Fatwa ID: 06107

Answered by: Alimah Safiyya-Maryam Ahmed

Question:

I have been diagnosed with ADHD recently and I have been prescribed medication that I have to take every morning as they are stimulants which means I won’t be able to take it at night/sahur and get enough sleep. In the UK Suhoor ends at 4+am or earlier and Maghrib at 8 pm or later as the month goes on. I want to continue observing my fast but need to take medication too. As such, I want to know if I can take the medication at my usual time (8 am – no food is required and I’ll swallow without water) and continue to observe the fast?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Unfortunately, it is not possible for you to make your oral medication at 8 am and continue observing the fast. Anything that goes down the throat will break your fast, even if it is medicine. It is important that you speak to a Muslim doctor who can try and help you find a way where you can take your medication at such a time that you can still fast. In order to partake in this wondrous month and gain the rewards and blessings found within it, it may be that altering your sleeping habits slightly, albeit with some sacrifice on your part, is the best option. For example, it may be possible for you to take the medicine at suhoor time and get some sleep and nap later in the day to recuperate.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Safiyya-Maryam Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

ط (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 (رد المحتار, كتاب الصوم, فصل في العوارض المبيحة لعدم الصوم, جلد ٢, صفحة ٤٢٢, المكتبة الشاملة الحديثة)