Can Muslims have electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?

What ECT is

ECT is used mainly for severe depression, especially when other treatments haven't worked or when someone is at serious risk, and sometimes for catatonia or severe mania. It's done under general anesthetic with a muscle relaxant, so the patient is asleep and doesn't feel the brief electrical current. A course usually means several sessions over a few weeks. Modern ECT looks nothing like old film scenes.

Islam encourages treatment

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah has not sent down a disease except that He also sent down its cure" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5678), and "For every disease there is a cure; when the right cure is applied, the person recovers by Allah's permission" (Sahih Muslim 2204). Mental illness is included. Saving and protecting life is also highly valued:

When depression is severe enough to threaten someone's life, a treatment that works quickly can be part of that protection. See Can I take antidepressants as a Muslim?

Things worth asking about

• Side effects: headache and short-term memory gaps are common; ask how long they usually last for you.
• Alternatives: ask why ECT is recommended now, and what other options exist.
• Medicines: anesthetics and relaxants are permitted for treatment even if their ingredients raise questions, according to most scholars, because of medical need.
• Prayer: if you're unconscious through a prayer time, make it up when you're able. Illness brings many concessions.
• Fasting: don't fast on treatment days if the team says not to.

Faith and medicine together

Some families feel ECT means giving up on dua or ruqyah. It doesn't. You can make dua, recite Quran and rely on Allah while following your doctor's advice. See Should I get ruqyah or see a doctor for depression? and Can I get treatment for bipolar disorder as a Muslim?