Answer By Dr Zakir Naik,When a person drinks or eats unintentionally because of forgetfulness it does not break the fast. And this normally happens manly in the first few days of the month of Ramadhaan. A person is used to his daily activity and suddenly Ramadhaan comes... so unintentionally he may go to the kitchen or he may pick up a bottle of water and pour it in the glass and have it. A person goes jogging and comes back and is used to having water. So it does happen. So based on the Hadith of Muhammad (saw) which is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, Vol No. 3, in the Book of Fasting, Hadith 1933, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, that, "Anyone who eats or drinks unintentionally he has to complete the fast in the day, the fast is not broken and whatever he has eaten or drunk Allah has provided him with that."So if you drink unintentionally the fast is not broken but if you drink intentionally then it is broken. And while drinking if you realize or while eating you realize, immediately you should stop because then if you continue it will be counted as though you are having it intention. Moment you realize you should stop it and if there's some food in the mouth and you realize you're fasting you should spit it out. But unintentionally whatever is done, it is forgiven.
