Can you use miswak while fasting? Green or red flag?

In Ramadan, the subject of what can and cannot be done while fasting has always been a matter of curiosity and discussed in detail. Organizing your daily practices in a way that does not threaten your fast is something you need to do. You probably don’t want to fast for sixty more days as qada*. But you probably also want to freshen your breath and keep your teeth clean. Considering that you use miswak, it is inevitable that the question of whether can you use miswak while fasting is inevitable.

Miswak during fasting is actually quite an open question in general terms. Islam attaches great importance to cleanliness. Miswak is also a very useful practice for personal hygiene and health. So, the use of miswak appears to be an acceptable practice while fasting in the most general context. However, if we go into the details, we come across some details that need attention and some controversial issues. Now, we will try to explain if can you use miswak while fasting and help you a little bit. So, Ramadan Mubarak, and let’s start!

Dentfix dictionary
Qada: Make up of religious obligations that one may have missed at the required time due to some reason or other.

Green or red flag? Can you use miswak during Ramadan?

You may wonder, “Can I use miswak during Ramadan?”. It is a holy month according to Islam and it is useful to pay attention to your habits during this period. The use of miswak during Ramadan is completely green, except during fasting. Even for fasting times, although there are various opinions on this subject, we can say that it is greenish or almost completely green. We will touch on this subject later, but if we talk about the general use of miswak, we can say that it is completely acceptable, even sunnah.

It is known that Prophet Muhammad used miswak. Plus, matters such as personal cleanliness, hygiene, and health are very important in Islam. It is possible to see them in the Qur’an and the practices of the prophet Muhammad a lot. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayya that Prophet Muhammad said “Were it not that it would cause hardship to my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak for every prayer.”

Delicate subject: Is miswak allowed while fasting?

This subject is not a subject that is specifically explained in Quran. However, Quran mentions a lot about the importance of cleanliness. There is also a hadith narrated by Amir ibn Rabia, one of the earliest followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In this hadith, Amir ibn Rabia says “I saw Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) using a miswak while fasting more times than I can count.”. So, in this regard, we can say that also using miswak while fasting is admissible, it is even considered a Sunna.

However, some religious scholars and different madhabs suggest that timing is important. For example, in Shafiism, using miswak before noon is totally accepted, but using it after noon till the iftar time is makruh, which means not a sin but disliked by Allah. In many other madhabs, miswak use is totally okay unless it doesn’t cause you to break your fast.

“I saw Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) using a miswak while fasting more times than I can count.”

-Amir ibn Rabia

This subject is not a subject that is specifically explained in Quran. However, Quran mentions a lot about the importance of cleanliness. There is also a hadith narrated by Amir ibn Rabia, one of the earliest followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In this hadith, Amir ibn Rabia says “I saw Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) using a miswak while fasting more times than I can count.” So in this regard, we can say that also using miswak while fasting is admissible, it is even considered a Sunna.

What should you be careful about using miswak while fasting

While getting a green light for using miswak during fasting is good news, it’s important to remember that you still need to be cautious about what goes into your mouth. To ensure a smooth fasting experience, pay attention to the following issues:

Anything flavored
Pieces of miswak
Water
Blood

You can use miswak normally as long as you do not wet it with flavored water. Some people like to use their miswak soaking in various flavored waters, such as rose water. Although this gives you improved breath in normal times, it is said by many religious scholars that swallowing this water will break the fast. This is why some madhabs recommend using a dry miswak during your fasting times.

There is no harm in swallowing your saliva after the miswak, as long as it does not contain anything flavored, water coming from outside, or pieces of miswak. Swallowing such things may endanger or break the fast. So, these are what you should pay attention to before using miswak during fasting.

But there is one more thing to watch out for. And that’s bleeding. Not to cause gingival bleeding, you need to be gentle on your gums while using the miswak. If you swallow blood, you can break your fast. That’s why you need to be as gentle as possible with your gums.

Diseases such as gum disease are among the main causes of gingival bleeding. Therefore, if you have such a problem before the month of Ramadan comes, it will be a good measure to start treatment. It can also help you to get rid of bad breath.

What should I do if I swallow miswak while fasting

Swallowing miswak bristles is expected to break your fast. If you have the opportunity to spit, you should spit. Some religious scholars say that unintentionally swallowed things will not break the fast. However, if you realize it and swallow it despite this, it means that your fast is broken and you have to fast for sixty more days as qada. It is the redemption of the fast that you break. For every fast you break, you must fast for sixty days non-stop.

When should you use miswak during Ramadan?

You can definitely use miswak outside of fasting times without any issue. In addition, there is a consensus among most madhabs and theologians that there is no problem in using miswak until noon while fasting. However, according to some madhabs and commentators, it is makruh to use miswak afternoon which means it is not a sin, but it is not considered appropriate either.

We at Dentfix hope this article has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions or concerns about gum disease and how to treat them, feel free to contact us. Our medical assistants will be happy to help you!