May I Tell Doctors I Am Taking Medication I Am Not, to Keep My Benefits?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
I am genuinely mentally ill and unable to work, and my parents care for me all day. My doctors prescribe medication that I do not take because of its side effects, but I tell them I am taking it so that I keep receiving benefits money, which I would use to pay for treatment. Is this permitted?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate
I do not doubt that you are ill, that you have tried, or that the need is real, and nothing here is a judgment on you.
However, you cannot tell your doctors you are taking medication you are not taking. Reporting falsely to a clinician to keep money coming is a lie told for gain, and that is impermissible, however genuine the underlying need.
Only an aim the Sacred Law itself recognizes as weightier will excuse a falsehood, and money you have not been granted on the true facts is not such an aim. Imam Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) leaves no room for it [Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din].
A Second Reason More Weighty
A second reason may weigh more on you. A false medication record is medically dangerous. Every judgment your team makes about you rests on it: whether a treatment is working, whether to increase the dose, what to try next, and what is safe to give you in an emergency. A doctor who believes you have been on a drug for months is reasoning about a body that does not exist. They could give you something that interacts badly, or write you off as having failed a treatment you never received. The lie does not only cost you before Allah. It makes your care worse.
Now, separate the two things you have joined together. The lie is one thing. The need is another, and the need is legitimate. Islam does not ask you to pretend you are well, to swallow a medication that makes your life harder, or to refuse support you are entitled to.
The Honest Route Is Open, and Stronger Than You Think
Tell your doctors the truth: you took these medications for weeks, the side effects made things worse, and you stopped. That is an ordinary clinical fact, not a confession, and clinicians hear it constantly. Then ask what else there is. A different medication, a different class, a lower dose, or a treatment that is not medication at all. Declining one drug is not declining care, and services do not discharge people who stay engaged and are honest about what they cannot tolerate.
Then let the claim be assessed on the truth. You describe severe mental illness, physical illness, self-harm, near-arrest, and parents who care for you all day. Those are the grounds on which support is assessed, not whether you swallow a particular tablet.
Ask your doctor to set out your real functioning in writing. Get a free welfare adviser to help with the forms, and if you are refused, appeal, which is your lawful right and often succeeds. And if the honest award turns out smaller than you hoped, the smaller amount is the one that is lawful for you.
Allah says of the God-fearing, “And whoever fears Allah, He grants him a way out of every plight, and provides for him whence he could not even guess; And whoever trusts in Allah, He always suffices.” [Quran 65:2–3; Keller, The Quran Beheld]
Do Not Carry the Worst of It Alone
You mentioned that you have harmed yourself. One thing about that: when that pressure comes, tell someone qualified the same day, and let your parents know while you are struggling, rather than after. You are worth the trouble of asking, and asking is obedience, not weakness. Staying in qualified mental health care is itself something Allah rewards you for, not time taken away from Him.
Truthfulness Is the Way Out, Not the Obstacle
A real need never makes a falsehood lawful, and Allah has tied relief to God-consciousness, not to cleverness. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt, for truthfulness is tranquility and lying is disquiet.” [Tirmidhi]
You already know the disquiet; it is why you wrote. So have one honest conversation with your doctor this week, and let the claim go in on the truth of your condition. You have been ill a long time, and you have never lied about this before. Do not start now, when you are this close to having your real case heard properly.
And Allah knows best.
Faraz Rabbani
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- Cheating the Government Out of Welfare Money — Lying to obtain government support is not permitted; instead, trust in Allah for lawful provision.
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- Are Daily Prayers Obligatory for Those Facing Severe, Ongoing Mental Health Challenges? What Is the Minimum Required?— Sets out the Hanafi treatment of prayer obligation when sanity is lost or impaired for an extended period.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
