Is the use of anesthesia in surgical operations considered as drinking intoxicants?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is forbidden to consume anything that clouds the mind without a valid excuse. However, what clouds the mind for pleasure, delight, and euphoria is considered intoxicant (), and its consumer is subject to the prescribed punishment (hadd). Whereas, what clouds the mind without pleasure or delight, like anesthesia, is not considered an intoxicant. The majority of scholars have permitted the use of anesthesia out of necessity, such as for surgical procedures, because it does not provide pleasure or delight, unlike intoxicants (khamr) which are forbidden for medicinal purposes because they are an ailment, not a remedy.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/25690
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 25690
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- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy