Question

Will ear drops, nose drops, inserting water in the ear, swallowing phlegm invalidate the fast?

Answer

Ear drops and nose drops will invalidate the fast. 

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Khaniyyah,

“He who takes medicine in the nose or puts oil in the ears, his fast is invalidated. However, Kaffarah is not necessary upon him (only Qada), as is stated in al-Hidayah.” 

It is also stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah,

“… Taking medicine in the nose, throat and ears necessitates Qada.”

Inserting water into the ears will not invalidate the fast.

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah,

“By placing oil in the ears or if oil went into the ears, the fast will break and if water went into the ears or it was inserted into the ears, the fast will not break.”

It is stated in Fath al-Qadeer and al-Durr al-Muktar in a lengthy list of factors that will not invalidate the fast,

“… If water went into the ears (the fast will not break).”

Swallowing phlegm will not invalidate the fast and Allah knows best. 

Muhammad Kalim
10th Ramadan al-Mubaarak 1436 AH

The answer is correct and Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadiri
12th Ramadan al-Mubaarak 1436 AH

Question

I just have a question regarding ghusl. Now at my parents house they dont have a shower, they just have a bath with a bucket and a jug, now when performing ghusl; lets say for example i have used one bucket and my body is wet then when filling the second bucket if drops of water enter the bucket does that make the water dirty, or is that water still clean and will the ghusl count?

Answer

Any water that has given the benefit of Wudu or Ghusl to a person is regarded as Musta’mal (used water), whether the person intended to perform Wudu or Ghusl or he did not.

The water that drops from the limbs that have been washed in Wudu or Ghusl are Musta’mal and Musta’mal water is not suitable to use for Taharah (Wudu or Ghusl). The above is clear in the chapter of Taharah in the books of Fiqh.

However, if it is only a few drops that have fallen into the bucket then it will not affect the bucket full as is stated in Bahar e Shari’at with reference to Fatawa Ridawiyyah:

"If Musta’mal water mixes with clean water, such as when doing wudu or ghusl water droplets fall into the jug or into the bucket, then if the clean water is more, it is suitable for wudu and ghusl, otherwise all of it is regarded as unsuitable." [Fatawa Ridawiyyah, volume 2, page 220]

And Allah knows best.

Muhammad Kalim (Preston)
Verified by Mufti Zahid Hussain al-Qadiri

QUERY
Which types of water should we stand and drink, for example, left over water that a Muslim drank, water from a fountain, left over water of wudhu, and Zam Zam water. Should one stand and drink all these types of water or not?

THE ANSWER:
One may stand and drink Zam Zam and the remainder water of wudhu. The reason that people made a water fountain is because usually there is a lot of dirt under it and they don’t find the opportunity to sit. One should not stand and drink the water which another Muslim drank from.