Fatwa ID: 07916
Written by Molana Sibghat Ullah
Question:
I have a question about kaffarah.
– I haven’t brushed my teeth at suhoor and there were food particles stuck in my teeth. And I swallowed this intentionally and unconsciously. I didn’t know the size of it. Must i Perform Kaffarah in this situation?
– I accidentally drank 30 seconds before suhoor, and after this I also had a sip in my mouth that I deliberately swallowed, Because I think I couldn’t stop this one. Must I do Kaffarah?
– I had a chocolate waffle at Suhoor and brushed my teeth, but that chocolate remained in my saliva or mucus. Apparently, there was also some leftover food that I had deliberately swallowed. A few hours later I was riding my bike home, and it was raining, and my mouth was open, and I was swallowing water.
No, this is not a joke, Is kaffarah necessary
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In islam intentionally consuming substances during a fast can invalidate the fast and may necessitate both Qada (making up the fast) and kaffara (expiation).
If a fasting person deliberately swallows food particles that were stuck between the teeth, the ruling depends on the size of the particles. If the particle is less than the size of a chickpea then it does not invalidate the fast, as it’s considered negligible and similar to swallowing a saliva[i].
If it is equal to or larger than a chickpea then intentionally swallowing a particle of this size invalidates the fast. In such case, only Qada is required[ii]. This is because the act doesn’t involve deliberate consumption of food or drink in a conventional sense.
In case of Intentionally drinking rainwater by opening mouth while riding a bike will invalidates the fast. Since the individual intentionally consumed rainwater during the fast, both Qada’ and Kaffara become obligatory which means to fast two consecutive months. If one is unable to do so due to legitimate reasons, feeding sixty poor people is prescribed as an alternative.
Hope this answers the question.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Molana Sibghat Ullah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References
Maraqi al-Falah, book of fasting, Page 660, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah.
وإن ابتلع ما بين أسنانه فإن كان دون الحمصة لا يفطر، وإن كان مثلها يفطر
If one swallows what is between the teeth: if it is less than the size of a chickpea, it does not break the fast; if it is equal to it, it breaks the fast.
Maraqi al-Falah, book of fasting, Page 660, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah.
وإن ابتلع ما بين أسنانه فإن كان دون الحمصة لا يفطر، وإن كان مثلها يفطر
If one swallows what is between the teeth: if it is less than the size of a chickpea, it does not break the fast; if it is equal to it, it breaks the fast.
Al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Book of fasting, Volume 2, Page 395, Dar al-Fikr.
وإن ابتلع مطرًا أو ثلجًا أو بردًا أفطر
If one swallows rain, snow, or hail, the fast is broken.
Mukhtasar al-Quduri, Book of fasting, Page 89, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah.
والكفارة صوم شهرين متتابعين، فإن لم يستطع فإطعام ستين مسكينًا
The expiation is fasting two consecutive months; if unable, then feeding sixty poor people.
