Question:

What is the ruling on nasal drops, eye drops and ear drops for the fasting person?

Answer:

Regarding nose drops, if they reach the stomach, then they break the fast, according to what was reported in the Hadith of Laqit bin Sabirah, may Allaah be pleased with him, in which the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to him:

”Exaggerate in sniffing water into the nose (i.e. during ablution) except when you are fasting.” [1]

So, it is not permissible for the fasting person to put drops in his nose which reach his stomach, as for those drops that do not reach his stomach, they do not break the fast.

In the case of eye drops – and the application of kohl is similar- as well as ear drops, they do not cause the fasting person to break his fast. This is because there is nothing reported regarding them, nor are they similar to anything which has been reported. The eye is not and opening for food and drink, and likewise the ear. For it is like other orifices in the skin, and the scholars have said that if the bottom of a person’s foot splashed in something and he tasted it in his throat, he would not break his fast by that, because this is not an opening. So based on this, the application of kohl or drops in his eyes, or drops in his ear, would not break his fast, even if he tasted it in his throat.

Similarly, if a person applied ointment as a treatment, or for some other reason, it would not harm him; and likewise, if he was breathless and he used the inhaler which is blown into the mouth in order to make his breathing easier, it would not cause him to break his fast, because it does not reach the stomach, and so it not food or drink.

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[1] Reported by Abu Dawud in the Book of Istinthar (Blowing Water Out of the Nose) (142); by At-Tirmithi in the Book of Purification, in the Chapter: What Has Been Said Regarding Washing Between the Toes (38); by An-Nasa’I in the Book of Purification, in the Chapter: Istinshaq (Sniffing Water Through the Nose) to the highest Degree (87); and by Ibn Majah in the Book of Purification and its Sunan, in the Chapter: Washing Between the Fingers and Toes (448).

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen
Fatawa Arkaanul-Islaam, DARUSSALAM, Vol.2, p.662