Is Medical Marijuana Allowed in Islam?


Hanafi Fiqh

Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

Question: Is marijuana allowed in Islam? What about medical marijuana?

 

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

Marijuana is unlawful in Islam due to its mind-altering effects, the foremost of which is its distracting one from the remembrance of Allah and the prayer. Like alcohol, it weakens one’s senses and one’s ability to think, and it is also addicitve. [Nahlawi, Hadhr wal-Ibaha]

For a detailed response, please see: Is Marijuana Haram?

As for medical use of marijuana, this would return to the criteria of using an unlawful substance for medical treatment (tadawi bil-haram), which is permissible under the following conditions:

(a) A qualified physician that is a pious Muslim informs the patient that the medicine can effectively treat the illness, based on high likelihood or near certainty. If no such Muslim is in one’s locality, then a qualified physician that appreciates the importance of the Sacred Law for Muslims is sufficient.

(b) No alternative medicine that is lawful is available or sufficiently effective;

(c) It is used only in accordance with the need, and no more.

[Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

It is worth mentioning that one may want to consider some form of alternative medicine, such as homeopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, or the like.

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani