What is the ruling on treatment with sedating and intoxicating medications?
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Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says, O Shaykh: Many of the medications used in medicine are sedating, and some are intoxicating, or many of them are intoxicating. These medications are used for pain, surgeries, and other things. Is their use permissible, or do they fall under the ruling of forbidden intoxicants?
Answer:
As for the narcotic, there is nothing wrong with it; the sedating and anesthetic are fine.
As for the intoxicating substance that causes dizziness and drunkenness, it is not permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2003b, and he said: Bulugh al-Maram 10:50. A man asked him and said: O Messenger of Allah, I make wine for medicine. He said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2046Sahih (Darussalam). It was narrated by Muslim in "Sahih."
So if it is known to be intoxicating, it is not permissible to use it for treatment. As for it being sedating and preventing pain, like an anesthetic, there is nothing wrong with it; because this is taken to repel and remove pain, and there is nothing wrong with that, as it benefits the patient.
As for it making him drunk, changing his mind, causing him to ramble and speak what should not be spoken, like other intoxicants; no.
May Allah reward you. This questioner says, O Shaykh: Many of the medications used in medicine are sedating, and some are intoxicating, or many of them are intoxicating. These medications are used for pain, surgeries, and other things. Is their use permissible, or do they fall under the ruling of forbidden intoxicants?
Answer:
As for the narcotic, there is nothing wrong with it; the sedating and anesthetic are fine.
As for the intoxicating substance that causes dizziness and drunkenness, it is not permissible. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Every intoxicant is Khamr and every intoxicant is forbidden.
كل مُسْكِر خمر، وكل مُسكر حرامAllah did not make your cure in what He made Haram (unlawful) to you.
إنَّ الله لم يجعل شفاءكم فيما حرَّم عليكمIt is certainly not a treatment, rather, it is a disease.
إنها ليست بدواء، ولكنها داءSo if it is known to be intoxicating, it is not permissible to use it for treatment. As for it being sedating and preventing pain, like an anesthetic, there is nothing wrong with it; because this is taken to repel and remove pain, and there is nothing wrong with that, as it benefits the patient.
As for it making him drunk, changing his mind, causing him to ramble and speak what should not be spoken, like other intoxicants; no.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.