What Islam says about euthanasia and whether it is allowed to assist in ending someone`s life if they are suffering from a terrible disease.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
I would
like to know what Islam says about euthanasia and whether it is allowed to
assist in ending someone`s life if they are suffering from a terrible disease.
Also at medical school if students are meant to perform a dissection from an
unknown source of animal,which could be from a pig as well,is it allowed to
carry on with the dissection?
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errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Life support and dissection study of swine
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your
Question: I would like to know what Islam says about euthanasia and whether it
is allowed to assist in ending someone`s life if they are suffering from a
terrible disease.
Beloved Sister, at the time when the Quran was being
revealed, there was obviously no such modern medical instruments which could be
utilized as a life-support unit; thus the Quran and Sunnah are silent on the
issue.
The principle of the Quran and Sunnah states that one must
do everything in their power to save one’s life and no one has a right to determine
or end his own or another’s life without just cause; thus in light of the
guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah the absolute majority of the scholars in
Islam are of the opinion that one should use whatever tools which are in one’s
disposal to elongate one’s life; and it would be against the principles of the
Quran and Sunnah that a person decides to terminate another’s life without
right or just cause.
Some scholars have indeed allowed that the decision should
be left to an able and competent doctor to decide when and whether or not to
take away the life-support-unit of the dying person, especially when there is
absolutely no hope of the person coming back to life and/or the elongated cost
of the life-support-unit is absolutely beyond the reach of the dying person’s
family.
Your
Question: Also at medical school if students are meant to perform a dissection
from an unknown source of animal,which could be from a pig as well,is it
allowed to carry on with the dissection?
If one is seeking knowledge from such a dissection which
would benefit mankind in any way, there is absolutely no harm in performing the
dissection of the unknown animal, regardless of whether the animal is one from
amongst the halaal or the haraam.
Because the Quran clearly declares the swine as a ‘najis’ or impure
animal, one should thoroughly wash and purify their hands or any parts of their
body which might have touched this impure animal.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in Islam,
Burhan