and His Messenger is whatever reaches the brain or the body, enters through an opening, reaches an internal cavity, or meets any similar criterion that the proponents of these views regard as the basis for the ruling laid down by Allah and His Messenger. They maintain that Allah and His Messenger made food and drink invalidate the fast only because of this common feature, shared by food and drink, medicines that reach the brain or an internal cavity when applied to wounds reaching the membrane surrounding the brain or penetrating a body cavity, and substances that reach an internal cavity through kohl, enemas, drops introduced into the urethra, and the like.

If there is no evidence that Allah and His Messenger made the ruling depend on this attribute, then to say, “Allah and His Messenger made this invalidate the fast only for this reason,” is to speak without knowledge. Likewise, to say, “Allah has forbidden the fasting person to do this,” is to declare things lawful or unlawful without knowledge. This entails saying about Allah what one does not know, which is impermissible.

Any scholar who believes that this shared feature is the basis of the ruling is like someone who believes an incorrect legal position to be correct, or believes that an expression conveys a meaning the Messenger did not intend. This is an exercise of scholarly judgment for which they are rewarded. It does not necessarily follow, however, that their view rests on evidence from Islamic law that a Muslim is obliged to follow.