Mentioning some examples that are said to break the fast, or that some people mistakenly think break the fast, when in fact they do not.
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The Shaykh : Let us mention examples of other things that are said to break the fast, or that some people mistakenly think break the fast. A drop in the eye: a man put a drop in his eye, whether for an illness in it or for its beauty; the important thing is that he put a drop in his eye while fasting. He came to ask if this invalidates his fast or not. Say, based on what you have just studied.
The questioner : It does not invalidate it.
The Shaykh : It is not an invalidator. It is not an invalidator. Yes, if someone says it is an invalidator, we say: bring the evidence. We have no prohibition; we do not want to act arbitrarily regarding the worship of Allah’s servants, but we want to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah. Bring the evidence. If he brings the evidence, it is upon our eyes and heads. If he does not bring the evidence, the original ruling is the validity of the fast. Now, if he says: if a person puts a drop in his eye or places in it a juice, and it is not tomato juice but a medicinal juice, and he placed it in his eye and felt it in his throat, does he break his fast or not? We say: he does not break his fast. He does not break his fast, because this is not eating or drinking, nor is it a substitute for eating and drinking. And if this is among the customary things necessary for kohl or for medicine, then the Lawgiver has disregarded it, because kohl existed in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and people used to apply kohl. If the Lawgiver remained silent about it despite it being necessary for kohl, that indicates it has no effect. And if it is not necessary for kohl, that indicates its presence was in an unusual manner, so it has no effect. Now, a man put a drop in his ear and it reached his throat. Is this possible or not?
The questioner : It is possible.
The Shaykh : It is possible. We ask the doctor.
The questioner : It is possible. It is possible.
The Shaykh : Now, does he break his fast by that? He does not break his fast, because it is not eating or drinking, nor is it a substitute for eating and drinking. The original ruling is the validity of the fast until evidence is established for the invalidation of the fast. It is not customary for a person to consume food and drink through the ear or the eye. Now, a third example: a man put a drop in his nose, and the drop reached only his nasal cavity. Does he break his fast or not?
The questioner : He does not break his fast.
The Shaykh : He does not break his fast. Now, it reached his throat.
The questioner : He breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : He breaks his fast.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It reached his stomach?
The questioner : He breaks his fast if it reaches his stomach. He breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : He put a drop of anything.
The questioner : He does not break his fast.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that he breaks his fast by that, and we have evidence for this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to al-Qa'ib ibn Simrah:Sunan Abi Dawud 142Sahih (Al-Albani) His saying: Sunan Abi Dawud 2366Sahih (Al-Albani) indicates that the fasting person is prohibited from exaggerating in sniffing. Why? Because we do not know the cause for this except that it is feared that it will reach his stomach through his nose. And because the snuff is known to people to reach anything, reaching the stomach through the nose, so the nose is a customary passage that leads to the stomach. Therefore, what enters through the nose is a fast-breaker, unlike the ear and the eye. And I advise my brothers, especially the students of knowledge, to read a small treatise with great benefit by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, titled *Haqiqat al-Siyam* (The Reality of Fasting). Although this treatise is small, it is beneficial for the student of knowledge, not just because he enumerated what breaks the fast and what does not, but because he mentioned important and beneficial rules for the student of knowledge. If you refer to it, if Allah wills, you will find much good in it. And the brother with me now is telling me that perhaps you should shorten and conclude the lesson because we have questions.
The questioner : It does not invalidate it.
The Shaykh : It is not an invalidator. It is not an invalidator. Yes, if someone says it is an invalidator, we say: bring the evidence. We have no prohibition; we do not want to act arbitrarily regarding the worship of Allah’s servants, but we want to judge by the Shari'ah of Allah. Bring the evidence. If he brings the evidence, it is upon our eyes and heads. If he does not bring the evidence, the original ruling is the validity of the fast. Now, if he says: if a person puts a drop in his eye or places in it a juice, and it is not tomato juice but a medicinal juice, and he placed it in his eye and felt it in his throat, does he break his fast or not? We say: he does not break his fast. He does not break his fast, because this is not eating or drinking, nor is it a substitute for eating and drinking. And if this is among the customary things necessary for kohl or for medicine, then the Lawgiver has disregarded it, because kohl existed in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and people used to apply kohl. If the Lawgiver remained silent about it despite it being necessary for kohl, that indicates it has no effect. And if it is not necessary for kohl, that indicates its presence was in an unusual manner, so it has no effect. Now, a man put a drop in his ear and it reached his throat. Is this possible or not?
The questioner : It is possible.
The Shaykh : It is possible. We ask the doctor.
The questioner : It is possible. It is possible.
The Shaykh : Now, does he break his fast by that? He does not break his fast, because it is not eating or drinking, nor is it a substitute for eating and drinking. The original ruling is the validity of the fast until evidence is established for the invalidation of the fast. It is not customary for a person to consume food and drink through the ear or the eye. Now, a third example: a man put a drop in his nose, and the drop reached only his nasal cavity. Does he break his fast or not?
The questioner : He does not break his fast.
The Shaykh : He does not break his fast. Now, it reached his throat.
The questioner : He breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : He breaks his fast.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It reached his stomach?
The questioner : He breaks his fast if it reaches his stomach. He breaks his fast.
The Shaykh : He put a drop of anything.
The questioner : He does not break his fast.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say that he breaks his fast by that, and we have evidence for this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to al-Qa'ib ibn Simrah: