How to overcome doubts while fasting

Dr. Zakir: As far as when a person has a doubt, the act he’s doing is it permissible or not? Or if he has a doubt that it will break the fast, the best is, when in doubt leave it out.
When a doubt comes the best is to abstain from it lest it may have been prohibited. If it’s a doubt and if you don’t do it then it will not be a sin. So it’s preferable to stay away from it, but the best golden rule is,
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 43, as well as Surah Ambiya’, Chapter No. 21, Verse No. 7,
“Fas’alu Ahlaz Zikri Inkuntum La Ta’lamun”
“If you don’t know ask the person who has the message”
Ask the person who’s knowledgeable, go and ask a scholar and he will guide you whether it’s permissible or not, that’s the best. But till that time when in doubt, leave it out is the best policy.
Yusuf Chambers: Good advice. If a person in a situation where one fuels, composed, or forced into breaking the fast or when one breaks it out of ignorance of a ruling, is it permissible, that this person should be breaking their fast in such conditions?
Dr. Zakir: As a rule, whether the fast breaks or not, or is it permissible, if someone is forced to break it out of ignorance, out of mistake.
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 106, that,
“After you have believed and then if you go to unbelief unless it is out of compulsion…”
That means even if you do Shirk out of compulsion, as long as in your heart there is Taqwa, fear of Allah, then it’s permissible. So if someone forces you something which is not allowed and breaks the fast then you’re not responsible for the fast.
As far as the general ruling is concerned, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw), he said, it’s mentioned in (Sahih) Ibn Maajah, Volume No. 3, (Book of Divorce) Hadith No. 2043 as well as 2045, he said that,
“Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) has excused my Ummah from mistakes, from forgetfulness and from that which is forced on them.”
So besides force even if it’s a mistake or if it is due to forgetfulness Allah excuses that and that’s mentioned in the
Qur’an in Surah Ahzaab, Chapter No. 33, Verse No. 5 that,
“If you do it out of mistake and don’t intend doing it then Allah will forgive you”
And Allah also mentions in Surah Baqarah, Chapter No. 2, Verse No. 286, where we pray to Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala),
“Our Lord, please do not hold us responsible for our mistakes and forgetfulness”
So basically the things that break the fast whether it be eating, drinking, intercourse etc all these, there are four criteria to be looked into.