Does colonoscopy nullify the fast?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Answer
Colonoscopy nullifies the fast because a lubricating jelly is used when inserting the colonoscope into the anus and liquid medicine is consumed prior to the procedure. If the procedure cannot be delayed, the patient should not fast and keep Qadāʾ later. If, however, he fasts and thereafter breaks his fast, Qadāʾ will be necessary, there is no Kaffārah.
قال في الأصل (٢/٢٠٢): قلت: أرأيت رجلا احتقن في شهر رمضان أصابه حصر؟ قال: عليه قضاء ذلك اليوم ولا كفارة عليه. وقال (٢/٢١٢): وقال أبو حنيفة: السعوط والحقنة في شهر رمضان يوجبان القضاء ولا كفارة عليه وكذلك ما أقطر في أذنه، انتهى۔
“Colonoscopy is a procedure that is done to look at the large bowel (colon) with a long flexible telescope (colonoscope) with video capacity. The colonoscope has few channels or canals through which air, water and instruments can be inserted. Preparation for colonoscopy: patient requires to have the bowel cleared and washed by inducing artificial diarrhoea. This is done by powerful liquid medicine in water that is drunk (usually 1-4 litres) depending on the medicine. This is drunk the night before or the morning. They have to drink adequate water up to 2 hours before the procedure to ensure that the bowel is washed and they don’t become dehydrated. At the time of procedure, water is used to wash the lens of the scope when the scope is in the bowel and to clear debris from the bowel. After the procedure, they need to drink enough water to ensure that they are not dehydrated. Otherwise they can develop acute kidney injury. If a person requires to have colonoscopy during Ramadhan for an urgent medical problem; bowel prep with the medicine and fasting cannot happen together. The bowel prep won’t work if adequate water is not drunk up to 2 -4 hours before the procedure and will lead to kidney damage. After the procedure he needs to rehydrate to prevent damage to kidneys to replace the fluids lost in the diarrhoea caused by the medicine. If the reasons for the colonoscopy are urgent and cannot wait, then the person medically should not fast the day before when he had started the bowel prep and the day of the procedure.” (Dr Mawlana Riyad Kallingal, Consultant Surgeon)
Allah knows best
Yusuf Shabbir
11 Ramaḍān 1440 / 16 May 2019
Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmed and Mufti Muhammad Tahir