I know Islam forbids taking drugs, but what if the doctor prescribes a stimulant called Adderall, which is to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity? The doctor examined me thoroughly and I told him that I did not want to take any medication, but he said that it is better in my case to treat the problem with medication. Is it permissible for me to take this medicine? Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) take medicine or did something like this happen at his time?


Praise be to Allah.

Adderall is the trade name for a stimulant
medication that is believed to work by increasing the amount of dopamine
produced in the brain. Studies have shown that Adderall works by
increasing alertness and focus, which is done by reducing feelings of
tiredness in the user. It is also used to treat cases of attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some types are included among medications
that are restricted because there have been cases of addiction or the
possibility of misuse. 

For more information please see:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall

With regard to the ruling on using medicines
that contain narcotics, the basic principle is that they are not allowed and
they are haraam. But if it is used for medical purposes and there are no
permissible medications that could be used instead, then in that case it is
permissible to use them, subject to certain conditions: 

1.    
That the patient’s
need for this medication is a case of necessity or urgent need

2.    
That a trustworthy
Muslim doctor should testify that this narcotic medication is beneficial for
the patient

3.    
That use of the
medication should be limited to that which will meet the need

4.    
That this medication
should not cause the patient greater harm than or harm equal to the harm
because of which he is using it. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee were
asked: 

What is the ruling on using pethidine or
morphine, which are drugs that have an intoxicating effect, in cases of
necessity or need? 

They replied:

If there is no other permissible substance
that can be used to reduce the patient’s pain other than these two
substances, then it is permissible to use either of them to reduce pain in
the case of necessity. That is on condition that using it should not lead to
any greater or equal harm, such as addiction to its use. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd
ar-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn
Qa‘ood 

End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah
ad-Daa’imah, 25/77, 78 

See also the answer to question no.
176623 

With regard to your question about whether
something like this happened at the time of the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we have not come across any
incident in which sickness was treated with narcotics or intoxicants in
particular at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him). 

We would also advise you to consult a
trustworthy Muslim doctor; if he tells you that your case requires treatment
and that there is no suitable alternative in your case apart from this type
of medicine, then there is nothing wrong with you using it, in sha Allah. 

But if there is a permissible alternative,
or it is a matter of what is better, as we understand from your question,
and it has not reached the level of necessity or urgent need, then you are
not allowed to use it. 

For the ruling on medical treatment, please
see fatwa no. 2438

And Allah knows best.