Fatwa ID: 01810

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

I got this question from a sister and I hope you may help in a short time if possible, due to the "urgency" of the matter with regards to these days fasting:

"I have a problem with my teeth: I have bleeding from my gums, especially after brushing teeth and washing my mouth during wudu'. I've tried to avoid these acts but now I discovered another hole in my gum, two teeth beyond the other hole I already had. This new one, it's enough to watch at him for it to bleed! The hole is still "fresh" (I don't know how it formed!) and even when it doesn't bleed, there is a constant presence of blood altering my saliva. I can't avoid swallowing for a whole day: I tried but it's impossible not to swallow for more than a minute!
How can I fast in this way?! I don't know what to do, please help!”

Answer:

In principle the Islamic ruling is if the saliva is more than the blood and one swallows it, his fast would remain intact. However, if the blood is more than the saliva and one swallows it then his fast would break. (Fatawa Rahimiyah p.108 v.3)

Regarding your question, if the sister in question suffers from excessive bleeding of the gums to such an extent that she regularly swallows blood without even intending to do so, then she would be excused and her fast would not break by swallowing the blood. (Ahsanul Fatawa p.448 v.4)

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham