Doctor told me to take Absolut vodka as pain reliever, is it haram?

Question

I have a metal plate in my arm that was caused by a car bombing. I started taking tramadol to relief my pain but i got into an addiction problem with it so later i stopped. The doctor then told me about Absolut vodka and he said that it was intended to be a medicine/drug that could be used medically but then they just sold it was vodka, he also said that it has 0% of addiction.

Should i take it for my severe pain or is it haram?

Answer 1

In the Quran,Our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad P.B.u.h said if a huge amount of drugs are you going to insane, its minimum amount are haram. but on the other hand Doctor said to you that you take it small amount, being a Muslim you completely disobey the Doctors advice because it is totals against the teaching of Islam.

Answer 2

Even from a secular, non-Muslim perspective, this is very bad advice for everyone, regardless of their religion. And under Islam, it becomes even worse.

The doctor then told me about Absolut vodka and he said that it was intended to be a medicine/drug that could be used medically [to relieve pain].

This is partially true.

• Alcohol dulls the senses, and it also makes one artificially happy and not care about the pain that one still feels. So yes, it would temporarily relieve the pain.
• Before general anesthetics were invented, surgeons often gave their patients large doses of "medicinal whisky" before the operation. Even if it didn't cause unconsciousness, it numbed the feeling of pain and kept the patient still and quiet enough that the surgery could be performed. Without it, the patient would almost certainly die (so I suspect that this would be an acceptable practice as preservation of life is more important than a single instance of a minor sin).

But:

• It would make no difference which brand of vodka (or any other form of alcoholic drink) is used. Alcohol is alcohol.
• The above surgical example was a one-time use for one specific situation, not perpetual daily use.
• Taking alcohol for pain is not a cure, and it provides only temporary relief.
• One's body becomes habituated to the drug, and so larger and more frequent doses will be required.
• Taking alcohol for chronic pain would require being perpetually drunk for the rest of one's life.
• Side effects of long-term alcohol use include damage to the liver, and possibly triggering various forms of cancer.

he also said that it has 0% of addiction.

This is totally wrong:

• Calling something medicine doesn't change what it is made of.
  ("A rose by any other name would smell as sweet")
• Alcohol is very physically addictive for some people (alcoholism).
• Used as prescribed here, the alcohol would be very mentally addictive for everyone.

If I were in this situation, and nothing could be done about the actual cause of the pain, I'd seek non-physical help that would allow my mind to ignore the pain most of the time. E.g. non-religious meditation, psychiatry, or one's religious teachers come to mind.

Answer 3

^{Here is a link that discusses strong medication.}

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Here is what is narrated about putting ones hand on the site of the pain when supplicating (so that Allah removes it, if he wills):

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say: 'In the name of Allah' (Bismillah) three times, and seven times 'I seek refuge with Allah and with His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear' (A'udhu bil-lahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma a-jidu wa u-hadhir)

^{Muslim (2022); in Ibn Majah (3522):}

"Put your right hand on it and say: In the Name of Allah, I seek refuge in the might and power of Allah from the evil of what I feel and what I fear (Bismillah, a'udhu bi-i'z-zatil-lahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma a-jidu wa u-hadhir) 7 times." U'thman bin abi al-A's ath-Thaqafi said: 'I said that, and Allah healed me.'

^{In At-Tirmidhi (2080), which Abu I'sa classed Hasan Sahih, it is narrated:}

"Rub (or wipe) [the place] with your right hand 7 times and say: I seek refuge in Allah's might, power, and authority, from the evil of what I find (A'udhu bi-i'z-zatil-lahi wa qudratihi wa Sultanihi min sharri ma a-jid)

^{Lastly, in Al-Mustadrak (4/244), which Al-Hakim classed Sahih and Imam Dhahabi agreed upon, it is narrated to say firstly once:}

"In the Name of Allah, I seek refuge in Allah's might and power from the evil of this pain I feel" (Bismillah, a'udhu bi-i'z-zatil-lahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma a-jidu min waja'i hadha), then lift your hand and repeat that an odd number of times."