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Do mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, relieve their sufferer of their obligations regarding prayer and other religious duties?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

"Legal accountability (taklif) refers to a person's capacity to be bound by the commands and prohibitions of Islamic law. It is lifted from the insane. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disease that causes the affected person to lose the ability to think, feel emotions, perceive, and behave, rendering them mentally unstable. Its symptoms include loss of will, self-neglect, and bizarre behaviors, in addition to delusions such as persecution, grandeur, misinterpretation, and influence. Schizophrenia is considered an impediment to legal accountability, especially in its advanced stages. However, the patient remains accountable if they are aware of their actions. As for the rights of others, such as zakat, it remains obligatory upon them."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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