Effect of dialysis on fasting

23-7-2012 | IslamWeb

Question:

Someone suffering from kidney failure needs dialysis three times a week. Knowing that some solutions, such as glucose, are given to him during the dialysis session as medicine, not as food, what is the Sharee‘ah ruling on fasting in such a case?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If someone who is suffering from kidney failure cannot fast, he is allowed to abandon fasting and he is required to make up for the missed days after recovery. If his disease is incurable, he abandons fasting and feeds a needy person for each day.

It seems from the question that what is meant is the type of dialysis known as Hemodialysis, which, by itself, does not break the fast. However, taking glucose before, during or after this treatment breaks the fast. Glucose is a nutritious substance and nutrients which reach the stomach or blood during the daytime of Ramadan break the fast.

Nonetheless, if the question is about Peritoneal dialysis, which means inserting filtration fluids between the two layers of the peritoneum, this does not invalidate fasting. However, when glucose is needed to be given through the blood or any similar means, it takes the same ruling as the first type.

Allaah Knows best.