A few days ago, people were discussing and arguing over a fatwa regarding ‘taking suppository while fasting’. My eyes got caught in that argument. According to Hanafi fiqh, taking in a suppository will surely break a patient’s fast because the suppository which is inserted through the rectum might end up in the stomach!! Now, a medical student will obviously know that’s not possible. So, the student may perceive the fatwa as a wrong one because of this explanation. And as there are clashing different opinions where it’s permissible for a fasting person to take suppository, he will accept those opinions. Because if the core of the explanation is whether the suppository will reach the stomach or not, then the fatwa of ‘The fast will not be broken’ is correct as it is unlikely for that medicine to reach the stomach. This is just one example. There are so many other issues where the fatwa is right but it loses its acceptance due to a lack of proper explanation according to medical science. Just like the aforementioned issue.

One thing must be kept in mind that the requital is fixed. It extracted and applied by the scholars from Quran and hadith. The requital for fasting is – Any object which can damage fast must be inserted through an appropriate entrance and must reach an appropriate body cavity e.g – GIT ( lower part of oropharynx to rectum). And the object can’t be absorbed throughout the pathway, it must reach there in intact condition, also there can’t be any obstruction in the pathway. In ancient times, scholars used to extract fatwa’s based on human anatomy thus known in their times. Of course, the knowledge was limited, for example, it was believed that there is a connection between our ears and throat. So according to the fatwa of that time, any ear drop will damage fasts. But in reality, there is no connection between ear and throat unless the eardrum is perforated. Again, it was believed that there is a connection between the eyes and throat. So, eye drops will breakfast as per fatwa. But now we know that it’s unlikely for an eye drop to reach the throat. It was known that there’s a connection between the urinary bladder or uterus with the circulatory system. So according to this knowledge, a vaginal pessary or urinary catheter may break a person’s fast. Therefore, the fatwa’s issued by ancient scholars which were correct based on the knowledge of that time and requital is coming out to be wrong according to modern medical science. And now different fatwa’s can be issued on the ground of the same requital.

And this is what we work for. We will provide accurate medical knowledge to the scholars regarding these issues. Our respected scholars will extract the correct fatwa based on that knowledge. Thus, the difference of opinions in these regards will be solved to a great extent. Yes, not all issues will be solved. There will still be some inevitable differences regarding requital. To complete this work, a huge flock of talented and knowledgeable individuals must come together. They must know the basic principles of Islam – Usul Al-hadith, Usul Al Quran, Usul Al-Fiqh, etc. They also need to know about medical fiqh and Ahadith of medicine. Recent RAMFITIANS are still very young and do not possess that kind of basic knowledge and wisdom. Our current project is to learn and teach them the basics of Islam. Of course, the classes will be taken by classic scholars and they will also be taught medical fiqh and hadith of medicine. We will provide this curriculum from Al-Balagh academy of the UK. After completing the project, the eligible students will be allowed to discuss medical-related issues and fatwas with our scholars.

A Muslim doctor must possess knowledge of medical fiqh. Otherwise, he/she will be practicing prohibited issues and will be advising impermissible medicines to Muslim patients. We have a dream to establish a Shariah-based hospital. Without doctors possessing the knowledge of medical fiqh, that dream will not come into reality. Our future project is to establish a shariah-based international standard hospital in every district. There will be different wards for male and female patients, different staff for male and female wards, shariah board, male doctor for a male patient, female doctor for a female patient. We will provide the best service at a minimum cost. It may take 10 years or 20 years. If we can’t do it, our juniors will do it InshaAllah.