Fatwa ID: 06602
Answered by: Maulana Burhaan Rahman
Question:
When I lick my lips, they taste salty. Does this taste break a fast?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Allah SWT mentions in the Qur’an:
وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ
And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread (of the night). [Surah Baqarah verse 187]
Licking lips that are salty can be a result of two things.
- Actual salt from food. So for example if one had salt remaining on his lips from eating and licks it off knowing it’s there and is aware of it, the fast is broken. If one didn’t realise and licks the lips, the fast is not broken.
Our beloved prophet (SAW) mentions:
مَنْ نَسِيَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ فأَكل أو شَرِب، فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ الله وَسَقَاهُ
Whoever eats or drinks forgetfully while he is fasting, let him complete his fast for Allah has fed him and given him drink. [Bukhari Hadeeth no: 1933]
- Sweat that naturally occurs from the body/face and one licks it. This doesn’t fall into the category of food and drink. However technically, if one is to consume so much of it theoretically speaking e.g. deliberately licks and consumes so much of it etc. then it invalidates fast. But something like that doesn’t happen as humans don’t lick off sweat in abundance.
It also mentions in Fath Al Qadeer:
إذا دخل دموعه أو عرقه حلقه وهو قليل كقطرة أو قطرتين لا يفطر وإذا كثر بحيث يجد ملوحته في الحلق فسد
If tears or sweat enter into one’s mouth and it is very less; (equivalent to) a drop or two his/her fast is not broken. However, if it is so much (he consumes in abundance), where excessive saltiness is felt in his mouth, the fast is broken. [Fath Al Qadeer Vol 6 page 283]
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Burhaan Rahman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
