Friday 19 Ramadan 1445 - 29 March 2024
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Can Doctors Break the Fast Due to Fatigue?

Question

Is it permissible for a doctor under normal circumstances to break the fast if he becomes tired from treating patients? What is the ruling if he is doing operations, some of which take a long time? Does the ruling vary if it is an emergency case?

Summary of answer

It is not permissible for a doctor to break the fast in order to treat patients, unless the patient is in a serious condition and his treatment depends on the attending doctor breaking the fast.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

“It is not permissible for a doctor to break the fast in order to treat patients, unless the patient is in a serious condition and his treatment depends on the attending doctor breaking the fast . In that case it is permissible for the doctor to break the fast, because he is saving someone from dying. 

And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions.” (Fatawa Al-Lajnah Al-Daimah, Vol. 2, 9/203, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Al ash-Shaykh,Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd)

For more, please see these answers: 38532 , 221227 , and 12488 .

And Allah knows best.

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Source: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, vol. 2, 9/203