Question: There are some who say that rinsing the mouth and nose effects the correctness of the siyaam of a person. What is the extent of the truthfulness of this saying?
Answer by Sheikh Yussuf Al-Qaradawi:
Rinsing the mouth and nose during wudhoo' are either classified as two Sunan from the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) (as in the madh-hab of the three Imams - Abu Hanifah, Maalik, and Ash-Shafi'ee), or they are obligations (as in the madh-hab of Imam Ahmad who considers this to be a part of washing the face). Whether or not they are sunnah or obligations one should not abandon them in wudhoo' while fasting or not.
The only thing that is upon the Muslim while fasting is that he does not overdo it just like how he does while not fasting. A hadeeth has come: “When you rinse you nose, overdo it except if you are siyaam.”
So if one rinses his mouth or nose in wudhoo' while siyaam and some water goes down his throat without intending it or overdoing it, then his fast remains correct. This is just like if dust from the roadway, dust from mixing flour, or if a fly enters the throat - all of them are considered as being from the mistakes which this nation will not be held accountable for, even if some scholars differ about them. Also, rinsing the mouth for other than wudhoo' will not effect the correctness of siyaam as long as none of the water goes down the
throat. And Allah knows best.
