Can you brush your Teeth with Toothpaste while fasting?
A very commonly asked question by many Muslims, can you brush your teeth with a toothpaste while fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan?
It goes without saying that Islam is a religion which pays attention to the cleanliness, decency, and the good appearance and smell of its adherents. Muslims are recommended to appear decent and clean. They also are to keep their mouth clean by using a brush or miswak
It has been reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was seen brushing his teeth quite a number of times during the day while he was fasting and also commanded his companions to use Miswak (chewing stick) in cleaning their teeth and while fasting.
Narrated Amir ibn Rabi`ah;
“I have seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) using a tooth-stick (Miswak) while he was fasting more often than I could count.” (Abu daawud and at-Tirmidhi)
The renowned scholar Zakir Naik had this to say on the specific question, regarding tooth brushing your teeth with toothpaste during Ramadan
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto states
It is absolutely fine to brush one’s teeth in the morning with toothpaste while fasting so long as one takes care not to swallow the paste. Toothpaste is not intended for consumption. Fast is only broken when it goes directly into our system. To say that one cannot use toothpaste is nothing but rigidity
The eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, adds,
If anything reaches the stomach, it breaks one’s fast according to the majority of Muslim jurists. If one is cautious and brushes his teeth and out of forgetfulness some traces of the toothpaste reach his stomach, he is not sinful, as Allah forgives the mistakes of Muslims that are made unintentionally
Sheikh Ibn Baaz (May Allah have mercy upon him) when asked about this matter, He said:
“There’s nothing wrong with that so long as one is careful to avoid swallowing any of it, just as it is prescribed in Islam for the fasting person to use the Miswak (Tooth-stick)” (Fataawah al-shaykh ibn baaz, 4/247)
What is a better alternative to using a Toothpaste
Although its not haram to use a toothpaste while brushing, but if one is to avoid it then a better alterative could be use a Miswak (chewing stick)
What happens when you mistakenly swallow the toothpaste while brushing?
If one is cautious and brushes his teeth and out of his own forgetfulness some traces reach his stomach, he is not sinful, as Allah forgives the mistakes of Muslims that are made unintentionally “and there is no sin for you in the mistakes that ye make unintentionally.”(Al-Ahzab 33: 5)
