Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

aslamalikum,
I have two questions but both realted..
I have been seriously ill in the past and mahshahallah after years of my parents and relatives praying i finally had a kidney tranplant 3years ago now.
I take lots of medication and will have to do so for the rest of my life, and these medications have alot of side-affects, and are taken early in the morning around dawn time.. I have never beenable to fast in my life but have always tried my best in reading thraavia; and my parents have every ramzaan given y hadhiya..

But i wanted to ask that am i supposed to be fasting as im over the age of 19 years and is it up to me to pay my hadhiya??

Also, the medication makes me really agressive and i have alot of the times made my parents upset because of my attitude, although i can`t help it.. I wanted to ask that on this matter is there any suraahs in the quran i could read that will calm me down a sa whole??

Jazaakallah  

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Answer:

Ramdhan cannot fast due to medication

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 183-185:
183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will it is better for him and it is better for you that ye fast if ye only knew.

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

Your Question: But i wanted to ask that am i supposed to be fasting as im over the age of 19 years and is it up to me to pay my hadhiya??

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, Allah Subhanah has made fasting obligatory on every sane, healthy, and resident believing adult; thus if you have a serious illness and constantly need to take medicine, you have a valid excuse and fasting would not be obligatory upon you under these circumstances.

The prescribed atonement for a ill-person who is unable to keep his obligatory fasts of Ramadan is that they have to make up the missed days later; but if one has a perpetual illness and because of their perpetual illness they will not be in a position to make up the fasts even later, then the prescribed atonement or ‘kaffarah’ is to feed one indigent or poor person for every fast missed.

There is no absolutely no harm if the person himself from his own earnings (if he has any) performs the atonement of feeding one poor person for every fast missed, or has his/her guardians fulfill this atonement. The important thing is that the person who is ill loves and wishes to worship their Lord and perform this obligatory act of worship, but due to their weak physical condition they are unable to do so; and as a sign of reluctantly having to forego this act of worship they willingly fulfill the prescribed atonement of feeding one poor person for every fast missed. If one performs their atonement with this intention, it is expected that their Lord Most Merciful will accept their atonement and will not diminish their reward in the least, Insha Allah.

Also, the medication makes me really agressive and i have alot of the times made my parents upset because of my attitude, although i can`t help it.. I wanted to ask that on this matter is there any suraahs in the quran i could read that will calm me down a sa whole??
If the only reason for your aggressive attitude is due to the heavy medication you have to take because of your physical condition, and no matter how much you try to be calm, the medication and illness forces you to act in such an aggressive manner, then this is something which is beyond your control….then it is expected that in the Just and Supreme Court of the All-Knowing, All-Seeing Lord you will not be held accountable for deeds which were beyond your control.

Beloved sister, whenever you are calm and collected, try and strive as much as you can to remember how much your parents love you, how many sacrifices they have given for your upbringing, and the infinite favors they have done upon you….. perchance, these thoughts may help you to be humble, polite, and kind with them in words and in deeds. And sister, remain constant in reciting this absolutely beautiful supplication from the Glorious Quran for your parents:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Bani Israel verse 24:

24 …… "O My Lord! Bestow on them (my parents) Thy Mercy even as they brought me up in kindness and affection in my childhood."

Your Question: I wanted to ask that on this matter is there any suraahs in the quran i could read that will calm me down a sa whole??

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6313 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The strong one is not he who wrestles the other to the ground, but the strong one is he who controls himself when he is in a fit of rage.’

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4766 Narrated by Atiyyah as-Sa'di

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘Anger comes from the Shaytaan, the Shaytaan was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution.’

Beloved Sister, if your anger or aggression is a direct result of the medication that you take because of your perpetual illness, then it would be beneficial for you to constantly recite this beautiful and wholesome supplication of the Noble Prophet Ayyub (a.s.) who supplicated thus to his Lord Most Merciful in his state of distress:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verses 83-84:

83 And (remember) Ayyub when he cried to his Lord "Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art indeed the Most Merciful of all those that show mercy."

84 So We listened to him: (and) We removed the distress that was on him.

May Allah Subhanah make your trial easy for you, and remove you from your condition of distress just as He removed the distress from His Noble Servant and Prophet, Hadrat Ayyub (a.s.). Ameen.

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."

Abu Hurairah reports that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim - even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins."

Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah! You have a high fever!' He (saws) said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have].' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He (saws) replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it, and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan