Taken from islam.ca
Q: I would like to know if during your work day in Ramadan, if you are allowed to gargle with mouth wash given that you have to interact with people constantly.
Answered by Shaikh Ahmed Kutty, Islamic Institute of Toronto
Your intention to appear in public and interact with people in a pleasant and pleasing manner is indeed commendable; and that is what every Muslim should do; for Islam teaches us to be people- friendly and easy to interact with.
Coming to your question about using mouth wash to gargle while fasting, let me state: There is nothing wrong about it as long we take care not to swallow the water.
It goes without saying that we are also allowed to use toothpaste while brushing. I wish to stress this point for many Muslims are under the wrong impression that use of toothpaste or mouth wash would break the fast.
Let me reiterate that such actions do not in anyway affect the validity of one’s fast for the following reasons:
First of all, such actions do not in any way fall under the category of consuming foods/drinks.
Secondly, we have ample evidence in the sources that companions such as Ibn Abbas and others allowed people to taste saltiness of foods—while fasting-- by placing them on the tip of the tongue.
Prophet, peace be upon him, was also in the habit of brushing his teeth numerous times during the day while fasting, even as he was wont of pouring water on his head to cool himself.
May Allah accept our fasts, prayers and supplications-aameen.
---------------------------------------
UPDATE by MC: I would like to add that many people view that using a toothbrush would be makrook (disliked) - if we swallowed the paste directly or via an aftertaste then the fast would be broken. If people have any doubts then please brush without the paste or simply use a Miswaak. They are cheap to buy and by using it you will feel more comfortable.
Friday 5 September 2008
Can you use Toothpaste and Mouthwash whilst Fasting in Ramadan?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
No matter how hard you try to avoid toothpaste to be swallowed there is always that feeling of mintness that will go down your throat and into your stomach, therefore due to natural swallowing mechanism - the toothpaste is still swallowed along with saliva.
So the best ways to avoid this dilemma is to make sure you clean you teeth before the fast begins at Fajr. Also, one can also use the Miswaak while fasting, this twig has antiseptic qualities that has been traditionally used for cleaning teeth since the Prophet’s (Pbuh) times.
Elaborating on the issue of tasting food while fasting, Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, adds:
There is nothing wrong with a fasting person tasting the food if he needs to, as long as he tastes it with the tip of the tongue and then spits it out without swallowing anything.
But if the fasting person forgets and swallows it by mistake, there is no sin on him, and he should complete the fast. This is because the general rule of Shari`ah is that the person who forgets is excused. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks something, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Cleanliness and purification is one of the great privileges of Islam. It has evolved a wonderful system that encompasses Muslim life on individual and social levels. Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both physical and spiritual terms. The attention to hygiene is the aspect which is an unknown concern in any other religion or philosophy before Islam. While people generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam insists on it, making it an indispensable fundamental of faith. Cleanliness is an essential part of Islamic life and in fact the meaning and spirit behind the concept of cleanliness is much beyond the superficial concept of the conventional cleanliness.
In the Holy Quran, there are a number of verses which shed light at the importance of cleanliness: "Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean." (Al Baqarah 2:222) At another place Allah says: “In it (mosque) are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure.” (9:108) Cleanliness and purity has been emphasized by various means in hundreds of Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In a Hadith he said: Cleanliness is half of faith. (Sahih Muslim Book 2, Number 0432) .
Just because some crazy scholar said that using toothpaste while fasting breaks your roza... one shouldnt follow it blindly and use his brain for his own sake... you dont want to spend your day with a stinky mouth just because someone said using toothpaste in ramadhan is haram... and its a well know fact that toothpase cannot feed u....
CONCLUSION : AS LONG UR INTENTION IS TO CLEAN UR TEETHS AND U DONT SWALLOW IT INTENTIONALLY... USING TOOTHPASTE IS FINE DURING RAMADHAN
As Salaam Wa Alekum,
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), saying: "By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the [bad] breath of the one who is fasting is better in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the smell of musk."(Reported in Sahih Muslim,Ahmad and an-Nasa'i). I think this hadith is self explanatory.
Its Sunnah to use miswak while fasting and during normal days.
But after using the toothpaste or mouthwash . The mintiness won't go in if you dry the mouth or tongue with tissue or towel or even use a hair dryer . It won't go in . Use ideas and commonsense times. Think deeper.
Post a Comment