❖ Does Using Eye Drops While Fasting Invalidate the Fast? Scholarly Evidence and Juristic Views ❖
✍ Written by: Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam ḥafiẓahullah
Some scholars hold the opinion that using medicine or drops in the eyes during fasting invalidates the fast, and they have presented various arguments to support this view. These arguments are summarized below:
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
(Al-Baqarah: 187)
Translation: “And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread. Then complete the fast till night.”
Some scholars interpret this verse generally, including anything that enters the body and has an effect, whether through food and drink or any other channel, as it disrupts the fundamental objective of fasting.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"وَبَالِغْ فِي الاِسْتِنْشَاقِ إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ صَائِمًا"
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 2366, Tirmidhī: 788, Nasā’ī: 87)
Translation: “Be thorough in sniffing water into your nose (during ablution), except when you are fasting.”
This Hadith is used analogically: since water can reach the throat via the nose, a fasting person is cautioned. Based on the same analogy, if eye drops reach the throat, it could break the fast.
Narrated:
"الصوم مما دخل وليس مما خرج"
(Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 4/261)
Translation: “Fasting is broken by that which enters (the body), not by what exits it.”
This narration implies that if the substance entering through the eye reaches the throat, it could invalidate the fast.
He stated:
"إذا وجد طعم الكحل في حلقه، فالصيام قد انتقض"
(Al-Mughnī by Ibn Qudāmah: 3/126)
Translation: “If he feels the taste of kohl (eyeliner or eye medicine) in his throat, the fast is broken.”
According to him, if a person senses the taste of medicine applied to the eye in the throat, it invalidates the fast.
He stated:
"وأما التقطير في العين، فمبني على النزاع في السعوط والتقطير في الأنف، فمن رأى أن ذلك يفطر إذا وصل إلى الحلق يفطر بذلك أيضًا"
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 25/233)
Translation: “As for applying drops in the eye, the ruling is based on the same principle as applying to the nose. Those who believe it breaks the fast if it reaches the throat will hold the same ruling here.”
This connects the eye and nose cases under the same jurisprudential principle—if the substance reaches the throat, the fast is invalidated.
Some Ḥanbalī, Ḥanafī, and Shāfiʿī scholars also support this view.
ʿAllāmah Ibn ʿĀbidīn Shāmī رحمه الله wrote:
"إذا وصل الدواء إلى الحلق عن طريق العين، فالصوم قد يُفسد"
(Radd al-Muḥtār: 2/395)
Translation: “If the medicine reaches the throat through the eye, the fast may become invalid.”
✔ Analogy (Qiyās): If medicine entering through the eye is felt in the throat, it is similar to food and drink, hence breaks the fast.
✔ Hadith of Laqīṭ ibn Ṣabrah: Prohibiting sniffing water deeply while fasting implies anything reaching the throat may break the fast.
✔ Narration of Ibn ʿAbbās: Anything entering the body breaks the fast.
✔ Consensus of Scholars: According to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others, sensing the medicine’s taste in the throat breaks the fast.
Some other jurists disagree with this view. They argue that using eye drops does not break the fast, since the eye has no direct passage to the stomach. Thus, differences of opinion exist, and it is best to consult qualified Muftis for individual cases.
✍ Written by: Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam ḥafiẓahullah
✿ Introduction
Some scholars hold the opinion that using medicine or drops in the eyes during fasting invalidates the fast, and they have presented various arguments to support this view. These arguments are summarized below:
❖ Evidence from the Qur’an
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
(Al-Baqarah: 187)
Translation: “And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread. Then complete the fast till night.”
Some scholars interpret this verse generally, including anything that enters the body and has an effect, whether through food and drink or any other channel, as it disrupts the fundamental objective of fasting.
❖ Evidence from Hadith
① Hadith of Laqīṭ ibn Ṣabrah رضي الله عنه
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"وَبَالِغْ فِي الاِسْتِنْشَاقِ إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ صَائِمًا"
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 2366, Tirmidhī: 788, Nasā’ī: 87)
Translation: “Be thorough in sniffing water into your nose (during ablution), except when you are fasting.”
This Hadith is used analogically: since water can reach the throat via the nose, a fasting person is cautioned. Based on the same analogy, if eye drops reach the throat, it could break the fast.
② Hadith of Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما
Narrated:
"الصوم مما دخل وليس مما خرج"
(Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 4/261)
Translation: “Fasting is broken by that which enters (the body), not by what exits it.”
This narration implies that if the substance entering through the eye reaches the throat, it could invalidate the fast.
❖ Views of the Jurists and the Consensus of Tābiʿīn and Tabaʿ Tābiʿīn
① Opinion of Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله
He stated:
"إذا وجد طعم الكحل في حلقه، فالصيام قد انتقض"
(Al-Mughnī by Ibn Qudāmah: 3/126)
Translation: “If he feels the taste of kohl (eyeliner or eye medicine) in his throat, the fast is broken.”
According to him, if a person senses the taste of medicine applied to the eye in the throat, it invalidates the fast.
② View of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله
He stated:
"وأما التقطير في العين، فمبني على النزاع في السعوط والتقطير في الأنف، فمن رأى أن ذلك يفطر إذا وصل إلى الحلق يفطر بذلك أيضًا"
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 25/233)
Translation: “As for applying drops in the eye, the ruling is based on the same principle as applying to the nose. Those who believe it breaks the fast if it reaches the throat will hold the same ruling here.”
This connects the eye and nose cases under the same jurisprudential principle—if the substance reaches the throat, the fast is invalidated.
③ Views of Later Jurists
Some Ḥanbalī, Ḥanafī, and Shāfiʿī scholars also support this view.
ʿAllāmah Ibn ʿĀbidīn Shāmī رحمه الله wrote:
"إذا وصل الدواء إلى الحلق عن طريق العين، فالصوم قد يُفسد"
(Radd al-Muḥtār: 2/395)
Translation: “If the medicine reaches the throat through the eye, the fast may become invalid.”
❖ Summary of Arguments Supporting Invalidation
✔ Analogy (Qiyās): If medicine entering through the eye is felt in the throat, it is similar to food and drink, hence breaks the fast.
✔ Hadith of Laqīṭ ibn Ṣabrah: Prohibiting sniffing water deeply while fasting implies anything reaching the throat may break the fast.
✔ Narration of Ibn ʿAbbās: Anything entering the body breaks the fast.
✔ Consensus of Scholars: According to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others, sensing the medicine’s taste in the throat breaks the fast.
❖ Important Note
Some other jurists disagree with this view. They argue that using eye drops does not break the fast, since the eye has no direct passage to the stomach. Thus, differences of opinion exist, and it is best to consult qualified Muftis for individual cases.
