On the fifth day of Ramadan, I had a spit-up; it went out and then back in. Should I make up for that day later, after Ramadan?

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

Vomits and spit-ups are similar. Vomit refers to the food that is ejected from within after it has settled into the stomach. Mu‘jam Lughat al-Fuqahaa’ defines vomit as follows: “Vomit is what is ejected from the stomach through the mouth.”

Spit-up is a mouthful or smaller that is ejected from the throat. This is not vomit. If it comes back, then it is vomit, as stated by Al-Khaleel.  

The author of Al-Muntaqa, says, “Spit-up is a small amount of food or water that comes out to the mouth.”

The difference between vomit and spit-up is that the latter is smaller than the former. Vomit and spit-up can both invalidate the fast since both come from the stomach. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever is overcome by vomit is not required to make up for the fast, but whoever vomits deliberately, he has to make up that day.” [Ahmad, At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, and Ibn Maajah] Ad-Daaraqutni judged the Hadeeth to be strong. Spit-up is treated as vomit in this regard.

Allaah Knows best.