Question:
Assalamu‘alaikum SS Datuk Mufti. What is the ruling for a patient under anaesthesia and was unconscious for almost half a day?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Referring to the above issue, although it is a contemporary issue, this matter has been discussed by early scholars in their books. Generally, it is known that one of the valid conditions of fasting is of sound mind, sober and mature. Fasting is not obligatory for the mentally unstable (insane) and children who are not mumayyiz. For patients under anaesthesia, they are considered the same as people who fainted or fall unconscious and this issue is discussed by scholars.
The scholars further divided unconsciousness into two categories and each category, where each category has its own set of rulings; whether for a part of a day or for a whole day.
Under Anaesthesia & Unconscious for A Whole Day
For those who are under anaesthesia and are unconscious from dawn till dusk and was not awake for the whole duration of it, then his fast is invalid according to al-Syafi'eyyah and al-Hanabilah scholars because a fast must include imsak and intention. The Prophet PBUH said:
كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ يُضَاعَفُ الْحَسَنَةُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلاَّ الصَّوْمَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَطَعَامَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ فَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ فِطْرِهِ وَفَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ . وَلَخُلُوفُ فِيهِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ
"Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, the joy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord, and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk."
Sahih Muslim (1151)
It is clear from the above hadith that for those who are unconscious, they do not refrain themselves from anything (imsak) as they are unaware of what was happening. Thus, for those who are unconscious for the whole day, then it is not considered as a fast and it is an obligation to replace (qadha') the fast.
Al-Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah state in his book al-Majmu':
لَوْ نَوَى مِنْ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ جَمِيعَ النَّهَارِ لَمْ يَصِحَّ صَوْمُهُ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ
"If someone made an intention to fast during the night but was unconscious the next day (the whole day), then his fasting is invalid according to our mazhab." (See al-Majmu`. Dar al-Fikr, 6/346)
Under Anaesthesia & Unconscious for Half of the Day
For those who set an intention during the night, then fall unconscious for a part of the day, then his fast is valid if he was conscious or awake for a part of the day. This is also said by al-Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah in his book al-Majmu' and the sound opinion. (See al-Majmu`. Dar al-Fikr, 6/346)
Conclusion
According to the above discussion, if someone has made an intention to fast the next day, however, he was put under anaesthesia (for medical purposes) and fell unconscious for the whole day during the fast, then the fast is invalid and he is obligated to replace the fast. On another hand, if he was under anaesthesia and was unconscious only for a part of the day during the day, then his fast is valid. Wallahua'lam.