Ramadan FAQ

Q&A on Fasting

Q: Who are the people exempted from fasting?

A: They are: the sick, the traveler, the elderly (old man and old woman) who cannot fast or to whom fasting causes hardship, the one whom fasting weakens due to his weak physical structure or because s/he works in a strenuous job that drains him and prevents him from fasting and that s/he cannot do without it for his/her living, the one suffering from critical thirst, the pregnant woman who is about to give birth, and the breastfeeding woman whose milk is very little.

 

Q: What is the ruling regarding the fasting of a pregnant woman?

A: She has to fast unless fasting harms her or affects her pregnancy (‘fetus’).

Q: At what time should the intention of fasting in the month of Ramadan be made?

A: S/He should be intending to fast before the break of dawn.

 

Q: Should one renew the intention (Niyyah) of fasting every night, or is making the Niyyah at the beginning of the month sufficient for all the days of the month?

A: Making the intention (Niyyah) at the beginning of the month is sufficient for the whole month.

Q: At what exact time of sunset can one break his/her fast?

A: Sunset takes place as soon as the disk of the sun disappears and there is no need to wait for the disappearance of the eastern redness, knowing that waiting for the disappearance of the eastern redness is a recommended precaution; thus, one can break his/her fast when the disk of the sun disappears in the horizon.

 

Q: Should one wait twenty minutes after the disappearance of the disc of the sun to break his fast?

A: No, he should not, and it is permissible to break the fast as the disc of the sun disappears; however, as a recommended precaution, it is preferred to wait until the disappearance of the eastern redness; and it is nearly 13 minutes after the disc of the sun disappears.

 

Q: Should one perform the Maghrib (‘sunset’) prayer before breaking the fast?

A: No, s/he should not.

Q: Is it recommended to wake up at the Sahar (a period of about 1-2 hours before daybreak) in the month of Ramadan?

A: This is recommended in order to eat the Suhoor meal to avoid any weakness that could be caused by the fast and to revive the night worshipping Allah, such as performing the night prayer, reciting the Sahar supplications and others…

Q: I am an emulator of the late Religious Authority Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah; on what shall I rely with regard to the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan?

 

 

A: The emulators of his Eminence Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah should remain on his jurisprudential opinion with regard to determining the beginning of the month, knowing that the juristic office of His Eminence issues a statement in which it determines the beginning of the month of Ramadan as well as the other Hijri months according to the jurisprudential opinion of his Eminence.

 

Q: Is establishing the beginnings of the lunar (Hijri) months part of the new issues for which one ought to refer to a living religious authority?

 

 

A: Establishing the beginnings of the lunar (Hijri) months, such as the beginning of the month of Ramadan or the first day of the Eid, is not part of the new issues; thus, the emulators of His Eminence Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadhlullah can continue to follow his opinion regarding this matter.

 

Q: Is the Mukallaf allowed to go against the opinion of the Religious Authority s/he emulates regarding the beginnings of the lunar (Hijri) months?

 

A: No, s/he is not allowed to do so. For establishing the beginnings of the lunar (Hijri) months, s/he has to obey the jurisprudential opinion of the religious authority whose opinion can still be followed even after his death.

Q&A on Imsak

Q: When does abstaining from eating and drinking (Imsak) start for fasting? It is at the morning Azan or before it?

A: Abstinence from eating and drinking starts at dawn. But since it should start at dawn, one should abstain a little bit before that to ensure that his fasting is valid, especially that the Azan might be late owing to certain precautions.

 

Q: When should one observe Imsak (‘abstain from foods and drinks and anything that breaks his fasting’)?

A: Allah says in Quran: “And eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread” (02: 187). One should observe Imsak before the break of dawn, in the sense that when the dawn breaks, he should have observed Imsak; i.e. abstained from eating and drinking. One can refer to the trustworthy calendars, and it is unacceptable to keep consuming what breaks the fast until hearing the sound of Azan in the mosques, as it might not be accurate and some might even delay reciting the Azan until after the dawn breaks.

 

Q: What is the time interval between the false dawn (Al-Fajr Al-Kazib) and the true dawn (Al-Fajr As-Sadiq)?

A: It is around fifteen minutes.       

