Fatwa #4624912 February 2023United Kingdom
I suffer from Tourette’s syndrome & severe anxiety - Can i use Medical Marijuana?
Question
Assalamu alaikum, I am a young male living in UK, I suffer from Tourette’s syndrome, severe anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. My Tourette’s syndrome can range from mild to extremely severe. It does always tend to exacerbate when I get more nervous or anxious. However sometimes it will just flare up like crazy. There are twitches and some uncomfortable or awkward tics. (A tic is an uncontrollable twitch). But there are disgusting ones and the worst ones are self harm ones. Such as hitting self with objects or fists, biting tongue severely to the point where I always carry a mouth guard and an ulcer tongue cream/paste ready. I use the paste for injuries on my tongue and the mouth guard to stop my upper teeth cutting my tongue more. I see a neuropsychiatrist who specialises in Tourette’s syndrome and has tried me on many different medications. I have also tried ruqiya and some prophetic medicines which I still take. Also hijama, aromatherapy etc. I am currently on a quite serious high dosage of medications. two which are sedatives and one which is an anti depressant, the dosages are quetiapine 100mg daily, diazepam (Valium) 4-5mg daily or as required and sertraline (Prozac) 75mg daily. (The anti depressant was supposed to help with anxiety so is not too high dose). I have also experimented with some of the strongest CBD oils out there to no avail. I tend to live everyday at a time and have major relapses which have led me to slowly increase the diazepam overtime. The reason for my question is because I have recently seen mufti menk say that cannabis (the thc element in it) which intoxicates May be used for people with severe health issues if nothing else works. I am asking if there is any validity to this, because I always thought this was completely unlawful as it intoxicates so it would be haram even in small amounts. I used to smoke cannabis and cigarettes a lot and found it helped calm me down and the cannabis especially would sedate me so that I would hardly tic at all. However after effects, when not under the influence would cause me to start twitching again. I have seen people with similar neurological syndromes like mine e.g Parkinson’s disease take cannabis and it to be extremely effective for them. When I smoked it before it was for social purposes mainly and there was no control over substance use. I have spoken to my neuropsychiatrist about why the CBD was ineffective for me when i used to smoke cannabis before and she said that there are some researches that show that the THC in cannabis is the effective element while it is also the intoxicating element. My first question is would taking CANNABIS or/and nicotine be permissible for someone such as me that has tried everything else and is currently on a very high dosage of diazapam(Valium)? Secondly if it is, I would try to get a prescription by a specialist such as a homeopathic doctor or something as it is illegal here in the UK and there is no legal concept of medical marijuana? Thirdly if I can’t get a homeopath to prescribe me how much dosage I would need or require, what would I do to resort to buying it back on the streets where it can be mixed in with all sorts? Thank you and I’m sorry it is quite a complicated situation, I really do not want to start smoking cannabis again as I used to love it and was highly addicted and as soon as I started trying to practice Islam properly I cut that out of my life. However if it can be my one saving grace in order to deal with this condition that has affected my life severely then does it become permissible for me in however much needed quantity little or a lot? I have come to hate the stuff and still know people that smoke it and have distanced myself from them and if ever offered a spliff I always turn it down. Please understand I am not trying to get a free smoke weed pass fatwa because end of the day Allah sees all, I am just desperate for a solution. I’m very confused right now and would like some light shed on this matter please Jazakallah Abdul
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We make dua Almighty Allah create ease in your situation. Aameen.
In principle, it is not permissible to consume any intoxicant due to the following hadith.
كُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ
Translation: “Every intoxicant is Haram.” (Bukhari-6124)
However, Fuqaha have allowed use of Haram to treat medical conditions (Tadaawi bil Haraam), subject to the following conditions.[1]
- No alternative Halal medicine is available or sufficiently effective.
- A qualified physician, that is a pious Muslim, informs the patient that the marijuana can effectively treat the illness, based on high likelihood or near certainty.
- It is used only in accordance with the need, and no more.
THC is the intoxicating component in cannabis. You state that non-THC cannabis (weed) has not proven beneficial as it is the THC itself that provides the relief.
Accordingly, keeping in mind the aforementioned conditions, it will be permissible for you to use THC cannabis to treat your condition under the supervision of a capable doctor.
There are also some drugs available on the market which contain THC. If you are prescribed this drug, and it is feasible for you, that will be the most suitable option as you will not have to smoke the cannabis but instead ingest THC in pill form.
However, should such pills not be available, and you are prescribed medical marijuana itself, we advise you not to smoke it. Rather, ingest it by inserting it as an ingredient in edibles. This is a common method of ingesting cannabis and will be better for you in order to distance yourself from your old life of smoking cannabis.
Furthermore, it appears that the UK too has recently allowed the use of medical marijuana and it is also legal as a prescribed medication and available at pharmacies. For more information, you may consult your doctor or pharmacist who will assist you.
