He suffers from narcolepsy and wants to take medicine during the day in Ramadan

Question: 154044

I have a sleep disorder (narcolepsy) and have to take medication twice daily. My problem is that when its Ramadan and I’m fasting, I can’t do this and end up sleeping for most of the day. I’ve been told that I shouldn’t alter the times I’m supposed to take the medication as they’re meant to keep me awake during the day, and not at any other time.

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

If you can take the medicine before Fajr and after Maghrib,
and you will be okay with this change, then praise be to Allah.

If there is an injection that you can take instead of this
medicine that can take its place, then consult your doctor about using it in
Ramadan instead of the medicine, and there will be nothing wrong with you
taking it whilst fasting.

If you must take the medicine during the day and changing the
time will lead to great hardship or severe difficulty, then you are excused
for not fasting and you should not fast, and you should make it up later
on.

The majority of scholars are of the view that it is not
permissible for a sick person not to fast in Ramadan unless his sickness is
severe.

What is meant by severe sickness is:

1.The sickness will be made worse
by fasting

2.Recovery will be delayed by
fasting

3.He will encounter extreme
hardship even if his sickness does not get worse or recovery is not delayed

4.The scholars added to this the
one who fears that he will become sick because of fasting.

See also the answer to question no.
12488 and
65871.

And Allah knows best.

Source:

Islam Q&A

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