 

Q: When should the faster observe Imsak (‘start fasting at dawn’)? Should he follow the sunset and sunrise timings as found in the journal or the followed calendars?

A: If one is assured that the timings are set by an expert astronomer, then one can rely on them to determine the timings of prayer and fasting, knowing that Imsak starts from the true dawn; thus, as a precaution, it is preferred to observe Imsak a little while before the break of dawn.

Things that break the fast

Q: What are the things that break the fast?

A: What breaks fasting is: eating, drinking, sexual relations, intentional ejaculation of sperm, intentional remaining in a state of impurity as a result of menstruation or Nifas (‘the post-natal blood’) until the break of dawn with the ability to purify oneself before dawn. The things that break the fast as an obligatory precaution are liquid injections, intentional vomiting, and intentionally remaining in a state of Janabah (‘occurrence’ that makes washing obligatory).

 

Q: What is the ruling regarding smoking in the month of Ramadan, for as far as I know, anything that enters the body of those who are fasting break their fast, while you say that smoking does not break one’s fast?

A: It is impermissible to smoke, whether while fasting or at any other time, due to the severe damages of smoking that lead to dangerous or fatal diseases. Moreover, the one who smokes while s/he is fasting is actually violating the holiness of this blessed month, even when we deem that smoking does not break one’s fast.

 

Q: What is the ruling regarding the fast of a person who intentionally performs Ghosl (washing) after dawn in the month of Ramadan, although that person woke up before dawn and did not perform Ghosl out of laziness?

A: The person should continue his/her fast; however, s/he ought to make up for it and pay a Kaffara (‘atonement’) as an obligatory precaution.

 

Q: Does swallowing the saliva found in one’s mouth invalidate his/her fast?

A: Swallowing the saliva found in one’s mouth does not invalidate his/her fasting, even if it was abundant. Moreover, fasting is not invalidated by swallowing the phlegm secreted from the head or the chest, and most probably, even if it reaches the top of the throat.

 

Q: Does gastroesophageal reflux invalidate fasting?

A: If it is unintentional, then it does not break the fast.

 

Q: Does involuntary vomiting invalidate fasting?

A: No, it does not break the fast provided that it is unintentional.

 

Q: Does swallowing the phlegm invalidate fasting?

A: No, it does not.

 

Q: Does toothpaste break one’s fasting if it is used in the month of Ramadan?

A: No, it does not break the fast, provided that one does not intentionally swallow any of the paste.

 

Q: Does gargling using a liquid-medicine for the pharynx invalidate fasting? 

A: No, it does not invalidate fasting, provided that one does not intentionally swallow any of it.

 

Q: If blood comes out of one’s gum and it gets mixed with his saliva without knowing if it goes down to his stomach or not, what is the ruling regarding his fasting?

A: His fasting is deemed valid.

 

Q: Does treating tooth decay using different filling materials invalidate fasting?

A: It does not invalidate fasting as long as one does not swallow anything while undergoing treatment.

 

Q: Do dentures (false teeth) placed in the mouth invalidate fasting?

A: No, they do not.

Q: What is the ruling regarding using the nutritive serum whilst fasting?

A: Using the nutritive serum breaks one’s fast.

 

Q: What is the ruling regarding moisturising the lips with the tongue whilst praying and fasting?

A: This is permissible, and it does not break one’s fast.

 

Q: Some religiously uncommitted doctors prevent certain patients from fasting under the pretext that it causes harm. Is their opinion valid?

A: Yes, it is, provided that they are experts.

 

Q: Does cursing, swearing and saying bad words invalidate one’s fasting?

A: No, it does not invalidate one’s fasting, but such acts are forbidden because Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says: “Allah has made paradise prohibited to anyone who curses or abuses, who is impolite and does not care about what he says or what people say to him.”

Q: What is the ruling if the woman’s menstruation ends before dawn in the month of Ramadan and she does not perform Ghosl (‘washing’)?

A: If her act was intentional, she should make up for the missed day and pay a Kaffara; if it was unintentional, her fasting is deemed valid.

 

Q: Should the woman who is in a state of Istihada (‘uterine bleeding which it is neither menses nor Nifas’) perform Ghosl (‘washing’) before dawn in the month of Ramadan?

