Applying oil or any other liquids to the body while fasting

Is a fasting person permitted to apply oil or any other liquid in the eyes, ears or nose?

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

In principle, only medicine or fluid entering the body through the gastrointestinal tract would nullify the fast. Thus, applying oil or any other liquid in the eyes or ears will not break the fast since it does not enter the body through the gastrointestinal tract. However, since the nose is directly connected with the throat and any fluid which goes through the nose will enter the stomach through the gastrointestinal tract, any medicine taken through the nose would nullify the fast.

Note: The mainstream opinion of the earlier jurists was that medicine entering through the ears would nullify the fast. This was based one the belief that the ears are also directly connected to the gastrointestinal tract. Later, this was proven not to be the case and thus the fatwa of the fast remaining valid has been adopted.

والله اعلم

Allah Knows best.

Approved by: Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani