Fatwa ID: 08062

Answered by: Alimah Saniyah bint Asrar

Question:

After rinsing my mouth, I wiped my lips dry with a piece of cloth. Later, it felt like I had food in the top end of my mouth, near my throat. I swallowed it since I had just rinsed my mouth previously; however, there was a chance this was actual food, and I intentionally swallowed it knowing this. Another day, after rinsing my mouth, I felt like I had food in the roof of my mouth. I intentionally swallowed it, knowing it could be food, but I thought it might just be my imagination. When I swallowed, it felt like it was in my throat. I then tried not to swallow deliberately and tried to expel it from my throat, but I think it went down anyway. I’m confused as to what this was in my mouth, whether it was a piece of thread from the first instance where I wiped my mouth on a cloth, but I never felt it enter my mouth. Or in the second instance where it felt like I had something in my mouth randomly – it felt like a dot in my mouth. Is my fast valid in both instances as I swallowed deliberately, knowing it could be food or a piece of thread? If it is not valid, do I have to make up one day each for both instances only? Recently, when making up my fast, I thought I had thread in my mouth and swallowed it. Was my makeup fast valid or not? If not, do I need to make up a fast for this makeup fast on top of the one I was making up already from Ramadan? Please can you give me a clear yes or no answer for all three instances as I suffer from waswas (intrusive thoughts/whispers). Thank you.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

In all of these cases, it seems as if you are doubtful of food being in your mouth in the first place. In such a case, you should ignore such doubts and proceed with the belief that you did not swallow anything that invalidates your fast, especially since you mentioned that you were having such doubts after rinsing your mouth. As for swallowing a thread, if you did so unintentionally, your fast will be valid. If it was done intentionally, you would need to make up the fast.

الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية ١/‏٢٠٣
وَمَا لَيْسَ بِمَقْصُودٍ بِالْأَكْلِ، وَلَا يُمْكِنُ الِاحْتِرَازُ عَنْهُ كَالذُّبَابِ إذَا وَصَلَ إلَى جَوْفِ الصَّائِمِ لَمْ يُفْطِرْهُ كَذَا فِي إيضَاحِ الْكَرْمَانِيِّ وَلَوْ أَخَذَ الذُّبَابَ، وَأَكَلَهُ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ دُونَ الْكَفَّارَةِ كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ الطَّحَاوِيِّ.

البناية شرح الهداية ١/‏٤٦١
واليَقِينُ لَا يَزُولُ بِهِ فَلَا يُحْكَمُ بِالنَّجَاسَةِ إلَّا زَمَنَ الْيَقِينِ بِوُقُوعِهَا؛ لِأَنَّ الْيَقِينَ يَزُولُ بِيَقِينِ مِثْلِهِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ هُوَ الْقِيَاسُ

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saniyah bint Asrar
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham