Is My Fast Invalid if I Swallow Extra Water in My Mouth on Purpose?


Shafi'i Fiqh

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

After wudu, water residue is left over in the nose and mouth. While I was praying ‘asr close to Maghrib time, I got a notification mid-salah. Assuming it was for maghrib, I thought I’d break my fast on the residual water, so I intentionally swallowed it with this in mind.

I usually spit before praying to get excess water out of my mouth. I spit before swallowing the residual water this time. After praying, I realized that the notification was for something else. Does this mean I broke my fast early and should make up this day?

Answer

May Allah reward you for being scrupulous, but it is better not to overthink things.

Spitting Out Water

Excess water that you find in your mouth after rinsing your mouth in wudu has no legal consequence; therefore, swallowing it in an attempt to break your fast does not accomplish anything. There is no need to make up that fast.

Please see the details here:
Fasting: Spitting out after washing one’s mouth when fasting

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.