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Fatwa CenterMasturbated in Ramadan without knowing that it was Haraam
Question
Well sorry for taking so much of your time. As for my question. I of course heard masturbation is haram! YES! And I tried to stop it and in the end I got rid of the bad habit. ALHAMDULILLAH! And thanks to Allah I made it. As for the past ramadans I did not know masturbations was haram? If I had known I would never have done it when I fasted. Is it still for me obliged to refast these days? Even though I did not know and have repented? It will be many days and due to me not knowing it, growing up in a western country I could not know and I did not do it on purpose. I fear Allah and would never do anything that he prohibited me to do. The last ramadan in 2006 I fasted without doing the haram because at that time I KNEW WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WRONG. nobody had informed me and I am selftaught in many things like prayer, knowing things in islam. Wasn't taught about these things that much in my childhood! SHOUDL I REFAST ALL THESE DAYS EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT KNOW BETTER AT THAT TIME? AGAIN SORRY FOR SUCH A LONG MESSAGE but I felt I needed to write to you and also inform myself about things. And I hope you will insha'Allah answer me in an islamic manner and answer with the truth of Islam :), ameen!
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
We have mentioned in Fatwa 85151 that masturbation during the day of Ramadan nullifies the fasting and that the person who does so must make up those days even if they are many. If one does not know exactly the number of the days, then he should fast the number of days which he strongly believes would cover the number of days he nullified his fast.
However, the scholars 
have stated clearly that whoever eats or drinks or indulges in sexual intercourse during the day of Ramadan not knowing that it is prohibited, such as a person who was raised in a remote desert or a new-comer to Islam, then his fast does not become null for that violation.
If the environment where the enquiring sister lives lacks Islamic knowledge and ignorance is prevailing to the extent that people do not know that masturbation nullifies fasting, and the enquiring sister was ignorant about that ruling, then her situation is similar to that of the one who was raised in a remote desert. Therefore, her fasting is valid and she does not need to make up those days. However, if she fasts the missed days then it is better to be on the safe side.
Allaah Knows best.
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