What invalidates the fast by being introduced into the body cavity?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Fasting
Primary text
The fast is broken by everything intentionally introduced into the interior of the body, such as the stomach, throat, or any hollow passage reaching the stomach, provided it was introduced by choice and could have been avoided. This applies whether introduction is through the usual route (the mouth) or unusual routes like forced feeding (wajur) or administering medicine into the throat (laddud). It also applies if introduced via the nose (snuffing/sa'ut), through the ear to the brain, through the eye to the throat (like kohl/surma), via the anus through enema (hiqna), or through treatment for a deep wound (ja'ifah) reaching the stomach, or treatment for a head wound (ma'mūmah) reaching the brain. This invalidates the fast because it reaches the interior of the body intentionally, resembling eating. Similarly, if one wounds oneself or is wounded by another intentionally, and the substance reaches the stomach, whether it remains there or exits, the fast is broken. This view is held by Al-Shafi'i.
Supporting text
Imam Malik holds that snuffing (sa'ut) does not break the fast unless it descends to the throat. He also states that treatment for a ma'mūmah or ja'ifah does not break the fast. There is a difference of opinion attributed to him regarding the enema (hiqna), with the argument being that nothing reached the throat, making it similar to substances not reaching the brain or the main cavity.