[Q 567] Ruling on Inhaling Steam While Fasting

QUESTION:

What is the ruling on inhaling steam from a pot of food whilst fasting?

Also what about going into a sauna?

ANSWER:

In the state of fasting, if the steam rising from a pot of food or smoke from elsewhere enters the throat unintentionally, then the fast does not break.
However, if steam or smoke is deliberately drawn inside through the nose or mouth, then the fast becomes invalid.

Furthermore, going into a sauna (steam bath) does not in itself break the fast, but since there is a large amount of steam there, it is better as a precaution to avoid it.

It is mentioned in Bahar-e-Shari‘at: “If smoke or dust enters the throat, the fast does not break. Whether it is flour dust that rises while grinding or sifting, or dust of grain, or dust blown by the wind, or dust raised by the hooves or galloping of animals that reaches the throat, even if one remembers that he is fasting. However, if he himself deliberately causes smoke to enter while remembering that he is fasting, then the fast becomes invalid, regardless of what kind of smoke it is and by whatever means it was made to enter. To the extent that if incense or the like was burning fragrantly, and he brought his mouth close and drew the smoke in through his nose, the fast would be nullified.”

(Bahar-e-Shari‘at, Volume 1, Page 988, Maktabatul Madinah, Karachi)

Answered by: Hafiz Jahanzaib (Ask Mufti Scholar)
Translated answer
Date: 26th February 2026.