Knowledge

Can you brush your teeth in Ramadan?

Question:

Are you allowed to brush your teeth when fasting? If not, how do you get rid of bad breath so people are not uncomfortable around you?

Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Thank you for your question.

Brushing the teeth during fasting is permissible and an established practice of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Rabi’ah (ra) states, “I seen the Prophet (pbuh) on countless occassions, brushing his teeth with the siwaak (tooth stick), while he was in the state of fasting” (Tirmidhi)

Abd Al Rahman Ibn Ghanam (ra) says, “I asked Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra), shall I brush my teeth while in the state of fasting?”, He replied, “Yes”. I asked, “Which time of the day?”, He replied, “Through out the day.”, I objected, “The people dislike brushing the teeth during the day and they say the Messenger of Allah said, ‘The smell emanating from the mouth of the one fasting is better with Allah then the smell of musk.'” Muadh Ibn Jabal then said, “Subhan Allah, the Prophet (pbuh) instructed people to brush the teeth, and it is not from the command of the Prophet that people deliberately leave their mouths dry (and filthy). There is no goodness whatsoever in that but in fact there is bad in it.” (Tabraani, Talkhees)

Brushing With Tooth Paste
Brushing the teeth with toothpaste would also be permissible with the condition that, the tooth paste and its remnants are not swallowed. Some contemporary scholars have listed the brushing of the teeth with tooth paste, as a ‘makruh'(disliked) action, due to the fact that it is very difficult to avoid the lasting taste that remains after brushing.

Swallowing tooth paste or its taste while in the state of fasting would invalidate the fast.

Ibn Abbas (ra) and Ikramah (ra) have stated “The fast is invalidated by what enters the internal stomach cavity.” (Bukhari)

My humble suggestions, to rid any offensive odour of the mouth, are one of the following:

• Brush your teeth with tooth paste just before the beginning time of the fast, at dawn, after the suhoor (pre-dawn meal).
• Use the sunnah siwaak (tooth stick) without tooth paste through out the day.
• Use the toothbrush during the day, with very little tooth paste applied on the toothbrush. Ensure the mouth is rinsed properly thereafter, so no remnants or taste of the paste is swallowed.

The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh) has stated, “Were it not for the hardship that I would be placing upon my people, I would have ordered them to engage in siwaak for every prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

And Allah knows best.

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Badat
Hadith of the Day Imam
Imam of the Islamic Foundation of Toronto and Director of Mathabah institute

Since You’re Here… we have a small favour to ask.

In these extraordinary times, millions rely on HOTD for daily uplifting & inspiring content. Established since 2009 and with your kind support we’ve seen readers elevate their Imaan & strive for better on a daily basis. We’re committed to keeping our content freely available and open for all readers. Every contribution, however big or small, makes a difference and help us spread knowledge to millions daily

HOTD is something special, it’s a place where people can come to be inspired, to renew their faith, to learn and share knowledge, to fall in love with our faith and also our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).

All content on HOTD is free. We believe what we do in this life builds for the next one and we work tirelessly with the aim to please Allah and inspire the global Muslim community as

well as providing information and inspiration for anyone interested in Islam. We simply cannot do this without your support and your support helps us continue our services.

If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. You can support HOTD and help sustain our future. Support Hadith of the Day and make a one-off donation or give regularly from as little as £10 a month Jazak’Allah Khayr – whatever you donate will come back to benefit you Insha’Allah as whatever is spent in the way of Allah is an investment in the future and the next life. Thank you.

Related Articles

Back to top button