Is fasting invalidated if phlegm is swallowed?
- Is fasting invalidated if a person swallows the phlegm that comes to the mouth though he can spit it?
Submitted by on Mon, 12/04/2021 - 11:37
Dear Brother / Sister,
As it is known, anything that is taken into the body from outside invalidates fasting. Since phlegm is natural substance secreted by the body, swallowing phlegm does not invalidate wudu according to Hanafi madhhab.
However, since that substance is regarded as dirty, it is clear that it is better to spit the phlegm out. Therefore, it is not appropriate to swallow phlegm whether one is fasting or not because the phlegm might bear a disease and it is something disgusting.
However, since phlegm swallowed by a fasting person is not regarded as eating or drinking, it does not invalidate fasting.
It is interpreted differently in Shafii madhhab.
If the phlegm comes to the mouth by passing the place where the letter "h" is articulated in the throat and it is swallowed willingly, fasting is invalidated and qada becomes necessary. However, if the phlegm is swallowed unwillingly, fasting is not invalidated.
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