Inserting Oil Into The Ears Or Medicines In The Eye

In response to a very similar question, my online Iftaa course lecturer, teacher, the grandson of Huzoor Sadrush-Shariah, Hazrat Allama Mufti Faizanul Mustafa, Qadri Misbahi Sahab Qiblah who hails from Ghosi Shareef India, and who is the Founder and Director of Tajushariah Online Islamic Institute (Int.), has written an article in Mahnamah Paigham e Shariat (April/May issue, P.10) and I quote: "The Hanafi jurists have clearly and explicitly stated that putting medication in the ear invalidates ones fast yet, putting medication in the eyes does not break the fast. This has been mentioned in numerous texts, commentaries and Fataawa. Fataawa Alamgiri states:

Translation: Whoever inserts oil into his ear, his fast will be broken, but no expiation will be obligatory on him. It has been so mentioned also in Hidaaya with the addition of these words, "And even if the oil enters passively, the fast will still be broken. (Fataawa Alamgiri Volume 1, Page 204)

Durr e Mukhtaar states:

Translation: If a person inserts oils, or applies Surma (into the eyes) or performs cupping then to, these will not invalidate or break the fast, even though their taste is felt in the throat. (Raddul-Muhtaar, Volume 3, Page 367) This is due to the fact that whatever medicine or food enters the stomach through and beyond the oral passage or route, assuredly will break the fast. Appling or inserting oils into the ear will break the fast because the inner ear Islamically is categorised into the anatomical order of the stomach, whilst putting medicine in the eye does not break the fast, because the eye cavity is not categorised as such, into the order of the Jauf (stomach). The effect of such medication which is rendered into the eyes, then felt in the throat, is transmitted via absorption through the cell membranes of the tissue, and not directly through a passage. Allama Shaami writes in Raddul-Muhtaar, Volume 3, Page 367, under the heading:

Therefore, the effects that are felt in the throat enters through absorption by the "pores" (cell membranes), thus combining with the body’s natural secretions. As it has been previously stated that the fast is broken by that which enters through the oral passage or route.

The Ulama unanimously agree on this point through analogy with a person that has been bathing and feels the satisfaction of the coolness of the water being experienced both internally and externally yet this will not break or invalidate the fast. There is no direct passage that links the eye to the throat, but the tissue in between has porous membranes. Concerning the ear it is evident from anatomy that there is a direct passage linking the inner ear to the back of the throat known as the Eusthasian Tube. Thus, any medication inserted into the inner ear will eventually make its way into the back of the throat and its effects and taste will enter the stomach invalidating the fast.