A: She is allowed to postpone the Ghosl until after dawn and her fasting is deemed valid.

 

Q: What is the ruling of the woman in her menses, in a state of Nifas (‘the post-natal blood’) and in a state of Istihada (uterine bleeding which it is neither menses nor Nifas’)?

A: The woman who is in her menses and the woman who is in a state of Nifas should not fast and they ought to make up for it later; however, the woman who is in a state of Istihada ought to fast and her fasting is valid.

 

Q: Is the woman who is in a state of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (Istihada) allowed to fast?

A: Indeed, she is allowed to fast.

 

Q: We have a patient suffering from haemorrhoids, and he needs rectal injections, would his fasting be affected?

A: Rectal injections break the fasting, as an obligatory precaution; thus, he ought to make up for the days in which he had rectal injections, as a precaution.

 

Q: Does pulling the tooth out using local anaesthetic in the month of Ramadan invalidate fasting?

A: having the tooth pulled out even by using local anaesthetic does not invalidate fasting provided that one makes sure not to swallow any blood and other material.

 

Q: Does having wet dreams during the day in the month of Ramadan break the fasting?

A: No, it does not break the fasting.

 

Q: If a person used not to perform Ghosl (‘washing’) of Janabah (‘occurrence’ that makes washing obligatory) not knowing that he should, what is the ruling regarding his prayers and fasting?

A: He should re-perform his prayers and not the fasting.

 

Q: Does the nutritive serum break one’s fast?

A: The nutritive serum breaks one’s fast, unless it includes a medication.

Q: Does the steam generated by the hot water while taking a shower invalidate fasting?

A: Steam does not invalidate fasting.

 

Q: Does tasting the food invalidate fasting?

A: The cook is allowed to taste the food, and his fasting would not be invalidated, provided that s/he tries his best not to swallow any of it.

 

Q: Does fluid injections break one’s fast?

A: Fluid injections, as an obligatory precaution, break one’s fast, even if it was used as a medical treatment. As for what is medically known as suppositories or other solids, such as ointments and the like, they do not break the fast.

 

Q: Does immersing the head in water break one’s fast?

A: Immersing the head in water does not break one’s fast, but he who is fasting should avoid doing do as an obligatory precaution.

 

Q: Does the inhalation of dust break the fast?

A: Inhaling thick and light dust, even if intentionally, does not break one’s fast, but one should avoid inhaling the thick dust as a recommended precaution. Moreover, steam and smoke from any source whatsoever do not break one’s fast, neither do the paint and glue sprayed by the modern pressure machines.

Q: Does the ear drop breaks the fast, knowing that it is sometimes used to melt the wax in the ear?

A: No, it does not.

 

Q: Do eardrops invalidate fasting?

A: No, they do not.

 

Q: Does the ear drop break one’s fast or not, knowing that it is used to melt the wax found in the ear?

A: No, eardrops do not break one’s fast.

 

Q: Does the drop used in the eye or other places break one’s fasting?

A: Anything that enters into one’s body from a place other than the pharynx is acceptable, if it is not considered a food or drink, such as entering a medication into the ear or the eye, even if one can feel its taste, or penetrating a needle or the like in one’s body and it reached the inside of the body, or injecting a medication into the body through the hand or the thigh by using a needle, or using the asthma spray, and other cases that are not classified as foods or drinks. As for the nose drop, apparently, it is classified under the category of foods and drinks, as it is close to the pharynx, thus, it breaks one’s fasting.

Q: Does the insulin shot break the fast?

A: Insulin shots do not break the fast, for they are a medication and not nutrients. Nevertheless, if fasting inflicts harm and damage on the diabetic patients, then fasting is invalid in this case, based on the principle of the impermissibility of harming oneself…

 

Q: Do medical and nutrition injections break the fast?

 

A: It is not a condition for food and drink to be regarded as moftir (breaks the fast) that they are taken through the mouth; so if food or drink enters via a pipe through the nose or other passage, or via a drip that takes nutrition to the body through a needle in the hand or otherwise; all this is regarded as moftir (breaks the fast). That said, if what is taken in is for treatment but not for feeding, then there is no problem in this case.

