4th April 2021
Question: I have an occasional seizure which requires me to take a tablet in the morning and night (Tegretol). Due to this medical reason, I have been unable to fast. I would like to know concerning these tablets to my knowledge these control seizures from happening and does not have nutrition values, unlike a vitamin C or cod liver oils etc. If I were to take the tablet in the morning at 9am would such a tablet break my fast – without taking water, just swallowing the tablet?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to your case scenario, for the specific medical reason that you are unable to fast during Ramadhān would require you to make up for it as Qadha at your convenient time. Regarding the tablet itself then firstly note that anything that reaches and disappears into the stomach via the qualified cavity – i.e the throat – by swallowing it breaks the fast regardless if it is medicine, food or otherwise. This is the standard accepted rule.[1] The tablets are usually taken so to calm the nerve impulses that causes seizure.
So, to take the tablets to control the seizures irrespective if they are deemed nutritious or not still breaks the fast. However, if the medical doctor has strongly advised you to take them every day during fasting times such as 9:00am otherwise your seizure will increase then you can take the tablets and make up for the fasts later on as Qadha when possible. The underpinning principle is that if fasting is likely to increase an existing illness or delay in recovery then you have the choice to delay or break the fast and postpone it to a later date.[2] If your seizure is controlled to a certain degree that doesn’t require you to take the tablets every day nor during the day but once in the evening after iftar for instance then you must fast and avoid taking them during the day provided that this doesn’t exacerbate the seizure. By taking the tablets when not necessary whilst fasting results both in Qadha and Kaffarah – fast for 60 days continuously.
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Sawm,, vol 2 p. 396
وَمُفَادُهُ أَنَّ اسْتِقْرَارَ الدَّاخِلِ فِي الْجَوْفِ شَرْطٌ لِلْفَسَادِ بَدَائِعُ.
Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Sawm,, vol 2 p. 410
بَابُ مَا يُفْسِدُ الصَّوْمَ وَمَا لَا يُفْسِدُهُ الْفَسَادُ
(أَوْ دَوَاءً) مَا يُتَدَاوَى بِهِ وَالضَّابِطُ وُصُولُ مَا فِيهِ صَلَاحُ بَدَنِهِ لِجَوْفِهِ
مُلَخَّصًا وَقَالَ فِي النَّهْرِ: إنَّهُ يُعِيدُ عَنْ التَّحْقِيقِ إذْ بِتَقْدِيرِهِ يَكُونُ قَوْلُهُمْ أَوْ دَوَاءٌ حَشْوًا وَاَلَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ الْمُحَقِّقُونَ أَنَّ مَعْنَى الْفِطْرِ وُصُولُ مَا فِيهِ صَلَاحُ الْبَدَنِ إلَى الْجَوْفِ أَعَمُّ مِنْ كَوْنِهِ غِذَاءً أَوْ دَوَاءً يُقَابِلُ الْقَوْلَ الْأَوَّلَ هَذَا هُوَ الْمُنَاسِبُ فِي تَحْقِيقِ مَحَلِّ الْخِلَافِ.
[2] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābus Sawm,, vol 2 p. 422
فَصْلٌ فِي الْعَوَارِضِ الْمُبِيحَةِ لِعَدَمِ الصَّوْمِ
أَوْ مَرِيضٍ خَافَ الزِّيَادَةَ) لِمَرَضِهِ وَصَحِيحٍ خَافَ الْمَرَضَ، وَخَادِمَةٍ خَافَتْ الضَّعْفَ بِغَلَبَةِ الظَّنِّ بِأَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ بِأَخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ حَاذِقٍ مُسْلِمٍ مَسْتُورٍ
(قَوْلُهُ خَافَ الزِّيَادَةَ) أَوْ إبْطَاءَ الْبُرْءِ أَوْ فَسَادَ عُضْوٍ بِحَرٍّ أَوْ وَجَعَ الْعَيْنِ أَوْ جِرَاحَةً أَوْ صُدَاعًا أَوْ غَيْرَهُ، وَمِثْلُهُ مَا إذَا كَانَ يُمَرِّضُ الْمَرْضَى قُهُسْتَانِيٌ ط أَيْ بِأَنْ يَعُولَهُمْ وَيَلْزَمَ مِنْ صَوْمِهِ ضَيَاعُهُمْ وَهَلَاكُهُمْ لِضَعْفِهِ عَنْ الْقِيَامِ بِهِمْ إذَا صَامَ (قَوْلُهُ وَصَحِيحٍ خَافَ الْمَرَضَ) أَيْ بِغَلَبَةِ الظَّنِّ كَمَا يَأْتِي
Muheetul Burhani vol 2 p. 391
الفصل السابع في الأسباب المبيحة للفطر
إذا ثبت هذا: فنقول المريض إذا خاف على نفسه التلف، أو ذهاب عضو منه يفطر بالإجماع، وإن خاف زيادة العلة وامتداده، فكذلك عندنا، وعليه القضاء إذا أفطر لقوله تعالى: {ومن كان مريضاً أو على سفر، فعدة من أيام أخر} (البقرة: 185)