Praise be to Allah for bringing us to the holy month of Ramadan, and we ask Him to grant us many more years of health and well-being.
With the advent of this holy month, there is a common and important question among divers – both beginners and professionals: Is it possible to practice scuba diving while fasting?
To answer this question, it is necessary to look at it from two main angles: The medical angle, which relates to the safety of the diver, and the Sharia angle, which determines the religious judgement of fasting during this activity.
Medical opinion
From a medical point of view, diving is a physical activity that requires full physical readiness, and good hydration is at the forefront of the factors affecting the safety of the diver.
In the seventh issue of Blue Magazine, Dr Adel Taherexplained that statistics collected since 1993 at the Sharm El Sheikh Hyperbaric Centre showed that more than 60% of the diving accidents treated were directly or indirectly related to dehydration. This is because dehydration leads to an increase in blood concentration, which negatively affects the body’s efficiency in eliminating nitrogen accumulated in the tissues during diving, which can increase the risk of complications such as hypotension.
Dr Adel Taher pointed out that the most common causes of dehydration among divers include traveller’s diarrhoea, especially when it is not treated in the first few days or treated incorrectly, as well as drinking alcohol the night before diving, which is common in some resorts, and not drinking enough water.
Regarding fasting, he explained that the situation varies according to the seasons. In winter, some dive workers can fast with obvious precautions, such as drinking enough water mixed with electrolyte salts before dawn and reducing the number of daily dives. However, he emphasised the need to stop diving as soon as you feel lethargic or have poor concentration, in which case you may be asked to break your fast or take time off during Ramadan. In the summer, things become more complicated, especially in hot climates, and it can be difficult to combine fasting and diving, especially if the diver is responsible for others underwater.
Fasting and hypotension
In a video posted on the Egypt Divers Facebook group, Dr Heikal, adeep-sea medicine specialist, explained that fasting itself is not a major factor in the development of hypotension. Dr Heikal, who has been practicing diving medicine since 2002, said he has only encountered two or three cases where fasting may have been a secondary factor.
Dr Heikal stressed that the most important factor to focus on is the amount of fluids, advising divers wishing to fast to drink large amounts of water during the Iftar period and until Suhoor, up to four or five litres, to reduce the risk of dehydration.
Religious opinion
From a religious point of view, a number of Muslim scholars have clarified that scuba diving does not break the fast, as long as nothing enters the body intentionally. These include Sheikh Ali Gomaa from Egypt, Sheikh Muhammad bin Saleh al-Uthaymeen and Sheikh Muhammad Saleh al-Munajjid from Saudi Arabia.
However, scholars emphasise an important Shari’ah rule, namely: “no harm, no foul”. Based on this principle, if a diver feels that fasting may negatively affect his health or his ability to concentrate and make decisions, especially if he is responsible for the safety of others, then refraining from diving, or breaking the fast when needed, is more appropriate.
Conclusion
Fasting does not prohibit diving from a religious standpoint, nor is it a direct cause of decompression sickness from a medical standpoint. However, dehydration remains the real risk that divers should be aware of during Ramadan. In all cases, the safety of the diver and those underwater remains the top priority, and the decision to dive while fasting should be made based on health status, environmental conditions, and the nature of the responsibility.
Diventures Team is a multidisciplinary team of scuba professionals, editors, and digital creators, producing accurate and experience-driven coverage of diving, marine life, and ocean culture.
