Constantly rinsing the mouth while fasting due to OCD

Jun 28, 2021 | Fasting

Question

Salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,

Prior to Ramadan I was having OCD about cleanliness and would find myself spending hours cleaning to ensure any najasah wouldn’t travel with me. With the start of Ramadan, it’s gotten into something far worse. I read on a Muslim website that licking your lips while fasting is permitted however licking them again while wet can break your fast, because the second lick would be bringing the saliva that’s left your mouth on the first lick back in, thus breaking your fast. So for the past 2 weeks I’ve been avoiding licking my lips at times and even constantly spitting so I don’t ensure I swallow anything as sometimes I ‘feel’ something in my mouth.

So this brings me to the question, as an alternative I rinse my mouth out with water. At times I feel the water go into the back of my throat, and get this ‘feeling’ like I swallowed it. Not entirely sure & the doubt kills me afterwards. Because I know water went back to my throat and I’m thinking the only way is down. So my question is, if I did happen to swallow it accidentally. Will this have broken my fast? Also I’ve done this atleast once every day (sometimes multiple times a day) with the intention of rinsing my mouth to ensure my fast continues. I did not have the goal nor intention at all to drink water during my fast.

Jazaku Allahu Khayran for all that you do. May all continue to bless and reward you. Ameen


Answer

If your lips become moist after you lick them, and then you lick them again your fast will not break. This moisture will remain in the ruling of the moisture that is within your mouth. If however, that saliva was to separate from your mouth totally, for example you spat on an object and then took the saliva back into your mouth that would break your fast. In your case the saliva is still on your lips and has not separated.

Also, the saliva which remains on your lips after licking them is such small quantity that the likelihood of that saliva re-entering your mouth and then going down the throat is very unlikely.

When a person takes water into their mouth and then spits that water out they will not be accountable for any water that remain within the mouth. Hence, if after spitting the water out some small droplets of water remained and went down your throat, the fast will not break.

You should try to avoid thinking too much about these types of scenarios as they can worsen your OCD. We would advise seeking professional help before the matter reaches a level which will make your life very difficult.

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel

حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 661)
ولو خرج ريقه من فمه فأدخله وابتلعه إن كان لم ينقطع من فمه بل متصل كالخيط فتدلى إلى الذقن فاستشربه لم يفطر وإن انقطع فأخذه وأعاده أفطر كذا في الفتح وقال أبو جعفر إذا خرج البزاق على شفتيه ثم ابتلعه فسد صومه وفي الخانية ترطب شفتاه ببزاقه عند الكلام ونحوه فابتلعه لا يفسد صومه  

  قوله: “لا يفسد صومه” اقتصر عليه صاحب الدر فيدل على اعتماده دون ما ذهب إليه أبو جعفر

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 400)
كما لو ترطب شفتاه بالبزاق عند الكلام ونحوه فابتلعه أو سال ريقه إلى ذقنه كالخيط ولم ينقطع فاستنشقه

قوله: فاستنشقه) الأولى فجذبه؛ لأن الاستنشاق بالأنف وفي نسخ فاستشفه بتاء فوقية وفاء أي جذبه بشفتيه وهو ظاهر ط

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 400)
:كذا لو فتل الخيط ببزاقه مرارا وإن بقي فيه عقد البزاق إلا أن يكون مصبوغا وظهر لونه في ريقه وابتلعه ذاكرا ونظمه ابن الشحنة فقال:
مكرر بل الخيط بالريق فاتلا … بإدخاله في فيه لا يتضرر

وعن بعضهم:
إن يبلع الريق بعد ذا يضر … كصبغ لونه فيه يظهر

قوله: وكذا لو فتل الخيط ببزاقه مرارا إلخ) يعني إذا أراد فتل الخيط وبله ببزاقه وأدخله في فمه مرارا لا يفسد صومه وإن بقي في الخيط عقد البزاق وفي النظم للزندوستي أنه يفسد كذا في القنية

الفتاوى الهندية (1/ 203)
وَلَوْ بَقِيَ بَلَلٌ بَعْدَ الْمَضْمَضَةِ فَابْتَلَعَهُ مَعَ الْبُزَاقِ لَمْ يُفْطِرْهُ

الفتاوى الهندية (1/ 203)
تَرَطَّبَتْ شَفَتَيْهِ بِبُزَاقِهِ عِنْدَ الْكَلَامِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ فَابْتَلَعَهُ لَا يَفْسُدُ لِلضَّرُورَةِ كَذَا فِي الزَّاهِدِيِّ.