Salaam and Ramadhan Mubarak to you all too.
I have a question to ask. Since we have 6 hours after work till iftar time which would be difficult to pass, me and a couple of my friends have made plans of going for a swimming straight from work after Zuhr for an hour or two so as to be busy and easier to pass time though out Ramadan. Now when I was going today a colleague of mine who is quite a religious person raised a doubt in my mind. He said water may go down the nose and that it'd break my fast. Although I think mouth getting wet does not break the fast, if we do not deliberately swallow water as we also wet our mouth during Wazu but this water down the nostril has really confused me. Your views please

Also I was going through a Ramadan guidelines for Diabetic patients that my company made with a research done in many Muslim countries and views from religious scholars from KSA and Al Azhar, there as a mention of permission of using Inhalers during fast as it neither nourishes anyone nor does it have a filling effect in the stomach, its just a spray to help breath. Why do our people then consider it to be a no while fasting?

I'd appreciate an early response.

Regards,
Nasir

Dear Nasir Dua'en,

Water down the throat, either by mouth or nostrils, does invalidate fast; water in the mouth or nostrils does not invalidate fast.

Inhalers, for medical purpose only, do not invalidate fast, because antimony (surmah) in the eyes do not invalidate fast; the eyes have connection with the throat.

Allah knows best.

May Allah solve your problems and help you in your life, Amen!

Our salaam and Ramadan greetings to you all.

Dr. Syed Hasanuddin Ahmad
www.Learn-Islam.org