In a similar vein, it is not considered a food or a drink, entering a medication into the ear or the eye, even if one can feel its taste, or penetrating a needle in one’s body, or injecting a medication into the body through the hand or the thigh by using a needle, or using the asthma spray, and other cases that are not classified as foods or drinks.

Q: Do medical and nutrition injections break the fast?

A: It is not a condition for food and drink to be regarded as moftir (breaks the fast) that they are taken through the mouth; so if food or drink enters via a pipe through the nose or other passage, or via a drip that takes nutrition to the body through a needle in the hand or otherwise; all this is regarded as moftir (breaks the fast). That said, if what is taken in is for treatment but not for feeding, then there is no problem in this case.

In a similar vein, it is not considered a food or a drink, entering a medication into the ear or the eye, even if one can feel its taste, or penetrating a needle in one’s body, or injecting a medication into the body through the hand or the thigh by using a needle, or using the asthma spray, and other cases that are not classified as foods or drinks.

Q: Does placing a suppository in the rectum or the cervix (the neck of the womb) invalidate fasting?

A: No, it does not.

 

Q: Does brushing the teeth using a toothbrush and toothpaste break one’s fast?

A: No, it does not break the fast, provided that one does not intentionally swallow some of the paste.

 

Q: Does swimming in a pool without immersing the head in water or having water reach the mouth invalidate fasting, be it recommended, obligatory or made up for (Qada’)?

A: No, it does not (in all the said cases), and it is preferred not to immerse the entire head in water while fasting as an obligatory precaution.

 

Q: Is it permissible for a patient to undergo the procedure of introducing water into his rectum (enema) in the month of Ramadan? Does it invalidate fasting?

A: Fasting is invalidated by enema as an obligatory precaution. A patient may resort to it in necessary cases; however, he ought to make up for the days in which he undergoes the said procedure.

 

Q: What is the ruling if one drinks water forgetting that he is fasting in both the recommended and obligatory fasting?

A: One’s fasting is not invalidated upon consuming what breaks the fasting out of forgetfulness, and there is no difference in this ruling between the recommended and obligatory fasting.

 

Q: What is the ruling if one unintentionally consumes what breaks his fast, and then he breaks his fast thinking that his fasting has been invalidated?

A: Consuming what breaks the fast unintentionally does not invalidate neither the recommended nor the obligatory fasting, whether it is an on-time duty or a make-up duty and he who breaks his fast thinking that his fasting was invalidated as in the said case, then he should re-perform the fasting later without paying atonement (Kaffara).

 

Q: Is my fast broken if I eat unintentionally?

A: Eating unintentionally does not invalidate fasting.

 

Q: Does Kuhl (whether Arabic Kuhl or pencil-like Kuhl) invalidate fasting?

A: No, it does not.

 

Q: Does phlebotomy (extracting blood samples from the veins) invalidate fasting?

A: No, it does not; however, it becomes abominable (Makruh) if it weakens the one fasting.

 

Q: Does wearing perfume and smelling flowers in the month of Ramadan invalidate fasting?

 

A: It is abominable (Makruh) for the one fasting to smell flowers, although it does not invalidate fasting, and it is not abominable for him to wear perfume whether on the clothes or on the body.

 

 

 

 

Q: Does pelvic examination invalidate fasting?

 

A: No, it does not.

 

 

 

 

Q: Does general or local anaesthesia for surgeries break one’s fast?

 

A: If the anaesthesia is done after the intention of fasting, then the fasting is not invalidated, even if it was a general anaesthesia. As for local anaesthesia, it causes no problems whatsoever with regard to fasting. If general anaesthesia took place before dawn and before making the intention of fasting, then, fasting is invalidated and one should make up for this day.

 

 

 

 

Q: Does an endometrial biopsy invalidate the woman’s fasting?

 

A: No, it does not.

 

Q: What is the ruling regarding diving in the sea in the month of Ramadan if diving is a part of one’s job?

 

A: This is forbidden as an obligatory precaution if one dives without a helmet or full-face mask. In any case, one should avoid this (diving without a helmet) unless it is necessary, as in the case of one that diving is part of his job, meaning that he cannot forsake diving, knowing that if he dives, whether for an excuse or not, his fasting is not invalidated. As for diving with a full-face mask, it is permissible and it does not invalidate fasting.

