will fast are most curious about this question: “Does donating blood while fasting break the fast?” According to the statement of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, donating blood or having blood drawn for health reasons does not break the fast. However, if a person receives blood from outside their body through a blood transfusion for any reason, their fast is broken.
According to the statement of the Supreme Board of Religious Affairs, donating blood for health checks or having a blood test during Ramadan does not break the fast. However, since taking blood from the outside, from someone else, is included in the scope of nutrition and food intake, taking blood to the body while fasting during Ramadan, that is, receiving a blood transfusion, breaks the fast.
Does Donating Blood Break the Fast?
During Ramadan, you may be required to donate blood due to health conditions or routine check-ups. Before going for mandatory health check-ups, you may have the following question in mind: Does donating blood break the fast?
It is stated that having a blood test does not break the fast because no food is taken into the body. Therefore, if you are wondering whether giving blood for a test breaks the fast, you can have a blood test with peace of mind and wait for iftar. Giving blood for a test does not break the fast.
Does donating blood break the fast? This is a question that is frequently brought up and answered by Nihat Hatipoğlu. His answer to this question, like the answer of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, is that it does not break the fast.
“If a person donates blood while fasting in Ramadan, his fast is not broken (Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni, IV, 50-52).”
Does Donating Blood Break the Fast in the Hanafi School?
According to the Hanafi school of thought, in order for the fast to be broken, an external food or liquid must be taken into the body. In the case of donating blood, since no external liquid is taken, it is not considered to be one of the situations that break the fast. People who belong to the Hanafi school of thought can donate blood while fasting and have their health checks done without delay.
If you often wonder whether donating blood breaks the fast in the Hanafi school of thought, you can continue fasting during Ramadan. Because donating blood does not affect the fast for this school of thought.
Does Donating Blood Break the Fast in the Shafi’i Madhhab?
According to the Shafi school of thought, blood donation is not among the situations that break the fast. If you go to the hospital to donate blood and it falls on a day you are fasting, you can have a blood test without breaking your fast. Explanations made by Islamic scholars and statements in religious sources indicate that donating blood does not break the fast.
Does Cupping Break the Fast?
It is narrated that the fast of those who have cupping is broken.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “The fast of the one who administers cupping therapy and the one who has it performed (the one who takes blood from the body for therapeutic purposes and the one who has blood taken from the body for the same purpose) is broken.”
According to this narration, it is not recommended to have cupping therapy while fasting. You can determine the healthiest environment and the most suitable time for yourself to have cupping therapy.
According to another narration, it is said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had cupping done while he was fasting. (Bukhari, Sawm, 32; Abu Dawud, Sawm, 29).
The Directorate of Religious Affairs presented its evaluation of these two narrations as follows:
Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Duzce Mufti’s Office
“Most scholars interpret the first hadith as the person who administers cupping may leak blood into his mouth while sucking it with a special tool, and the person who is being cupped may become weak and sick because of donating blood, and thus face the risk of breaking the fast. It is deemed appropriate to take the second hadith as a basis, meaning donating blood does not break the fast.”
Can Pregnant Women Who Are Fasting Donate Blood?
There is no religious objection to fasting for pregnant women; however, it is not recommended for pregnant women to fast in order to have a healthier day. The energy that the baby and the mother need should be taken throughout the day. Therefore, fasting can be postponed to a more comfortable time.
So, can a woman who is fasting while pregnant donate blood?
Since donating blood is not considered to be a situation that breaks the fast, blood can be donated in such a situation. If donating blood is necessary for testing, tests should be done without wasting time. Because health cannot be neglected and donating blood does not affect the fast.
In order for the fast to be broken, food or liquid must enter the stomach through the mouth. Since this will not happen during blood donation, anyone can donate blood during the fast.
Pregnancy is a sensitive process that needs to be monitored. Consult your doctor who is monitoring your pregnancy for the most accurate information specific to your health.
Does Drawing Blood Break the Fast?
