Fatwa ID: 09096
Answered by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
Assalamu alaikum,
I am seeking Islamic guidance regarding fasting in Ramadan. I have epilepsy and take essential medication twice daily: Epilim (sodium valproate) in the morning and evening, and Lamotrigine twice a day. My doctors advise that these medications must be taken on time and that I need to drink water during the day, as dehydration increases the risk of seizures.
Due to this, I am unable to fast safely. Please advise whether I am Islamically exempt from fasting and whether giving fidya is the correct option for me.
JazakAllah khair.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. May Allah ﷻ grant you complete shifa, protect you from harm, and reward your sincerity in seeking to fulfil your obligations.
Allah ﷻ mentioned in the Quran:
وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ
“But the one who is sick, or is on a journey (should fast) as much from other days (as he missed). Allah intends (to provide) ease for you and does not intend (to create) hardship for you.”
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى عَزَائِمُهُ
“Indeed, Allah loves that His concessions be taken just as He loves that His commands be fulfilled.”
(Musnad Ahmad 2:108)
Your condition: epilepsy, combined with the need for strictly timed medication and hydration, falls directly under the category of fearing an increase in illness and real harm.
In your situation, you are excused from fasting because medical advice confirms that fasting increases the risk of seizures and a person who fears harm to their life, worsening of their illness, or prolongation of their condition is permitted not to fast. This concession is not based on doubt alone, but on a strong likelihood established through the advice of your doctors.[1]
The ruling then depends on whether your condition is temporary or ongoing:
If there is a reasonable expectation that your condition may improve to the extent that fasting becomes possible, then you will not fast at present but will make up (do qada of) the missed fasts when you are able to. This is because the obligation of fasting remains when the illness is expected to end.[1]
However, if your condition is ongoing and not expected to improve, such that you are unable to fast safely on a long-term basis, then you will not be required to make up the fasts. Instead, you will give fidya for each missed fast, as this ruling applies to one whose inability is permanent and not expected to cease.[2][3]
It is also important to note that fidya is only valid in the case of genuine long-term inability to fast. One cannot combine fidya and the obligation of fasting; rather, fidya replaces fasting only when there is permanent incapacity. If at any point you regain the ability to fast safely, the obligation of fasting returns. Fidya consists of feeding one poor person for each missed fast (or giving its monetary equivalent), as established in the classical texts.[4][2]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Answered by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
(وَمِنْهَا الْمَرَضُ) الْمَرِيضُ إذَا خَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ التَّلَفَ أَوْ ذَهَابَ عُضْوٍ يُفْطِرُ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ، وَإِنْ خَافَ زِيَادَةَ الْعِلَّةِ وَامْتِدَادَهَا فَكَذَلِكَ عِنْدَنَا، وَعَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءُ إذَا أَفْطَرَ كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ. ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ ذَلِكَ بِاجْتِهَادِ الْمَرِيضِ وَالِاجْتِهَادُ غَيْرُ مُجَرَّدِ الْوَهْمِ بَلْ هُوَ غَلَبَةُ ظَنٍّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ بِإِخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ كَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ. وَالصَّحِيحُ الَّذِي يَخْشَى أَنْ يَمْرَضَ بِالصَّوْمِ فَهُوَ كَالْمَرِيضِ هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ
كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية 1:207
[2]
والشيخ الفاني الذي لا يقدر على الصيام يفطر ويطعم لكل يوم مسكينا كما يطعم في الكفارات
ومن مات وعليه قضاء رمضان فأوصى به أطعم عنه وليه لكل يوم مسكينا نصف صاع من بر أو صاعا من تمر أو صاعا من شعير
كتاب مختصر القدوري p64
[3]
وَإِنَّمَا يُبَاحُ لَهُ الْفِطْرُ لِأَجْلِ الْحَرَجِ، وَعُذْرُهُ لَيْسَ بِعَرَضِ الزَّوَالِ حَتَّى يُصَارَ إلَى الْقَضَاءِ فَوَجَبَتْ الْفِدْيَةُ كَمَنْ مَاتَ وَعَلَيْهِ الصَّوْمُ يُوَضِّحُهُ أَنَّ الصَّوْمَ لَزِمَهُ لَا بِاعْتِبَارِ عَيْنِهِ بَلْ بِاعْتِبَارِ خَلَفِهِ كَالْكَفَّارَةِ تَجِبُ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ لَا بِاعْتِبَارِ الْمَالِ بَلْ بِاعْتِبَارِ خَلَفِهِ، وَهُوَ الصَّوْمُ وَالْأَصْلُ فِيهِ قَوْله تَعَالَى {وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ} [البقرة: ١٨٤]
كتاب المبسوط للسرخسي 3:100 (المكتبة الشاملة)
[4]
(قَوْلُهُ وَلَا فِدْيَةٍ وَصَوْمٍ) فَمَنْ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّوْمُ لَا تَلْزَمُهُ فِدْيَةٌ، وَمَنْ وَجَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْفِدْيَةُ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّوْمُ مَا دَامَ عَاجِزًا، أَمَّا إذَا قَدَرَ فَإِنَّهُ يَصُومُ، لَكِنْ لَا يَبْقَى مَا أَدَّاهُ فِدْيَةً؛ لِأَنَّ شَرْطَهَا الْعَجْزُ الدَّائِمُ فَلَا جَمْعَ أَفَادَهُ ط (قَوْلُهُ أَوْ قِصَاصٍ) أَيْ وَلَا بَيْنَ فِدْيَةٍ أَيْ كَفَّارَةٍ وَقِصَاصٍ، فَأَرَادَ بِالْفِدْيَةِ مَا يَشْمَلُ الْكَفَّارَةَ، وَالْأَوْلَى التَّعْبِيرُ بِهَا كَمَا فِي الْبَحْرِ فَافْهَمْ، وَذَلِكَ؛ لِأَنَّ الْقِصَاصَ فِي الْعَمْدِ وَالْكَفَّارَةَ فِي غَيْرِهِ، فَمَتَى وَجَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا لَمْ يَجِبْ الْآخَرُ
كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين = رد المحتار ط الحلبي 1:259 (المكتبة الشاملة)