Are Psychedelics Such as Psilocybin or DMT permissible in the Treatment of Depression?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I have a question about substances that are psychedelics, such as psilocybin or DMT, that have expansive and mystical states of consciousness induced.
Are they considered permissible in the treatment of depression? And are they considered intoxicants?
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.
Question
There are three types of mushrooms: toxic, psychoactive, and edible. Mushrooms vary in appearance with more than 10,000 known types.
Psilocybin – Psychoactive mushroom
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical in certain mushrooms that grow in Europe, South America, Mexico, and the United States. Mushrooms that contain psilocybin are known as magic mushrooms, and it is taken from psychoactive mushrooms, they have played a role in various native medicine traditions in cultures all around the world.
The Ruling of Its Usage
There is no issue in using the medication Islamically as the chemical is derived from a mushroom. It would only be permissible as a case by case and per the direction and recommendation of a qualified Muslim psychiatric doctor, and not for any recreational purpose. See link
Virtues of Edible Mushroom
Some Muslim cultures think of mushrooms to be any number of other mushrooms that are wild and poisonous. There are Abu Sa‘id Khudri and Jabir (Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘Mushrooms are a bestowed favor, and its water is a cure for the eyes, the ‘Ajwa date is the fruit of Paradise, and it is a cure from insanity.’’ [Ibn Maja, Musnad Imam Ahmad]
In another hadith reported by Sa‘id ibn Zayd (Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) stated, ‘Mushrooms are a favor which Allah Most High sent down upon the Israelites (Bani Isra’il), and its water is a cure for the eyes.’’
[Bukhari, Muslim]
Linked Answer
- Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) Uses, Effects & Hazards – Drugs.com
- Psilocybin and magic mushrooms: Effects and risks (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Mushroom – Wikipedia
- Mushrooms | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Is It Permissible to Use Mushrooms to Gain Spiritual Openings? – SeekersGuidance
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
