Does taking a pill break the fast?

Detailed answer

Yes. Swallowing a pill, tablet, capsule or liquid medicine on purpose breaks the fast, even if it is tiny and you take it without water. It passes through the mouth into the stomach, which is exactly what a fasting person holds back from. Scholars agree on this.

Why even a small tablet counts

The fast is holding back from what enters the stomach through the mouth, from dawn until sunset (Al-Baqarah 2:187). Scholars did not set a minimum amount. Swallowing anything deliberately, whether it nourishes the body or not, breaks the fast.

What if I forgot I was fasting?

If you take a pill out of habit and forget that you are fasting, your fast is still valid. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever forgets while fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah who fed him and gave him drink" (Bukhari and Muslim). Stop as soon as you remember. See eating by mistake.

What if I need the pill during the day?

If your doctor says you must take a medicine by mouth during the day, you count as ill and are excused from fasting. The Quran allows the sick to make up "an equal number of other days" (Al-Baqarah 2:184). Take your medicine, and make up the days later, or give fidya if you will never be able to fast. Never skip a medicine to keep a fast.

Things that are different

• Tablets under the tongue (for example for chest pain) that dissolve without being swallowed do not break the fast according to many contemporary scholars, as long as you do not swallow what remains.
• Injections, creams and eye drops generally do not break the fast.

Tips

• Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your doses can be moved to iftar and suhoor; see taking medication in Ramadan.
• Keep daytime medicines in a pill box out of sight so that you do not take them out of habit.
• If you are unsure whether a medicine is swallowed or absorbed another way, ask your pharmacist.

Planning ahead lets you protect both your health and your fast.