Does Putting Medicine into the Nose Break the Fast?

Question

A man suffers from a chronic nasal illness (his nose is always blocked), because of which the use of medicines is necessary and unavoidable for him. Is the said person permitted to put medicine into his nose while fasting or not? If he does not put it in, he suffers immensely, and he often has to breathe through his mouth, which dries out his throat and mouth and pain sets in; mucus hardens inside the nose, and putting in the medicine clears it. Kindly inform us of the answer.

Answer

If, while fasting, one puts medicine into the nose and that medicine reaches the cavity of the brain, the fast will be broken; otherwise not: [ar]أو استعط في أنفه شيئا (إلى أن قال) فوصل الدواء حقيقة إلى جوفه ودماغه (قوله: وصل الدواء حقيقة) أشار إلى أن ما وقع في ظاهر الرواية من تقييد الإفساد بالدواء الرطب مبني على العادة من أنه يصل، وإلا فالمعتبر حقيقة الوصول[/ar] “…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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