Do Melatonin and Relaxants Fall Under Khamr in Islam?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Do melatonin and natural compounds that have relaxing properties, like L-theanine in tea or magnesium glycinate, fall under the category of khamr in Islam, and does taking them invalidate Salah for 40 days?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
No, melatonin, L-theanine, and magnesium glycinate do not fall under the category of khamr (intoxicants) in Islam, and taking them does not invalidate prayer for 40 days.
Forty-Day Prayer Rejection
The 40-day prayer rejection applies to khamr (intoxicants), not general supplements. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Whoever drinks alcohol, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days.” [Tirmidhi]
This refers only to alcohol and intoxicating substances. Since melatonin, L-theanine, and magnesium are not intoxicants, this rule does not apply.
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Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
