Does a wet dream break the fast?

Detailed answer

No. A wet dream (ihtilam) does not break the fast, whether it happens at night or during a daytime nap. It is completely involuntary, and scholars agree that the fast remains valid. You do not need to make up the day or pay anything.

What the Quran and Sunnah say

Islam does not hold people responsible for what is outside their control. Allah says: "Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear" (Al-Baqarah 2:286). The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said that the pen is lifted, meaning nothing is recorded against a person, for three people, among them the one who is asleep until he wakes up (Abu Dawud and others). Something that happens in your sleep cannot spoil an act of worship you chose to do.

What you need to do

• Take a ghusl (full ritual bath) before your next prayer, because a wet dream with discharge requires it, in Ramadan or not.
• Keep fasting as normal until sunset.
• Be gentle with the water while bathing: rinse your mouth and nose lightly so that nothing goes down your throat.

Delaying the ghusl a little does not affect the fast either, but do not let a prayer time pass without it. The same principle explains why someone can fast while needing ghusl at dawn.

How is this different from other cases?

What makes the difference is choice. Ejaculation caused deliberately while awake breaks the fast according to most scholars; see masturbation and fasting. Pre-seminal fluid is a separate question, covered in madhi and the fast.

A word of reassurance

Many people, especially young people and new Muslims, worry about this. There is no need to feel guilty or embarrassed: it is a natural function of the body, and Islam deals with it simply and practically. Take your bath, pray and continue your day with a calm heart.