Taking blood breaks the fast. The Directorate of Religious Affairs has indicated that taking blood breaks the fast because it is considered like taking nutrients from the outside into the body. If it is necessary to take blood while fasting due to a health condition, the fast is broken that day and must be made up for. In short, taking blood into the body breaks the fast because it acts as a nutrient and food supplement.
Can You Donate Blood During Ramadan?
There is no religious objection to donating blood during Ramadan; however, if there is a possibility of becoming very weak after donating blood, it may be beneficial to postpone donating blood unless necessary.
Does a Small Amount of Blood from a Tooth Bleeding Break the Fast?
Whether or not the fast is broken in case of tooth bleeding depends on the proportion of the blood. If the tooth bleeding is equal to the saliva, the fast is broken, but if there is a small amount of bleeding, the fast is not broken.
If the amount of blood that comes out of a tooth bleeds is equal to or more than the amount of saliva it is mixed with, and if it is swallowed, the fast is broken and must be made up for. A smaller amount of blood is not taken into account (Haddâd, el-Jawhara, I, 173).
Does Donating Blood or Getting an Injection Break the Fast?
Taking blood with a needle to donate blood does not break the fast. The insertion of a needle into the body and the taking of blood do not affect the fast. There must be external factors such as food, nutrition or pleasure that break the fast.
Does Getting an Injection Break the Fast?
The act of fasting includes the themes of staying away from eating, drinking and sexual relations, and disciplining the soul. Therefore, injections that are not intended as food, food supplements or food or drink, and that are not enjoyable, do not break the fast. Receiving injections for therapeutic purposes or for health purposes does not break the fast.
However, fasting may not be recommended for patients whose treatment is ongoing. If the person wants to fulfill their religious duties and does not have any other obstacles, they can fast; however, they can have the injection after iftar.
Does Donating Blood (Platelets) Invalidate Ablution?
According to the statement of the High Council of Religious Affairs: There are two ways to donate platelets: with the normal blood donation method or with an apheresis device. In both cases, ablution is broken.
These rulings are according to the Hanafi school of thought. In the Shafi’i school of thought, donating blood does not break ablution (see Mawardi, al-Hawi, 1/199-200; Shirbini, Mughnil-muhtac, 1/140).
Does bleeding from any part of the body break the fast?
If a person is fasting and bleeding from any part of the body or from a wound does not break the fast, the fast should be broken for health reasons if menstrual bleeding occurs in women, and the fast can be continued after the end of the period.
Can I Continue Fasting After the Blood Test?
Yes, you can continue fasting after the blood test. Blood collection is not among the situations that break the fast.
Is It Harmful to Have a Blood Test on an Empty Stomach During Ramadan?
For a healthy individual, having a blood test done on an empty stomach is usually not a problem. However, caution should be exercised if dizziness or weakness is felt after blood is drawn.
Some Islamic scholars do not recommend having blood taken, on the grounds that it may harm the health of fasting if it causes excessive weakness or loss of strength. Therefore, procedures such as blood donation or blood test should be done by taking into consideration the physical condition of the person.
Does Donating Blood Break the Fast?
No, donating blood does not break the fast. However, it is recommended to postpone it until after iftar as fatigue may occur after donating a large amount of blood.
Can You Donate Blood After Having Sahur?
Yes, you can donate blood while fasting by having sahur. However, if the blood donation process causes extreme weakness or thirst in the body, this can make fasting difficult. In such cases, the time for donating blood should be planned carefully.
Does Donating Blood for Platelet Supply Break the Fast?
The method of blood donation with platelet supply is done with a type of platelet separator called “apheresis”. The apheresis device processes the blood taken from the donor and after separating the platelets, it sends the remaining blood back to the donor. Since the blood will be taken back into the body with this method, the fast is broken according to the statement of the High Council of Religious Affairs.
Supreme Board of Religious Affairs
(…)
In the collection of platelets with an apheresis device, blood is drawn from one arm of the blood donor using the device, and the platelets in the blood are separated in the device and returned to the donor from the other arm; the device set is filled with two different serums to prevent blood clotting. This application, in which blood and serum are given to the body, breaks the fast. Donors who want to give platelets with an apheresis device should use the normal blood donation method instead or have this application applied between iftar and sahur.