 

Q: What is meant by immersing the head in water, and is someone considered to be immersing his head in water by taking a shower?

A: It means to cover the head totally with water, and taking a shower does not mean that one is immersing his head in water.

Compensation

Q: Should an old woman who does not fast and cannot make up for not fasting pay a Kaffara (atonement)?

A: If she is not able to fast or fasting could threaten her life, then she does not have to pay a Kaffara.

Q: What is the ruling if one found out that he observed Imsak after the break of dawn not knowing the actual time?

 

A: If he had checked and thought that it was still night, then his fasting is valid; if not, it is deemed invalid and he ought to make up for this day, knowing that he is not considered to have sinned and no Kaffara is incumbent on him as long as he was doubtful.

Q: Is it permissible to drink while doubting that the dawn has broken?

A: It is permissible to drink while doubting that the dawn has broken; however, if you found out later that you ate or drank after the dawn had broken, then you should make up for this day, but you are considered to have committed a sin and you do not have to pay a Kaffara.

Zakat al-Fitra

Q: What is Zakat Al-Fitra (the alms of breaking the fast)?

A: Zakat Al-Fitra (also transliterated into Zakat Al-Fitr) is an amount of money that should be paid on behalf of every person on a given day; the first of the month of Shawwal, marking Eid Al-Fitr, from which the word Fitra is derived. It is also permissible to give it out before this specified date.

 

Q: On whose behalf should one pay Zakat Al-Fitra?

A: The Mukallaf should pay it on behalf of himself and on behalf of the family members he sustains, and even the children and the ones exempted from fasting, as well as the servants who live in his house and the guests he receives and who sleep over at his house. For those who break their fast in his house but do not stay over, he should not pay the Zakat on their behalf.

 

Q: Is Zakat Al-Fitra due on a fetus?

A: No, it is not.

 

Q: At what time should Zakat Al-Fitra be paid?

A:  It should be paid on the morning of the Eid from dawn until before the time of performing the Eid prayer as an obligatory precaution for he who performs it. If he does not perform it, its time extends until before noon, and it is permissible to be paid during the month of Ramadan or the Eid eve.

 

Q: Is it permissible to pay Zakat Al-Fitra during the month of Ramadan?

A: This is permissible; however, it is preferred as a recommended precaution to pay it in the form of a loan to be considered as the Zakat it is on the day of the Eid.

 

 

Q: Should Zakat Al-Fitra be paid in the Mukallaf’s homeland?

A: The Mukallaf has, as an obligatory precaution, to pay Zakat Al-Fitra in his homeland if there are poor people entitled to it there; if not, then it is permissible to be paid elsewhere.

 

Q: Is it permissible to distribute the Zakat of Al-Fitra among several poor people?

A: This is permissible.

 

Q: If a person breaks his fast on the eve of the Eid at his parents’ house, who should pay the Fitra?

A: It is not enough for one to break his fast at his parents’ house to have them pay Al-Fitra on his behalf; but rather, he ought to sleep over at his parents’ house as well on the eve of the Eid.

 

 

Q: Should the poor give out Zakat Al-Fitra on behalf of himself and his family?

A: Zakat Al-Fitra is incumbent only on he who can provide the provisions for a year; however, even the poor is recommended to give it out on behalf of himself and his family when he can afford it. Moreover, it is recommended for he who can afford paying Zakat Al-Fitra on behalf of one person to circulate the alms on the family members, in the sense that the father gives his alms to one of his family members and that member would give it to another member and so on until the last member would give it to someone who is entitled to receive it from outside the family.Q: I did not pay Zakat Al-Fitra on my behalf on the specified date on the day of the Eid. Now, I want to make up for what I have missed; what should I do?

A: It is permissible for those who did not pay Zakat Al-Fitra on its specified date although they were financially able to do so to pay it now. As for those who were not financially able to pay Zakat Al-Fitra at the time, they do not have to pay it now.

Travel

Q: How should one calculate the ten days s/he intends to stay at a certain place in terms of their beginning and end?

