FAQs & Fatwas Islamic Studies

"Insulin Injections. Do they Break One's Fast?"

By Dr. ‘Ali Guma

 

The Question:

“My doctor told me that I must take my insulin injections at least 30 minutes before eating. With that in mind, is it allowable for me to do so while fasting?

The Answer

“There is nothing in Islamic law that prohibits one from taking insulin while fasting. Therefore, If a person uses such injections while fasting, then his/her fasting is sound.”

Dr. ‘Ali Guma

Mufti of Egypt

www.virtualmosque.com

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7 Comments

  • Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

    The patient however may well have to adjust/reduce the dose as insulin is (mostly) used in anticipation of a meal. This is to prevent their blood sugar levels dipping too low.

  • Assalamualakum,

    This question is very important and I really need an answer for it. Is it permissible to take anti-seizure medications during fasting?

    WS

  • ASAK,

    The general ruling of the fuqaha is that any shot which is nutritional in base will cause one to break their fast, although this is the first time I have heard of this ruling. But it seems that Sh. Ali (ha) is either saying that insulin is not nutritional or that to break ones fast something nutritional must go throught the mouth and into the stomach in order to break ones fast. Other medicinal shots like anti-seizure are acceptable and do not effect ones fasting and I have not heard of any diagreement on this.

    Wallahu a’lam

  • Asalamu alaykum,

    Many thanks Aba Majeed for your important insight and contribution. The Malikis,as noted by Sheikh al-Dardir in Sharh al-Saghir vol. 1 pg. 699, differentiate between what “reached the stomach” through normal means and what didn’t. Based on that, Sh. Ali [although a Shaf’i scholar by training but he studied with Sh. Abdul Jalil al-Karanshawi al-Maliki ra] and the Malikis in general hold that injections do not represent a normal means of nutrition [by which something reaches the stomach] and hold them as acceptable for one who needs them while fasting.

    Allah knows best
    SDW

  • JAK Akhil-Habeeb,

    The beauty of being a student of knowledge is that you learn something new every day.

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