Answered by Sidi Waseem Hussain
Question: Nose-drops and ear-drops are mentioned as breaking the fast, but is it a condition that the drops reach the body cavity (jawf) or brain? This would almost certainly never happen with ear drops, as there is a barrier between the ear and the main body cavity.
Answer: Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullah,
It is a condition that the ear-drops reach the body cavity.
What you are referring to is a sound observation, based on modern-day medical evidences. Classically the scholars mention the ear as being an invalidating entry point, from which a substance would reach the body cavity. However, modern-day medicine negates any such connection, unless there is a hole in the eardrum.
As such ear-drops would not invalidate the fast unless one has a hole in the eardrum.
However, as a precaution one should avoid using ear-drops while fasting.
[Rafi Usmani, Dawabit al-Mufattirat]
Wassalam,
Waseem Hussain
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani
Sidi Waseem Hussain attained an M.Sc. in Engineering, concentrating on international technology management. He studied the Islamic sciences in Amman for a number of years, with particular emphasis on fiqh, hadith and `aqida. He is founder of the Danish Islamic Q&A service www.haya.dk. He currently lives in Denmark with his wife.