of medicines and by other means, unlike severe hunger, which can be relieved only by eating.

He was asked:

If physicians tell a sick person, “There is no remedy for you other than eating dog meat or pork,” is he permitted to eat it, despite the Most High’s words:

“He makes lawful for them what is wholesome and forbids them what is foul,”

and the Prophet’s saying—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Allah has not placed my community’s cure in what He has forbidden them”?

If he is prescribed wine or nabīdh, is he permitted to drink it despite these texts, or not?

He replied:

It is not permissible to use wine or other unclean substances for medical treatment, on account of the report narrated by Wā’il ibn Hujr:

“Tāriq ibn Suwayd al-Ju‘fī asked the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—about wine, and he forbade him to use it. He said, ‘I only make it for medicinal purposes.’ He replied, ‘It is not a remedy; rather, it is a disease.’”

Reported by Imam Ahmad and by Muslim in his Sahīh.

Abū al-Dardā’ narrated that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Allah has sent down the remedy and sent down the disease, and has provided a remedy for every disease. So seek treatment, but do not treat yourselves with anything forbidden.”

Reported by Abū Dāwūd. Abū Hurayrah narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—forbade treatment with unclean substances.”

One wording adds: “meaning poison.” Reported by