A: What is meant by the ten days are ten days with nine nights included within, and they are the nights between the first and the last day. The day commences at the break of dawn, so the intention to stay in a certain country from the break of dawn of the first day of the month, for example, until the sunset of the tenth day is regarded as Iqamah (staying in one place for ten days). However, if one makes the intention for the Iqamah during the day, whether in the morning, noon or afterwards, s/he has to stay for the same part of the starting day; i.e. if s/he made the intention in the morning, s/he has to stay until the morning of the tenth day and so on. Moreover, the stay should be continuous in the same country. Thus, if one travels to another country, or s/he is not sure that s/he will stay for ten days, then s/he has not met the requirements of the Iqamah, so all its rulings would not apply to this case.

Q: Is it necessary as a condition for the permissibility of breaking the fast by the traveller to maintain for sure the intention of travelling?

A: It is not a condition, and even if one had not made at night the intention of travelling, and s/he had to travel before noon and s/he did travel then s/he can break his fast.

 

Q: When is the traveller who has to break his/her fast for travelling allowed to break his/her fast?

A: Such traveller is allowed to break his/her fast after reaching Had- At-Tarakhus (the place where the traveller gets so far away from the houses of his/her town or city in a way that if someone views him/her from that town or that city will not recognise him/her anymore). Notably, s/he is not allowed to break his/her fast in his/her homeland if s/he wants to travel.

Q: Is the traveller allowed to remain willingly fasting after passing Had At-Tarakhus; the point from which the traveller is allowed to break his/her fast?

A: If s/he passes Had At-Tarakhus and s/he was intending to cover the distance that requires breaking the fast, then s/he is not allowed to continue fasting, and s/he should make up for this day.

 

Q: When is a person considered to be someone who travels a lot?

A: The one who is meant by travelling a lot is the person who repeats his/her travel at least four times in a month, whether for work, studies or other purposes.

 

Q: Is it permissible for someone who is fasting to cover a certain distance for the sole purpose of breaking his/her fast intentionally, knowing that s/he covers the distance by car and without any hardship?

A: It is permissible for a person who is fasting to travel intentionally, even if it is not necessary, and s/he can break his/her fast. The allowance of breaking one’s fast while travelling is not related to the hardships of travel; but rather, it is a gift from Allah, the Most Exalted, to the traveller as narrated in traditions.

 

Q: Why should the traveller break his/her fast after travelling for a certain distance, knowing that travelling these days no longer causes any hardships?

A: Such conditions are parts of the acts of worship that we should abide by. They have nothing to do with getting tired. It has been stated in the Quran as such: “For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does good spontaneously it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know” (02:184).

Q: Is it permissible for the one travelling to fast?

A: Fasting while travelling is absolutely invalidated, even if the traveller does not eat or drink. However, if the traveller returns to his/her homeland before (zawal) noon without having consumed what could break his/her fast, then s/he can make the intention of fasting and fast on this day. The same ruling applies if s/he reaches his destination before noon and makes the intention of a ten-day stay, then s/he has to make the intention of fasting and fast if s/he had not consumed what could break his/her fast.

Q: When is the traveller allowed to remain to fast, if his/her travel was not for work or s/he does not travel much (at least four times a month)?

A: S/He can fast on the day of his travel, if s/he is able to return to his/her homeland before noon without having broken his/her fast, then s/he should remain fasting if his/her travel started before noon.

Q: Is it permissible for someone to make up for the missed fasting days (qada’) while on travel?

A: No, it is not permissible.

Q: What is the ruling if the one fasting travelled before noon or after noon, and what is the ruling if s/he returned home in both cases?

A: If the one fasting travelled after noon, s/he ought to maintain his fast; whereas, if s/he travelled before noon, s/he ought to break his/her fast. Moreover, on his/her way back; if s/he returned and reached home after noon, then s/he ought to break his/her fast and his/her fasting will not be valid, but if s/he reached home before noon and s/he had not yet consumed what breaks his/her fast then he ought to maintain his/her fast; if s/he had consumed what breaks his/her fast, then his/her fast is deemed invalid.

Q: What is the distance that one should cover to break his fast?

A: It is approximately 44 km either one way or back and forth.

Q: From where do we start calculating the distance of travel?

A: Calculating the travelled distance from the beginning of the journey should start from the last house of the village or city from which one leaves, to the first house of the village or city headed for from the side one enters into it at the end of the journey.

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