Answer
Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
“Energy pills” that enhance sexual performance, including Viagra, are easily available in some countries without a medical prescription. However, everybody should be aware that these pills may have major adverse effects. Their risks may increase when used in combination or with other drugs.
In his response to the question, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:
It is permissible to use any medicine or special food items to increase the energy and strength in order to perform anything that is permissible according to the Shariah.
However, the balance and moderation is the general rule in Islam. One should not become obsessed with this desire and should not be over occupied with it. Sex is a need and a pleasure and it should be enjoyed in halal ways and with moderation.
Also, one must keep in mind that some of these so-called ‘energy pills’ have side effects and they could be dangerous to one’s overall health and may disable a person to function properly to fulfill other duties that Allah has made obligatory.
Moreover, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, adds:
As Muslims, we should not be obsessed by our own sexual desires, rather we should practice moderation. The best way is to be moderate in all things. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) always stressed moderation in all things during eating, sleeping, work, and sexual practices.
Having said this, Islam encourages us to satisfy our sexual desires in a moderate way. If a person has a medical condition that prevents him/her from sexual fulfillment, then it is certainly permissible for him or her to seek medical treatment.
But simply experimenting all kinds of medicine to be excessively sexual is not at all desirable in Islam; it may have dire consequences for our bodies because who knows what would be the reaction to such medication. When we upset the natural order of Allah the Almighty, we may end up suffering or paying for it.
I advise everyone to stick to moderation as it is the best course.
When asked about Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate), the late Saudi scholar Sheik Ibn Baz, concluded,
Using the drug that helps sexual intercourse (between husband and wife) is permitted and there is no legal Islamic prohibition provided it did not contain ingredients that may harm health or an intoxicant material.
It has become clear now that taking such “energy pills” is not categorically haram. However, people with certain medical conditions should never take Viagra (and similar drugs) because it may be life-threatening. For these people, Viagra is prohibited.
In all cases, Viagra should only be taken with a prescription from and under the supervision of a trustworthy doctor who diagnoses the disease and clearly determines whether there is a real need for it.
📚 Read Also: What’s the Best Way to Control Sexual Desire?
There are many “energy pills” on the market, and one should know what they contain and what effects—good and bad—they might have. Only then can one make a decision to use them or not. But again, moderation in all things, including our sexual lives, should be the choice of a Muslim.
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.