Using sunscreen and creams while fasting

Question

I wanted to ask whether it is allowed to use creams such as sunscreen or something in ramzan while fasting.

— Akmal Hussain, Jaora,India

Answer

Using creams such as sunscreen on the outer body does not invalidate the fast, even if it enters the pores of the skin. This is because the fast breaks when something is entered through an open passage (manfadh) such as the throat, nose etc. It is in Radd al-Muḥtār:

والمفطر إنما هو الداخل من المنافذ

“The breaker of the fast is that which enters from the open passages.”

[radd al-muḥtār, kitāb al-ṣawm, bāb mā yufsid al-ṣawm wa mā lā yufsiduhu]

Thus the use of creams which don’t contain any forbidden or impure substances is permissible whilst fasting.

The fast does not break even if the cream contains forbidden or impure substances but to use such a cream is impermissible, and Allāh, the Exalted, knows best.

Faqīr Sohel al-Qādirī · (May he be forgiven) · Dhū al-Ḥijjah 6, 1445

Verified by Muftī Faizān al-Muṣṭafā al-Qādirī