Does consuming medicine abrogate an oath not to eat food?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Expiations

Book 60 · Issue 2 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Regarding eating medicine, one view holds that the oath is broken because it is intentionally consumed. This is the established position of Al-Shafi'i.

Supporting text

The alternative view is that the oath is not broken because medicine does not fall under the general designation of food, nor is it eaten except out of necessity.