What is the ruling during Ramadan for someone who has some blood in his gums? What if this is a medical condition that leads to a slight yellowish discoloration of the saliva and sometimes small specks of blood? What do we do if it is an on-going condition 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate.

It says in the Hashiyat al-Jamal in the chapter of fasting (2/319), “If one is afflicted by the bleeding of gums, such that it is always bleeding, or most of the time, it [s. the blood] is excused if it is difficult to avoid. It is sufficient for him spit it out and the traces that are left from it are forgiven.

It is not possible to obligate him to wash [h. his mouth] all day because the underlying assumption is that [h. the blood] always flows or seeps. If he washes it, it is [h. even] possible that it would bleed more. This is what Adhra`i said, and this is a clear and sound understanding.

Refer to Shirwani, (3/406) to the saying of Imam Ramli and Shirwani.

Ali Hani

[Translated by Sr. Shazia Ahmad and Sidi Hamza Karamali]

Using toothpaste does not invalidate one’s fast unless some of it reaches the body cavity.

[Thus, one should exercise due precaution, and try to avoid using toothpaste while fasting. If one uses it, one should rinse out one’s mouth properly.]

Amjad Rasheed

The criterion for things which invalidate the fast is when a substance reaches the body cavity through an open passageway, such as the mouth or nose. Hence, if what the asthma patient uses is for relief only, his fast is not invalidated. But if a substance exits from the aspirator, such as a powder or water spray, and enters the body cavity, then it invalidates the fast.

However, if the patient needs to use it, then his illness excuses him from the fast, and he makes up the missed day. And if he does not need to use it, or can delay it until after sunset, then it is unlawful for him to use it in the absence of any need.

Amjad Rasheed

If the person fasting deliberately vomits and he is aware that it is unlawful for him to do so, then his fast is invalidated and he has to make it up.

However, if he vomits involuntarily then it does not break the fast. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said in a rigorously authenticated hadith: Whomever vomiting overcomes him (r. while fasting), then it is not obligatory on him to make it up; and who deliberately vomits then he has to make it up.

Likewise, if he forgot he was fasting, or was ignorant of its unlawfulness whilefasting, and he deliberately vomits, then it does not invalidate the fast; and he is excused for his ignorance, as is the case with a new Muslim, or one who is living far from Muslim scholars, as it says in the Tuhfa [of Ibn Hajar, a commentary on Nawawis Minhaj] (3: 389).

Amjad Rasheed

Answer: From the words of Shaykh Shabramallisi (who is quoting from the great scholar Ibn `Abd al-Haqq), it seems that [the water that remains in the mouth after rinsing it for other than the ablution] does not invalidate the fast. He said