Fiqh of Fasting: Cupping for Both Parties

8. Cupping for both parties

This is a Sunnah and very few muslims do this. It is almost as if the Sunnah of cupping has been forgotten. There is an actual science involved in this. What one does is he makes an incision on a certain part of the body depending on what he wants done. And he gets a warm cup and places it over the ailment and this draws a certain amount of blood. This was not allowed at first while one is fasting but abrogated later. And according to some scholars it is not abrogated. It is similar to acupuncture but not entirely the same.

According to Imaam Ahmad and Ishaq and other Hadeeth scholars, hijamah (cupping) makes the fasting invalid. This is also the opinion of some of the Sahaaba and the Taabi’een. They held the view that the fasting of the cupper and the cupped is rendered invalid. Their argument is based on the hadeeth of Thawban, that the Prophet (sall Allâhu’ alayhi wa sallam) said “The cupper and the cupped have broken the fast.” The second evidence is the hadith of Shaddad ibn Aws, who said: The Messenger of Allah (sall Allâhu’ alayhi wa sallam) came across a man in Al-Baqi` holding my hand on the 18th day of Ramadaan and said: “The cupper and the cupped have broken the fast.” A similar hadeeth was reported by Rafi` ibn Khudayyij, Abu Hurayrah and Abu Musa Al Ash’aree. Reported in Sunan Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah for both and also Sunan an-Nasaa’ee with sound chains of transmission according to Imaam an-Nawawee found in Al-Majmu` (6/349-350) and also Fath Al-Bari (5/79).

The other opinion is that cupping does not invalidate the fast because of these narrations because they have been abrogated by the following ahadith:

Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet was cupped while he was in the state of lhram, and also while he was observing a fast. And he also narrated the Prophet was cupped while he was fasting. Sahih Al Bukhaaree (3/31/159-160). Thabit Al-Bunani narrated Anas bin Malik was asked whether they disliked the cupping for a fasting person. He replied in the negative and said, “Only if it causes weakness.” Sahih Al Bukhaaree (3/31/161). Again because of this there is a difference of opinion in this matter and one should follow an opinion that he is sure about.

Chapter 4: Repayment of Missed or Broken Fasts
Chapter 5: Recommended, Disliked, and Impermissible Days of Fasting

(Chapter 4 & 5 – Insha’Allah comming soon around Eid al Fitr)

IBN AL HYDERABADEE