Is Swimming Permissible While Fasting?

Rukhsar Rehman

February 20, 2026

Swimming during fasting is not advisable due to the risk of water entering the body and invalidating the fast.

Photo by Emily Rose

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Fasting requires abstaining from anything entering the body cavity intentionally. Swimming poses a genuine risk of water reaching the throat or nasal passage beyond the bone, which breaks the fast.

Can You Swim While Fasting?

Not recommended.

If water enters the throat or passes the nasal bone, the fast breaks and must be made up later (qadhā).

Evidence

General Principle of Fasting
Allah says:

“Eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of dawn. Then complete the fast until night.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:187)
This implies avoiding anything entering the body during fasting hours.

Scholarly Ruling on Water Entry
Al-Taḥtāwī ʿalā Marāqī al-Falāḥ (p. 672) states:

“If water is swallowed accidentally while rinsing or swimming, or enters through the nose and passes the nasal bone, the fast breaks and qadhā is required.”

Precautionary Principle
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Leave what causes doubt for what does not cause doubt.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2518)
Swimming introduces unnecessary risk of accidental intake.

Bottom Line

Accidentally swallowed → fast breaks, qadhā required.
Water reaches nasal bone → same ruling.
Mere moisture in nose without passage → fast remains valid.

Swimming while fasting is risky and discouraged. If water enters the throat or nasal cavity beyond the bone, the fast breaks and requires later makeup. Prioritize activities that safeguard your fast.