An epileptic patient taking medicine continuously during the daytime of Ramadan
(Part No. 9; Page No. 130)
Fatwa no.
16556
All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets. To proceed:The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' reviewed the submitted question by the Director of Da`wah and Guidance Center to His Eminence the Grand Mufty
at
Abha
in his letter no. A/9/566, dated 5 Sha`ban 1414 A.H, which was referred to the Committee from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars no. 3590, dated 8 Sha`ban 1414 A.H. His Eminence attached a question from a person stating:My daughter is about thirteen and half years old, meaning she is pubescent and Mukallaf (person meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions).
She has been diagnosed with epilepsy, and is currently being treated with medication which must be administered during the day and night. Taking into consideration that she still suffers from this disease and has seizures if she does not take the pills to be swallowed with water - on their prescribed time either day or night - is it permissible to pay Kaffarah (expiation) for not observing Sawm (Fast)?
Is it permissible to pay the Kaffarah of the entire month all at once? The girl in question has been ill for eleven years and is still undergoing treatment. Please advise, may Allah grant you success.Then, a reply was sent to His Eminence with a letter no. 2/2395, dated (Part No. 9; Page No. 131) 25 Sha`ban 1414 A.H, requesting him to send the attached medical report. His Eminence's reply was sent in letter no. A/9/641, dated 3 Ramadan 1414 A.H, with a medical report stating: "The patient suffers from epileptic attacks. She regularly takes medicine for this reason five times a day during the day: 6 am, 7am, 8 am, 3 pm, and 4 pm. The medicine cannot be given only once or twice during the day or night."
After studying the question the Committee answered that her father should pay 15 Sa` (1 Sa`=3 kg. Approx.) if Ramadan is thirty days. If it is twenty nine days, he should pay 14.5 Sa`. He should pay them to the poor, even if to one poor person either in the beginning of the month, during it, or at the end of it until Allah cures her.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.