Do the spray and asthma medicine used by asthma patients invalidate fasting? Is the fast broken by using asthma spray or medication? Can asthma spray or medicine disrupt the fast?

Asthma patients who have to use inhaler spray do not have to observe fasting. They may perform qada for these days after recovery. If it is not possible to be recovered, then they may give fidyah for the days unobserved per each day. One day’s fidyah is the amount of one fitr given for one person in Ramadan.

However, asthma patients who do not have other health problems to prevent fasting apart from asthma may observe fasting by spraying the special spray to their mouths. These medications sprayed to mouth do not invalidate the fast. Because a very low amount (around 1/20 ml) is sprayed to mouth per once. The significant amount of it is absorbed by mouth and bronchus. There is no certain information whether the rest mixes with the saliva and reaches stomach or not.

In comparison to the water taken into mouth during ablution, this is not a significant amount. There are hadiths saying that the water that remains in mouth after ablution does not invalidate fasting even it reaches stomach (Darimi, al-Sunan, Sawm, 16). There is consensus about this matter.

Also, some parts of siwak and chemical substances may reach stomach unavoidably. Yet, authentic hadith sources indicate that Prophet Muhammad (saw) used siwak while fasting (Bukhari Sawm, 27; Tirmidhi, Sawm, 29). On the other hand, as required by the rule of “What is known with certainty does not disappear by doubt”, suspicion about whether something has reached stomach or not does not invalidate the fast. In this regard, medication with oxygen sprayed to mouth to help asthma patients with breathing smoothly does not invalidate the fast. (Decision by HBRA dated 22. 09. 2005)

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS

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