Once you have been prescribed a dosage by a competent Muslim doctor, you must strictly adhere to those dosages. Do not let Shaytaan and your desires tempt you to begin smoking/taking cannabis just for entertainment.
We pray Almighty Allah grant you full Shifaa. Aameen.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Bilal Yusuf Pandor
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
(2020-10-29)
المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 373) [1]
قال الصدر الشهيد رحمه الله: وفيه نظر؛ لأن لبن الأتان حرام، والاستشفاء بالحرام حرام، وما قاله الصدر الشهيد فهو غير مجرىً على إطلاقه، فإن الاستشفاء بالمحرم إنما لا يجوز إذا لم يعلم أن فيه شفاءً؛ أما إذا علم أن فيه شفاء، وليس له دواء آخر غيره فيجوز الاستشفاء به؛ ألا ترى إلى ما ذكر محمد رحمه الله في كتاب الأشربة إذا خاف الرجل على نفسه العطش، ووجد الخمر شربها إن كان يدفع عطشه؛ لكن يشرب بقدر ما يرويه ويدفع عطشه، ولا يشرب للزيادة على الكفاية
العناية شرح الهداية (10/ 67)
وَقَوْلُهُ (إلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُسْتَعْمَلَ الْمُحَرَّمُ كَالْخَمْرِ وَنَحْوِهَا لِأَنَّ الِاسْتِشْفَاءَ بِالْمُحَرَّمِ حَرَامٌ) قِيلَ إذَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً، فَإِنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً وَلَيْسَ لَهُ دَوَاءٌ آخَرُ غَيْرُهُ يَجُوزُ لَهُ الِاسْتِشْفَاءُ بِهِ. وَمَعَ قَوْلِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -: إنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ شِفَاءَكُمْ فِيمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ. يُحْتَمَلُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ذَلِكَ فِي دَاءٍ عُرِفَ لَهُ دَوَاءٌ غَيْرُ الْمُحَرَّمِ، لِأَنَّهُ يُسْتَغْنَى بِالْحَلَالِ عَنْ الْحَرَامِ. وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ: تَنْكَشِفُ الْحُرْمَةُ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ فَلَا يَكُونُ الشِّفَاءُ بِالْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّمَا يَكُونُ بِالْحَلَالِ
البناية شرح الهداية (12/ 271)
وقال فخر الإسلام البزدوي - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: فعل الاستشفاء بالحرام إنما لا يجوز إذا لم يعلم أن فيه شفاء، أما إذا علم أن فيه شفاء وليس له دواء آخر غيره، يجوز الاستشفاء به
تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق وحاشية الشلبي (6/ 33)
وَقَالَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ يَجُوزُ التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ كَالْخَمْرِ وَالْبَوْلِ إذَا أَخْبَرَهُ طَبِيبٌ مُسْلِمٌ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً، وَلَمْ يَجِدْ غَيْرَهُ مِنْ الْمُبَاحِ مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ وَالْحُرْمَةُ تَرْتَفِعُ لِلضَّرُورَةِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ مُتَدَاوِيًا بِالْحَرَامِ فَلَمْ يَتَنَاوَلْهُ حَدِيثُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، وَيَحْتَمِلُ أَنَّهُ قَالَهُ فِي دَاءٍ عُرِفَ لَهُ دَوَاءٌ غَيْرُ الْمُحَرَّمِ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (1/ 122)
وَقَدْ وَقَعَ الِاخْتِلَافُ بَيْنَ مَشَايِخِنَا فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ فَفِي النِّهَايَةِ عَنْ الذَّخِيرَةِ الِاسْتِشْفَاءُ بِالْحَرَامِ يَجُوزُ إذَا عُلِمَ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً وَلَمْ يُعْلَمْ دَوَاءٌ آخَرُ اهـ.
وَفِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خان مَعْزِيًّا إلَى نَصْرِ بْنِ سَلَّامٍ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - «إنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ شِفَاءَكُمْ فِيمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ» إنَّمَا قَالَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ الَّتِي لَا يَكُونُ فِيهَا شِفَاءٌ فَأَمَّا إذَا كَانَ فِيهَا شِفَاءٌ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْعَطْشَانَ يَحِلُّ لَهُ شُرْبُ الْخَمْرِ لِلضَّرُورَةِ اهـ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 210)
[فُرُوعٌ التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ]
مَطْلَبٌ فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ (قَوْلُهُ اُخْتُلِفَ فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ) فَفِي النِّهَايَةِ عَنْ الذَّخِيرَةِ يَجُوزُ إنْ عَلِمَ فِيهِ شِفَاءً وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ دَوَاءً آخَرَ. وَفِي الْخَانِيَّةِ فِي مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ - عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - «إنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ شِفَاءَكُمْ فِيمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ» كَمَا رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ أَنَّ مَا فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ كَمَا يَحِلُّ الْخَمْرُ لِلْعَطْشَانِ فِي الضَّرُورَةِ، وَكَذَا اخْتَارَهُ صَاحِبُ الْهِدَايَةِ فِي التَّجْنِيسِ فَقَالَ: لَوْ رَعَفَ فَكَتَبَ الْفَاتِحَةَ بِالدَّمِ عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ وَأَنْفِهِ جَازَ لِلِاسْتِشْفَاءِ، وَبِالْبَوْلِ أَيْضًا إنْ عَلِمَ فِيهِ شِفَاءً لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ، لَكِنْ لَمْ يُنْقَلْ وَهَذَا؛ لِأَنَّ الْحُرْمَةَ سَاقِطَةٌ عِنْدَ الِاسْتِشْفَاءِ كَحِلِّ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْتَةِ لِلْعَطْشَانِ وَالْجَائِعِ. اهـ مِنْ الْبَحْرِ. وَأَفَادَ سَيِّدِي عَبْدُ الْغَنِيِّ أَنَّهُ لَا يَظْهَرُ الِاخْتِلَافُ فِي كَلَامِهِمْ لِاتِّفَاقِهِمْ عَلَى الْجَوَازِ لِلضَّرُورَةِ، وَاشْتِرَاطُ صَاحِبِ النِّهَايَةِ الْعِلْمَ لَا يُنَافِيهِ اشْتِرَاطُ مَنْ بَعْدَهُ الشِّفَاءَ وَلِذَا قَالَ وَالِدِي فِي شَرْحِ الدُّرَرِ: إنَّ قَوْلَهُ لَا لِلتَّدَاوِي مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى الْمَظْنُونِ وَإِلَّا فَجَوَازُهُ بِالْيَقِينِيِّ اتِّفَاقٌ كَمَا صَرَّحَ بِهِ فِي الْمُصَفَّى. اهـ
أَقُولُ: وَهُوَ ظَاهِرٌ مُوَافِقٌ لِمَا مَرَّ فِي الِاسْتِدْلَالِ، لِقَوْلِ الْإِمَامِ: لَكِنْ قَدْ عَلِمْت أَنَّ قَوْلَ الْأَطِبَّاءِ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِهِ الْعِلْمُ. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ التَّجْرِبَةَ يَحْصُلُ بِهَا غَلَبَةُ الظَّنِّ دُونَ الْيَقِينِ إلَّا أَنْ يُرِيدُوا بِالْعِلْمِ غَلَبَةَ الظَّنِّ وَهُوَ شَائِعٌ فِي كَلَامِهِمْ تَأَمَّلْ (قَوْلُهُ وَظَاهِرُ الْمَذْهَبِ الْمَنْعُ) مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى الْمَظْنُونِ كَمَا عَلِمْته (قَوْلُهُ لَكِنْ نَقَلَ الْمُصَنِّفُ إلَخْ) مَفْعُولُ نَقَلَ قَوْلُهُ وَقِيلَ يُرَخِّصُ إلَخْ وَالِاسْتِدْرَاكُ عَلَى إطْلَاقِ الْمَنْعِ، وَإِذَا قَيَّدَ بِالْمَظْنُونِ فَلَا اسْتِدْرَاكَ. وَنَصُّ مَا فِي الْحَاوِي الْقُدْسِيِّ: إذَا سَالَ الدَّمُ مِنْ أَنْفِ إنْسَانٍ وَلَا يَنْقَطِعُ حَتَّى يُخْشَى عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتُ وَقَدْ عُلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَوْ كَتَبَ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ أَوْ الْإِخْلَاصَ بِذَلِكَ الدَّمِ عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ يَنْقَطِعُ فَلَا يُرَخَّصُ لَهُ فِيهِ؛ وَقِيلَ يُرَخَّصُ كَمَا رُخِّصَ فِي شُرْبِ الْخَمْرِ لِلْعَطْشَانِ وَأَكْلِ الْمَيْتَةِ فِي الْمَخْمَصَةِ وَهُوَ الْفَتْوَى. اهـ (قَوْلُهُ وَلَمْ يُعْلَمْ دَوَاءٌ آخَرُ) هَذَا الْمُصَرَّحُ بِهِ فِي عِبَارَةِ النِّهَايَةِ كَمَا مَرَّ وَلَيْسَ فِي عِبَارَةِ الْحَاوِي، إلَّا أَنَّهُ يُفَادُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ كَمَا رُخِّصَ إلَخْ؛ لِأَنَّ حِلَّ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْتَةِ حَيْثُ لَمْ يُوجَدْ مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُمَا أَفَادَهُ ط. قَالَ: وَنَقَلَ الْحَمَوِيُّ أَنَّ لَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ لَا يَجُوزُ التَّدَاوِي بِهِ وَإِنْ تَعَيَّنَ، وَاَللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