Al-Albānī: Does Eating Something That Isn’t Food in Itself Break One’s Fast?

A Person Asking: Our Shaikh, regarding eating things that aren’t food?

Shaikh Al-Albānī: The question is incomplete.

Person Asking: Sorry, […] a man ate something that isn’t considered food, such as a leaf [or a piece of paper], for example?

Shaikh: Ah ….

Person Asking: What’s the ruling considering his fast?

Shaikh: Okay ….

Person Asking: Yeah.

Shaikh: I can’t imagine this case [actually happening]. But if it were to happen, then the person who ate the leaves [or paper] must have had some purpose in doing so, [like] he’d be doing as goats do when they eat leaves [or paper]. So he must have had some purpose behind that, no doubt about that. That is to say, [the ruling on his fast] would be just as if he had eaten any other thing.

Person Asking: Just as if he had eaten any other thing?

Shaikh: Yeah.

Person Asking: Meaning, just [as if had eaten] regular food?

Shaikh: Yeah.

Person Asking: Yes. Then, our Shaikh, do pills come under the same ruling?

Shaikh: Pills?

Person Asking: Yeah, like aspirin, for example, for headaches.

Shaikh: You mean swallowing one?

Person Asking: Swallowing one, [yes].

Shaikh: Same ruling.

Silsilah Al-Hudá wa-l-Nūr, tape 58.