Do ear drops break the fast?

Detailed answer

No. Ear drops do not break the fast according to most scholars today, as long as your eardrum is intact. In a healthy ear, the eardrum closes off the ear canal, so the drops cannot travel to the throat or stomach. You can use ear drops prescribed by your doctor during fasting hours.

Why they do not break the fast

The fast is broken by eating, drinking and what reaches the stomach through an open passage such as the mouth or nose. When the eardrum is intact, the ear is not such a passage. The drops stay in the ear canal and act locally, in the same way that creams on the skin do not break the fast. Islamic fiqh councils that studied modern medicines reached this conclusion.

Some classical scholars held that liquid put into the ear breaks the fast if it may reach the inside of the body; if you are unsure, ask a trusted local scholar.

What if my eardrum is perforated?

If you have a hole in the eardrum, or grommets (tiny tubes), liquid can pass through the middle ear into the back of the throat. Many scholars say that in this case drops reaching the throat may break the fast. Ask your doctor whether your eardrum is intact and, if it is not, whether the doses can be given at suhoor, iftar and bedtime. If the treatment cannot wait, you are in the position of someone who is ill, who may break the fast and make it up later: "Whoever of you is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days" (Al-Baqarah 2:184).

In practice

• Follow your treatment as prescribed. Never stop medication without speaking to your doctor, ideally one who understands fasting.
• Washing the ear (irrigation) with an intact eardrum follows the same rule as drops.
• If you prefer to be extra careful and your doctor agrees, space the doses around suhoor, iftar and bedtime.

Related questions

For other kinds of drops, see do eye drops break the fast and does nasal spray break the fast. For a wider plan for your medicines, read taking medication in Ramadan.