✿ Does Every Injection Break the Fast? Evidences and Rulings ✿
✦ Written by: Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam (ḥafiẓahullah)
Some jurists hold the view that every kind of injection nullifies the fast, regardless of whether it provides nourishment or not. According to them, the objective of fasting is to prevent any foreign substance from entering the stomach or body. The following strong evidences are presented in support of this position from the Qur’an, Hadith, the statements of the Companions, and juristic principles:
Allah ﷻ says:
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
(Surah al-Baqarah: 187)
In this verse, eating and drinking are mentioned as the fundamental actions that break the fast. From this, jurists have derived the principle that anything that enters the body can invalidate the fast. The primary purpose of eating and drinking is to introduce a substance into the body, and injection serves the same purpose.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أَفْطَرَ الحاجِمُ وَالمَحْجُومُ
(Abu Dawud: 2367, Tirmidhi: 774)
"The one who performs cupping and the one who gets cupped — both have broken their fasts."
This hadith shows that any bodily change that affects a person’s strength may cause the fast to break. If removing blood affects the body and breaks the fast, then injecting medicine or any other substance directly into the body should also invalidate the fast.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
بَالِغْ فِي الاسْتِنْشَاقِ، إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ صَائِمًا
(Sunan Abu Dawud: 142, Tirmidhi: 788)
"Snuff water deeply into your nose during ablution, except when you are fasting."
This proves that anything entering the body, even if not via eating or drinking, can break the fast. Since an injection introduces a substance directly into the body, it must also be considered something that breaks the fast.
They said:
الصيامُ مما دخل وليس مما خرج
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7592, Bayhaqī: 4/261)
"Fasting is broken by that which enters the body, not by what exits it."
This clearly establishes that anything entering the body can invalidate the fast. Hence, since an injection introduces substances into the body — whether nourishing or not — it should also be considered among the things that nullify the fast.
A well-known juristic principle states:
كلُّ ما دخل الجوفَ أفطر به الصائمُ، سواءٌ كان مِن طعامٍ أو دواءٍ أو غيرِ ذلك
(Al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah 1/203)
"Whatever enters the internal body cavity nullifies the fast, whether it is food, medicine, or anything else."
This maxim applies to injections as well, as they introduce substances — food-based or otherwise — into the body.
Jurists also state:
ما أدى إلى الفطر وجب منعه
(Al-Mabsūṭ by al-Sarakhsī 3/76)
"Anything that leads to breaking the fast must be prevented."
If some types of injections are permitted, people may exploit this loophole and undermine the essence of fasting. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is necessary to declare all kinds of injections as invalidators of the fast.
From the above evidences — Qur’an, Hadith, statements of the Companions, and juristic principles — the following points are clear:
◈ Allah ﷻ has deemed the entry of any substance into the body a reason for invalidating the fast.
◈ The Prophet ﷺ prohibited actions that could potentially cause something to enter the body during fasting, like excessive water inhalation in ablution.
◈ ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbās and ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) stated that fasting is broken by what enters the body.
◈ According to jurists, any substance entering the body — whether food or medicine — breaks the fast.
◈ To block potential misuse, jurists advocate that all forms of injections should be treated as nullifiers of the fast.
✦ Therefore, in light of all these evidences, the conclusion is that any kind of injection — whether nourishing or non-nourishing — breaks the fast.
✦ Written by: Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam (ḥafiẓahullah)
❀ Main Question: Does Every Type of Injection Break the Fast?
Some jurists hold the view that every kind of injection nullifies the fast, regardless of whether it provides nourishment or not. According to them, the objective of fasting is to prevent any foreign substance from entering the stomach or body. The following strong evidences are presented in support of this position from the Qur’an, Hadith, the statements of the Companions, and juristic principles:
✦ Evidence from the Qur’an: Anything That Enters the Body Breaks the Fast
Allah ﷻ says:
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
(Surah al-Baqarah: 187)
In this verse, eating and drinking are mentioned as the fundamental actions that break the fast. From this, jurists have derived the principle that anything that enters the body can invalidate the fast. The primary purpose of eating and drinking is to introduce a substance into the body, and injection serves the same purpose.
✦ Evidence from Hadith: Any Foreign Substance Entering the Body Breaks the Fast
① Analogy from the Hadith on Cupping (Ḥijāmah):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أَفْطَرَ الحاجِمُ وَالمَحْجُومُ
(Abu Dawud: 2367, Tirmidhi: 774)
"The one who performs cupping and the one who gets cupped — both have broken their fasts."
This hadith shows that any bodily change that affects a person’s strength may cause the fast to break. If removing blood affects the body and breaks the fast, then injecting medicine or any other substance directly into the body should also invalidate the fast.
② Entering of Anything into the Body Breaks the Fast:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
بَالِغْ فِي الاسْتِنْشَاقِ، إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ صَائِمًا
(Sunan Abu Dawud: 142, Tirmidhi: 788)
"Snuff water deeply into your nose during ablution, except when you are fasting."
This proves that anything entering the body, even if not via eating or drinking, can break the fast. Since an injection introduces a substance directly into the body, it must also be considered something that breaks the fast.
✦ Evidence from the Statements of the Companions:
① Fatwa of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbās and ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
They said:
الصيامُ مما دخل وليس مما خرج
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 7592, Bayhaqī: 4/261)
"Fasting is broken by that which enters the body, not by what exits it."
This clearly establishes that anything entering the body can invalidate the fast. Hence, since an injection introduces substances into the body — whether nourishing or not — it should also be considered among the things that nullify the fast.
✦ Evidence from Juristic Principles and Consensus:
① Juristic Maxim: Anything Entering the Body Nullifies the Fast
A well-known juristic principle states:
كلُّ ما دخل الجوفَ أفطر به الصائمُ، سواءٌ كان مِن طعامٍ أو دواءٍ أو غيرِ ذلك
(Al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah 1/203)
"Whatever enters the internal body cavity nullifies the fast, whether it is food, medicine, or anything else."
This maxim applies to injections as well, as they introduce substances — food-based or otherwise — into the body.
② Principle of Blocking the Means (سدّ الذرائع):
Jurists also state:
ما أدى إلى الفطر وجب منعه
(Al-Mabsūṭ by al-Sarakhsī 3/76)
"Anything that leads to breaking the fast must be prevented."
If some types of injections are permitted, people may exploit this loophole and undermine the essence of fasting. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is necessary to declare all kinds of injections as invalidators of the fast.
❀ Summary and Conclusion
From the above evidences — Qur’an, Hadith, statements of the Companions, and juristic principles — the following points are clear:
◈ Allah ﷻ has deemed the entry of any substance into the body a reason for invalidating the fast.
◈ The Prophet ﷺ prohibited actions that could potentially cause something to enter the body during fasting, like excessive water inhalation in ablution.
◈ ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbās and ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) stated that fasting is broken by what enters the body.
◈ According to jurists, any substance entering the body — whether food or medicine — breaks the fast.
◈ To block potential misuse, jurists advocate that all forms of injections should be treated as nullifiers of the fast.
✦ Therefore, in light of all these evidences, the conclusion is that any kind of injection — whether nourishing or non-nourishing — breaks the fast.
