The Case of a Fasting Person’s Use of Kohl (Eye Drops or powder)

لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ لَيْسَ بِطَعَامٍ وَ لَا شَرَابٍ.[3] - عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الْفَرَّاءِ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ مِثْلَهُ.

“About a fasting person’s use of kohl (special powder for eye treatment) abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that it is not harmful, because it is not a drink or food.’” Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Sulayman al-Farra’ from more than one person who have narrated a similar Hadith from abu

سَأَلْتُهُ عَمَّنْ يُصِيبُهُ الرَّمَدُ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ هَلْ يَذُرُّ عَيْنَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ وَ هُوَ صَائِمٌ قَالَ يَذُرُّهَا إِذَا أَفْطَرَ وَ لَا يَذُرُّهَا وَ هُوَ صَائِمٌ.

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who suffers from an eye-ache in the month of Ramadan; if he can sprinkle his eyes during the day in the month of Ramadan when he is fasting. He (the Imam) said, ’He can do so when he is not fasting but he cannot do so when he is fasting.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[4] عَنِ الْكُحْلِ لِلصَّائِمِ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ كُحْلًا لَيْسَ فِيهِ مِسْكٌ وَ لَيْسَ لَهُ طَعْمٌ فِي الْحَلْقِ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who applies kohl when he is fasting. He (the Imam) said, ’If it is a kind of kohl in which there is no musk and has no taste in the throat, then it is not harmful.’”