'Medicinal ear or nose drops render fast invalid'

Use of medicinal ear or nose drops would render Ramadan fast invalid, according to fatwas issued by Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD).

Interestingly, the fatwa allows the use of eye drops while fasting, Gulf News reported.

However, Muslim scholars differ about using eye drops while fasting.

The Al Malikiyah and Al Shafiyah schools hold the view that eye drops end the fast if they reach the throat - though this is not usual.

The Al Ahnafi school and a group of other scholars are of the opinion that eye drops do not break the fast since they are not contrary to fasting even if one feels the taste of medicines in the throat.

This is also the opinion of Shaikh Al Islam Ibn Taymiyah and a group of contemporary scholars.

The general conclusion is that the use of eye drops is not tantamount to ending the fast. However, it is preferable to delay using such medication until night just to avoid the disagreement. However, if one must use it during the day, he should spit it out on feeling any taste of the medicine, a religious scholar at Ifta' Fatwa centre in Dubai told Gulf News.