Does wearing a nicotine patch on the arm to quit smoking break the fast?
Dear Brother / Sister,
A patch applied to the skin does not break the fast. Therefore, nicotine patches used by those trying to quit smoking do not invalidate the fast.
Since nicotine patches applied to the body have no direct connection with the body's internal system, they do not affect the fast. Even if substances like plasters, creams, medicines, food, or treatment are absorbed through the skin, the fast is not broken.
For example, in the case of heart disease, a nitroderm-containing medication is applied to the chest. This is absorbed through the skin but does not invalidate the fast according to all four Islamic schools of thought. Similarly, although nicotine patches are absorbed by the body, they do not break the fast according to all four madhabs.
Additionally, since nicotine patches do not provide nourishment or relieve thirst and are not used for dietary purposes, they do not affect the fast.
Questions on Islam
- Frequently Asked Questions on Fasting
- Is it permissible for a person who does hard manual labor not to perform fasting? What are the excuses that makes it permissible for a person not to fast?
- What a fasting person should do as a Kaffarah (Atonement) when he/she does one of the things that invalidate the fast?
- Is the fast broken because of kissing or embracing?
- Do treatment methods like sprays, eye-nose-ear drops, endoscopy, anesthesia, suppositories, enema, injections, serum, donating blood, dialysis, angio, biopsy, ointment, medicine and gynecological examination invalidate fasting?
- What are the things and states that invalidate fasting?
- Does applying cream, oil and ointment harm fasting?
- Does it invalidate the fast to apply surma (eyeliner), to put medicine on a wound, and to apply ointment on it?
- Does Vomiting Invalidate the fast?
- How should the person who realizes when he wakes up that he is junub (ritually impure) continue with the fasting? Does getting blood drawn invalidate the fast?
