Is it permissible for a wife to break a voluntary fast to break her fast for her husband to have sexual intercourse?
A woman is not permitted to observe a voluntary fast while her husband is present without his permission, based on the hadith: "No woman should observe a voluntary fast while her husband is present except with his permission..." Therefore, the husband has the right to make her break her fast. The Malikis are of the view that he can only make her break her fast through intercourse. If he gives her permission to fast and then later wishes for her to break it, she is allowed to break it, because a person observing a voluntary fast is their own master: if they wish, they can complete the fast, and if they wish, they can break it. The Sunnah has indicated the permissibility of breaking a voluntary fast, as seen in the story of 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the story of Abu Sa'id, and the story of Salman with Abu Ad-Darda.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/34892