Fasting: What physical contact is permitted?

Can you please tell me the extent of the physical relationship allowed between husband and wife during Ramadan while fasting and after iftar.

Walaikum assalam,

After maghrib, everything permitted is permitted.

During the fast:

1. Intercourse or ejaculation would invalidate the fast, and is sinful.

2. Anything sexual in nature is disliked.

If it is feared that this could lead to intercourse or ejaculation, it would be prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman), and sinful;

If it is not feared that this could lead to intercourse or ejaculation, it is somewhat disliked (makruh tanzihan) and blameworthy, because of the possibility of it doing so (and thus invalidating an act of worship) and because it goes against the spirit and meanings of fasting;

3. Non-sexual affectionate kissing, from which there is no fear of the above is not disliked.

[Based on Ibn Abidin’s Radd al-Muhtar, and elsewhere]

Walaikum assalam,

Faraz Rabbani.