Answer
Short Answer:
- You cannot swallow toothpaste while fasting, but the use of toothpaste does not in itself invalidate the fast.
- To be on the safe side, after the fast begins, one should avoid it.
- But there are circumstances, particularly if someone’s going to work, etc and if your breath is affected, then if there’s a need, then just use very little toothpaste and rinse your mouth.
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Asalamu Alaikum,
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Shaykh Faraz Rabbani from SeekersHub addresses this question in the video below:
Video Transcript
We have a number of answers on that in the Seekers hub answers. […]
You cannot swallow toothpaste while fasting because swallowing toothpaste or saliva affected by toothpaste would break your fast.
But the use of toothpaste does not in itself invalidate the fast unless you swallow the toothpaste itself or saliva affected by it.
Anything that could reasonably break your fast, deliberately choosing to do so in general is disliked. Because breaking your fast is prohibited.
That which comes close to something, takes something of its rulings.
So deliberately choosing to put anything in your mouth that you could end up swallowing, and thereby invalidating your fast, would be disliked if it’s without reason.
So, toothpaste, in general, will take that ruling as well. After the fast begins, one would avoid it.
But there are circumstances, particularly if someone’s going to work, etc and if your breath is affected, then if you are to use toothpaste and when there’s a need–and it’s disliked–it’s not prohibition. If there’s a need, then just use very little toothpaste and rinse your mouth.
And if you rinse out once you’re considered to have rinsed out the toothpaste any residual taste after that is excused.
So, if there’s no need, you’re just, it’s Saturday, you’re at home, and if you take care of your oral hygiene and you brush before the day starts, it, you should make it to the end of the day.
Don’t have garlic at sahoor time.
The Ruling of Miswak
But and also, it’s useful to learn how to use a tooth stick, sewak, because the tooth stick, right, this sewak or the miswak does not require any external agent in order for you to brush your teeth.
Alright, so if you keep a tooth stick, learn how to use it.
And it’s very useful. You can use it all day. Now you keep it moist so that the ends don’t come off.
But again, you use it once and then you rinse your mouth out once and that that’s enough.
And you can use the tooth stick in the Hanifi school, all day: in the Shafi’i school, only up till the midday.
I hope this helps answer your question. You can also check out more from SeekersHub at the link here.
Walaikum Asalam.
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(From Ask About Islam archives)
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