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Fatwa CenterDoes depression allow breaking the fast?
Question
I suffer from depression. I mean depression as a sickness, not just a feeling. I have been suffering from depression for two years and a half. I saw many doctors but have had no success. A doctor advised me not to sleep during the daytime at all. I find great hardship in applying this advice during Ramadan. Am I allowed to break my fast lest the illness may last longer, noting that I feel so exhausted even if I do not wake up during the whole day. This is because the disease that I have makes me eat a lot and feel very tired. Also, I am currently unemployed. It is too hard for me to stay home for long hours with nothing to eat or do. Please note that I cannot read, study, or even recite the Quran while I am fasting.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
We ask Allaah, the Most Noble and the Lord of the Great Throne to soon cure you from that which you complain about. We would like to let you know that you need to see a trustworthy doctor who is qualified in the disease that you have. If he tells you that fasting will worsen your health condition, delay your recovery, or cause another disease to occur, then you may break the fast and make up for the days that you will miss later, whenever you will be able to do so. If the doctor tells you that your sickness is incurable and that you will not be able to fast at all, then you are not required to fast. In that case, you are required to offer an expiation for each day of fasting that you miss. The expiation is estimated at 750 gm of a commonly consumed type of food in one’s town. The food is given to the poor and needy.
Allaah Knows best.
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