Short answer
No. Kissing or touching your spouse does not break the fast unless it leads to ejaculation. In the Hanafi school it is makruh if you fear it will lead further, and fine if you are sure of yourself. Pre-seminal fluid (madhi) does not break the fast in the Hanafi school, though the Maliki and Hanbali schools differ.
Kissing and embracing a spouse while fasting do not break the fast. They are makruh for someone who fears ejaculation or intercourse, and not makruh for someone confident of self-control. Ejaculation caused by kissing or touching breaks the fast, with qada only and no kaffarah. Madhi does not break the fast, and neither does ejaculation from looking or thinking alone.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- Madhi caused by kissing or touching breaks the fast and requires qada. Ejaculation from prolonged looking or thinking also breaks it.
- Hanbali
- Madhi caused by kissing or touching breaks the fast in the main view of the school, and so does ejaculation from repeated looking.
Explanation
Aisha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, reported that he would kiss and embrace while fasting, and added that he had more control over his desire than any of us. The scholars take two things from this: kissing does not break the fast, and whether it is wise depends on your self-control.
- A kiss or hug with no further result: fast is valid.
- Madhi (pre-seminal fluid): fast is valid in the Hanafi school, though wudu is broken.
- Ejaculation from kissing or touching: fast is broken, make up one day.
- Ejaculation from looking or thinking only: fast is valid in the Hanafi school.
- Masturbation: fast is broken, make up one day, and it is sinful.
- Swallowing your spouse's saliva: fast is broken.
- Intercourse: qada and kaffarah. See breaking the fast on purpose.
If you are newly married or easily aroused, the Hanafi scholars advise keeping physical affection for the night, which is fully permitted from sunset to dawn. Allah describes spouses as clothing for each other and allows intimacy in the nights of Ramadan.
For the wider rules on intimacy during the month, see intimacy in Ramadan.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:187
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَٱلْـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَٰجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٧﴾
It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.
Intimacy is allowed in the nights of Ramadan, and only intercourse and what leads to ejaculation are held back during the day.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1927
Sahih... كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقبل ويباشر وهو صائم وكان أملككم لإربه ...
"The Prophet ﷺ used to kiss and embrace while fasting, and he had the most control of you over his desire."
Kissing does not break the fast, but it is for those who can control themselves.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Sawm, chapter on what requires qada and kaffarah. There is no harm in kissing if one feels safe; ejaculation from kissing or touching requires qada without kaffarah.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Sawm, chapter on what is disliked for the fasting person. Kissing and touching are makruh when there is fear of ejaculation or intercourse.
- Mukhtasar Khalil with al-Sharh al-Kabir, Bab al-Siyam. The Maliki view that madhi from kissing requires qada.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.