Fatwa ID: 09000
Answered by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Question:
I wanted some advice please, I take medication now every morning that I need for my health, how can I work around this in Ramadan when I fast?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The question concerns a person who has a genuine medical need and takes medication every morning. The ruling must balance two matters: the obligation of fasting in Ramadan, and the Shari’ principle that a person should not harm himself by neglecting necessary treatment.
In the Hanafi Madhhab, fasting is to abstain from food, drink and marital relations from true dawn until sunset with the intention of worship [1]. Therefore, the fast is invalidated when a medication reaches the internal cavity, such as the lungs, stomach, intestines, or brain through a recognised passage or route [2]. Hence, a person may take a medication which will not invalidate the fast.
With regards to necessary medications during the hours of fasting, a patient should not stop, delay, or alter necessary medication merely on his own judgement. Rather, he should consult a competent Muslim doctor to determine whether the medication is essential, whether it can be delayed, and whether fasting would worsen the illness or delay recovery [3].
Since fasting only applies from dawn until sunset, the first practical step is to confirm with a competent Muslim doctor whether the medication, which, if taken during hours of fasting will invalidate the fast, can be taken outside fasting hours, such as before Sehri and after Iftar. If this is medically safe, the person should take the medication at those times and continue fasting. This preserves the fast while fulfilling the medical need.
However, if the hours of fasting are long, or the medication must necessarily be taken during the fasting hours, or delaying it will likely harm the patient, worsen the illness, or delay recovery, then the person is excused from fasting that day and he may make qadha (replace) of the fast later when he is able, such as when he has recovered or when the days are shorter [4].
Finally, if the illness is permanent and he is not expected to regain the ability to fast, then the ruling of fidyah will apply for each missed fast. This is a compensatory payment for each missed fast, equivalent to £5 in the UK [5].
In conclusion, the patient should not endanger his health by stopping necessary medication. He should first seek medical advice regarding whether the medication can be moved to Sehri time or Iftar. If it can be safely moved, he should fast. If it cannot be safely moved and must be taken during the day, he is excused from fasting, will take the medication, and will make qadha later if he is able. If he is permanently unable to fast, he will give fidyah.
May Allah grant you complete shifa, ease and strength to fulfill your duties towards Him.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
«أَمَّا تَفْسِيرُهُ فَهُوَ عِبَارَةٌ عَنْ تَرْكِ الْأَكْلِ وَالشُّرْبِ وَالْجِمَاعِ مِنْ الصُّبْحِ إلَى غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ بِنِيَّةِ التَّقَرُّبِ إلَى اللَّهِ كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي»
Fatawa Hindiyyah – Vol 1 – Pg 194 – Dar al-Fikr
[2]
ومن احتقن أو استعط أو قطر في أذنيه أو داوى جائفةً أو آمةً بداوء فوصل إلى جوفه أو دماغه أفطر
Al-Lubab Fi Sharh al-Kitab – Vol 1 – Pg 168 – al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah
[3]
«قَوْلُهُ بِغَلَبَةِ الظَّنِّ) تُنَازِعُهُ خَافَ الَّذِي فِي الْمَتْنِ وَخَافَ وَخَافَتْ اللَّتَانِ فِي الشَّرْحِ ط (قَوْلُهُ بِأَمَارَةٍ) أَيْ عَلَامَةٍ (قَوْلُهُ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ) وَلَوْ كَانَتْ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْمَرِيضِ عِنْدَ اتِّحَادِ الْمَرَضِ ط عَنْ أَبِي السُّعُودِ (قَوْلُهُ حَاذِقٍ) أَيْ لَهُ مَعْرِفَةٌ تَامَّةٌ فِي الطِّبِّ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ تَقْلِيدُ مَنْ لَهُ أَدْنَى مَعْرِفَةٍ فِيهِ ط (قَوْلُهُ مُسْلِمٍ) أَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَلَا يُعْتَمَدُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِ لِاحْتِمَالِ أَنَّ غَرَضَهُ إفْسَادُ الْعِبَادَةِ كَمُسْلِمٍ شَرَعَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ بِالتَّيَمُّمِ فَوَعَدَهُ بِإِعْطَاءِ الْمَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ لِمَا قُلْنَا بَحْرٌ (قَوْلُهُ مَسْتُورٍ) وَقِيلَ عَدَالَتُهُ شَرْطٌ وَجَزَمَ بِهِ الزَّيْلَعِيُّ وَظَاهِرُ مَا فِي الْبَحْرِ وَالنَّهْرِ ضَعْفُهُ ط»
Hashiyah Ibn Abideen – Vol 2 – Pg 422 – Dar al-Fikr
[4]
«(ومن كان مريضاً في رمضان فخاف) الخوف المعتبر شرعاً، وهو ما كان مستنداً لغلبة الظن بتجربة أو إخبار مسلم عدل أو مستور حاذق بأنه (إن صام ازداد مرضه) أو أبطأ برؤه (أفطر وقضى) ، لأن زيادته وامتداده قد يفضي إلى الهلاك فيحترز عنه»
Al-Lubab Fi Sharh al-Kitab – Vol 1 – Pg 169 – al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah
[5]
«والذي لا يطيق الصوم فإنه يفطر ويطعم لكل يوم نصف صاع من حنطة.»
Al-Mabsut al-Sarakhsi – Vol 3 – Pg 100 – Dar al-Ma’rifah