He says in his letter: I hope you will clarify these questions and respond to them. May Allah grant you success. Is it permissible to use toothpaste, powders, or the miswak in Ramadan?
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The questioner : He says in his letter: I hope you will clarify these questions and respond to them. May Allah grant you success. Is it permissible to use toothpaste, powders, or the miswak in Ramadan when a person does not intend to rinse his mouth?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for the answer to this question, we say that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the Noble Qur'an:[An-Nahl 16:89] So, everything that people need in their religion, their worldly affairs, their livelihood, and their Hereafter, Allah the Exalted has made clear in His Book and on the tongue of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It is well known that Allah has forbidden the fasting person from eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse. He said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Al-Baqarah 2:187] Eating and drinking invalidate the fast by the consensus of the scholars. As for what reaches only the mouth, it does not invalidate the fast by the consensus of the scholars, as far as we know. Thus, the fasting person rinses his mouth with water, and the water reaches his mouth, but he does not break his fast by consensus.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Here, there are three things in the mouth that do not break the fast for the fasting person by consensus, and the stomach: the fasting person breaks his fast by what reaches it by consensus, as far as we know. Although there is disagreement regarding some things that reach it, such as what does not nourish or... but this is a disagreement that is not given attention. What reaches the stomach is a breaker of the fast without doubt.
The third is what reaches the throat but does not reach the stomach. This is a point of disagreement among the scholars: does it break the fast or not? After this introduction, it becomes clear to us that it is permissible for the fasting person to use toothpaste to clean his teeth and freshen his breath, as long as it does not reach his stomach. If it reaches his stomach, it breaks his fast if he reaches it by his own choice. As for what escapes from him when he uses it in his mouth, what escapes to his stomach without his intention, it does not break his fast. It does not break his fast because one of the conditions for breaking the fast is that the fasting person intends to consume the thing that breaks the fast, and he did not intend to consume what breaks his fast.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Evidence for the permissibility of this is that the miswak is permissible for the fasting person, and indeed it is prescribed for him at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, according to the stronger opinion. 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah said:Mishkat al-Masabih 2009 And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 47Sahih (Al-Albani) And it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) anything that indicates an exception for the fasting person after the sun passes its zenith. The original rule is that texts remain in their generality. Therefore, it is permissible for the fasting person to use the miswak and to use toothpaste, but he must be careful that nothing of it reaches his stomach. It is permissible for him to rinse his mouth if his mouth dries up from intense thirst; it is permissible for him to rinse his mouth in order to moisten his mouth so that it is easier for him to speak. All of this does not break the fast.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Also, the listener says.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for the answer to this question, we say that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the Noble Qur'an:
And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍSo now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset.
فَالآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Here, there are three things in the mouth that do not break the fast for the fasting person by consensus, and the stomach: the fasting person breaks his fast by what reaches it by consensus, as far as we know. Although there is disagreement regarding some things that reach it, such as what does not nourish or... but this is a disagreement that is not given attention. What reaches the stomach is a breaker of the fast without doubt.
The third is what reaches the throat but does not reach the stomach. This is a point of disagreement among the scholars: does it break the fast or not? After this introduction, it becomes clear to us that it is permissible for the fasting person to use toothpaste to clean his teeth and freshen his breath, as long as it does not reach his stomach. If it reaches his stomach, it breaks his fast if he reaches it by his own choice. As for what escapes from him when he uses it in his mouth, what escapes to his stomach without his intention, it does not break his fast. It does not break his fast because one of the conditions for breaking the fast is that the fasting person intends to consume the thing that breaks the fast, and he did not intend to consume what breaks his fast.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Evidence for the permissibility of this is that the miswak is permissible for the fasting person, and indeed it is prescribed for him at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, according to the stronger opinion. 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah said:
he had seen the Prophet more often than he could count using a toothstick while he was fasting
رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ما لا أحصي يتسوك وهو صائمWere it not hard on my ummah, I would order them to use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer.
لولا أن أشق على أمتي لأمرتهم بالسواك عند كل صلاةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Also, the listener says.