Is it permissible to use insulin injections while fasting in Ramadan?
Medical injections, including insulin, do not break the fast according to the majority of contemporary scholars and Islamic medical councils.
The reasoning: The prohibition in fasting is ingesting food and drink through the normal channels (mouth). Injections enter through the skin directly into the bloodstream and do not constitute eating or drinking.
Rulings from major bodies:
- The Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League (1985) ruled that injections not containing nutrients do not break the fast
- The International Islamic Fiqh Academy similarly ruled that medical injections are permissible during fasting
Important distinction:
- IV drip (glucose/saline nutrition): This does break the fast as it provides nourishment. You should make up that day.
- Insulin injection / medication injections: Do NOT break the fast.
- Intramuscular or subcutaneous injections: Do NOT break the fast.
Practical advice: If you are diabetic and fasting causes health risks, Islam provides flexibility. You may be eligible for the concession (rukhsah) to not fast and instead pay fidyah if your condition is chronic. Please consult your doctor about the health risks before deciding.
Allah says: "Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you." (Quran 2:185)