Ramaḍān and Fasting

Using Eye, Nose, and Mouth Drops During Ramadan

Shaykh Muqbil advises that a sick person may break the fast and make it up later when medicine is needed during Ramadan. Using eye, nose, or mouth drops does not invalidate fasting unless the medicine reaches the throat, which often happens, so caution is recommended.

September 7, 2016

Questioner:

What is the ruling on using eye, mouth and nose drops?

Shaykh Muqbil ibn Hādi al-Wādiʿī:

I said to be free [from error] in this issue, he should break the fast. It has been made permissible for [the ill person] to break the fast, as Allāh has said,

۞ مَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ

“but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days.”
(Q 2:184)

Therefore, if he is ill and in need of medicine then we advise him to break his fast and make it is up later. This is if the doctors prescribe for him medicine during the day in Ramaḍān. If he does not break his fast, then this does not break his fast except if [the medicine] reaches his throat, and in most cases when a person uses eye treatment he finds the taste in his throat. So we advise him to abstain from it.