Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?

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Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
OP - July 15, 2010, 07:46 AM

After reading the thread by HighOctane about "Schools advised to cancel swimming during Ramadan" I remembered my discussion with some people I know about why would swimming in salty sea water be considered as a possible risk for breaking one's fasting.

I remember arguing that no sane person would intentionaly drink sea water, as everybody knows that it would kill you. Even if you are extremely thirsty you would never dream of drinking from the sea unless you wish to die.

I remember saying that Wudo (cleaning with water before prayers) has actually more risk of swollowing fresh drinkable water, so would we avoid wudo during ramadan?

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #1 - July 15, 2010, 07:56 AM

I used to swim when fasting. Or showering when fasting. Just made sure I didn't swallow and if I did just asked for forgiveness since I didn't mean to. I used to brush my teeth too.
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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #2 - July 15, 2010, 08:12 AM

You see my argument is that if swimming can make your fasting void (especially sea water which is undrinkable) then Wudo should.

I am saying this because Ramadan starts in less 3 weeks and summer just started here and I know that beaches will be deserted because Muslims here will fear that they will be breaking their fast. And I think it's rediculos even when I was supposed to be a Muslim I thought the same.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #3 - July 15, 2010, 08:13 AM

It's irrational fear, and the muslim precept of better not do to be on the safe side, then to do and do something haram.
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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #4 - July 15, 2010, 08:18 AM

Some Muslims I argued with few days ago mentioned that any food or drinks that pass by the pharynx will void fasting. And I said what if I have some juice or purée through a medical NGT (nasogastric tube), better still, what about patients who have a colostomy bag attached to their abdomen and opens directly into their stomachs? Can they have some food inserted without breaking their fasting? I got No answer what-so-ever from them!

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #5 - July 15, 2010, 08:21 AM

This is why I hate religion, it's ritualized OCD.

What exactly is the point of fasting? Is it really meant to be this rigid? Shouldn't it be a spiritual?
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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #6 - July 15, 2010, 08:29 AM

Quote from: RIBS on July 15, 2010, 08:18 AM
Some Muslims I argued with few days ago mentioned that any food or drinks that pass by the pharynx will void fasting. And I said what if I have some juice or purée through a medical NGT (nasogastric tube), better still, what about patients who have a colostomy bag attached to their abdomen and opens directly into their stomachs? Can they have some food inserted without breaking their fasting? I got No answer what-so-ever from them!

What about patients who are on IV drips?

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #7 - July 15, 2010, 08:33 AM

Should you even fast if you're sick?
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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #8 - July 15, 2010, 08:54 AM

Probably not. Especially not if you're on a drip or receiving food and drink via a tune. Stopping that could kill you.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #9 - July 15, 2010, 09:01 AM

Quote from: osmanthus on July 15, 2010, 08:29 AM
What about patients who are on IV drips?

Exactly, if I feel very thirsty I can be rehydrated with an IV line.

Quote from: BlackDog on July 15, 2010, 08:33 AM
Should you even fast if you're sick?

You see, many sick people do fast because they don't want to repay the void days.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #10 - July 15, 2010, 09:11 AM

Quote from: osmanthus on July 15, 2010, 08:54 AM
Probably not. Especially not if you're on a drip or receiving food and drink via a tune. Stopping that could kill you.

I am particularly addressing the difference between undrinkable salty sea water which is known to harm us and the fresh drinkable water of Wudo, especially when Muslims are supposed to wash their mouths 3 times at a time for 5 prayers daily.

LOL... We have a funny joke about an old man who was asked: How did you manage to survive the very long hot days last Ramadan? "If it wasn't for the Few gulps of water I sneaked during wudo, I would have perished", he replied!

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #11 - July 15, 2010, 09:21 AM

Ok but what is the restriction exactly? I mean if you have a mouthful of water you can never be sure that at least a few molecules wont find their way down your throat.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #12 - July 15, 2010, 09:33 AM

Quote from: osmanthus on July 15, 2010, 09:21 AM
Ok but what is the restriction exactly? I mean if you have a mouthful of water you can never be sure that at least a few molecules wont find their way down your throat.

Actually, you can be quite sure that you will end up swallowing some external water since it will mix with your own saliva and then you will swallow that down.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #13 - July 15, 2010, 09:34 AM

Quote from: osmanthus on July 15, 2010, 09:21 AM
Ok but what is the restriction exactly? I mean if you have a mouthful of water you can never be sure that at least a few molecules wont find their way down your throat.

I can assure you it's more than a few molecules. You can't go about spitting for half an hour to make sure no forigen water entered your mouth apart from your own spit!

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #14 - July 15, 2010, 09:40 AM

Yes it would be more than that. Seems funny that it was never reasoned through.

I had another related idea. Humidity. If you're in a climate where the humidity gets high you are effectively drinking rainwater all the time. Figure that one out.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #15 - July 15, 2010, 09:43 AM

Religion is so ridiculous.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #16 - July 15, 2010, 10:05 AM

If one can bathe, shower and do wudhu whilst fasting then swimming isn't a problem. Muslims just like to be special.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #17 - July 15, 2010, 10:21 AM

Quote from: Pariah on July 15, 2010, 10:05 AM
If one can bathe, shower and do wudhu whilst fasting then swimming isn't a problem. Muslims just like to be special.

Exactly... Would you use your jacuzzi, if you have one? Or is that haram?

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #18 - July 15, 2010, 10:30 AM

I used not to brush my teeth in the morning during Ramadhan. So gross :/ I was told that the bad breath fasting people get is dearer to Allah than the perfumes of Jannah.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #19 - July 15, 2010, 10:38 AM

Quote from: BlackDog on July 15, 2010, 08:21 AM
This is why I hate religion, it's ritualized OCD.

What exactly is the point of fasting? Is it really meant to be this rigid? Shouldn't it be a spiritual?

+1

That is my whole problem with Islam. Hence, why I left it.

Ritualizing every little thing like Islam does saps any spiritual meaning out of it, imo.

Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

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Re: Why can't you swim in the sea during Ramadan?
Reply #20 - July 15, 2010, 10:46 AM

OK the only reason I wouldn't swim when fasting is because I'd leave the pool dehydrated.

I wouldn’t do any kind of strenuous activity.
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