QUESTION:

What do the scholars and muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding the following matter, if a person suffers from asthma is it permissible for him to use an inhaler; will the fast become void if it is used?

Questioner: Muhammad Kabeer from England

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

Taking a breath by means of an inhaler will nullify the fast because it is proven through experience that the medicine which is present in the inhaler as a liquid takes the form of a gas and enters the lungs of the sufferer, causing the airways to open and allowing the sufferer to breath with ease. Therefore, due to the medicine of the inhaler descending below the throat, the fast will become invalid; as it takes the form of a gas, and this situation is akin to intentionally inhaling smoke. Just as intentionally inhaling smoke will nullify the fast, similarly, the use of an inhaler will cause the fast to become void. It is stated in al-Durr al-Mukhtār:

“If one was to intentionally enter smoke into the throat, the fast will break, irrespective of the source of the smoke, even if it be the smoke of agarwood (‘oud) or ambergris, as long as he remembers that he is fasting; as it is possible to avoid the intentional inhalation of smoke”

[al-Durr al-Mukhtār wa Radd al-Muhtār, Kitāb al-Sawm, Bāb mā yufsid al-Sawm wa mā lā yufsiduh, Volume 3, pg 22]

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Zameer Ahmed

Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0457] Does using an Asthma inhaler nullify the Fast?

Also see:

[Q-ID0327] Whilst fasting does inhaling the fragrance of air freshener invalidate the fast?

Read an answer on the link below written by Mufti Zahid Hussain al-Qadiri:

http://www.thesunniway.com/articles/item/298-refutation-of-permitting-smoking-and-inhaling-ventolin-while-fasting

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