If saliva comes out of the mouth due to moistening the lips, is it permissible to return it and swallow it while fasting, or is that considered excessive scrutiny?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
A fasting person is not permitted to intentionally swallow saliva if it has exited to the outer part of the mouth, because that breaks the fast. However, if it exited and returned to the mouth, then was expelled without being swallowed, or was swallowed due to an overwhelming urge, then there is no issue and it does not break the fast. Likewise, moistening the lips with saliva does not invalidate the fast, as long as one does not intentionally swallow it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/119402
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 119402
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy