21. Can I Taste Food While I’m Fasting?

By Asma bint Shameem

QUESTION

Can I taste food while I’m fasting?

ANSWER

Yes it’s allowed to taste food while fasting if there’s a NEED for it, and you want to make sure it’s salty or sweet or whatever.

And your “husband does not even have to be short-tempered” for you to do that. as some people think.

But don’t do it unless you HAVE to.

PROOF

Ibn ‘Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“There is nothing wrong with tasting what is being cooked or whatever.” (al-Bukhaari)

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“It is OK for a person to taste the food during the day whilst fasting, if necessary, and his fast is still valid so long as he does not deliberately swallow anything of it.” (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, vol. 10, p. 332)

 And Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“The fast is not invalidated by tasting food so long as one does not swallow it, but you should not do that unless there is a need for it; in that case (even) if a little of it reaches your stomach by accident your fast is NOT INVALIDATED.”
[Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 356)]

So if you forgot whether you put salt in that soup or not, or you want to make sure the sugar is just right in the dessert or if the chicken needs more spice, don’t worry.

You MAY taste the food, even if you’re fasting.

Just put the food on the “tip” of your tongue and see if it’s appropriate.

Then spit it out, and rinse your mouth WITHOUT swallowing anything.

You can do this whenever there’s a need for it.

Alhamdulillaah our Deen is EASY

And Allaah knows best.