Name of Questioner: Muhammad
Title: Islam's Stance on Euthanasia
Question: Dear scholars, As-Salaam
`Alaykum. I would like to know the Islamic stance on euthanasia.
Jazakum Allah khayran.
Date: 22/Mar/2005
Name of Mufti: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
Topic: Euthanasia
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.
Dear brother, thanks for your interesting question, which reflects
your deep belief in the fact that Islam has answers for every
problem facing mankind. Our utmost wish is just for all of us to
adhere to the teachings of this great religion which came to save
mankind from the peril of succumbing to the material life, to
rescue them from darkness of following whims and self inclinations
to the light of guidance and eternal prosperity.
Regarding your question, following is the fatwa issued by the
prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh Al-Qaradawi on this issue:
Euthanasia or Mercy Killing is the act or practice of ending the
life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an
incurable condition, through lethal injection or the suspension of
extraordinary medical treatment.
This act is Islamically forbidden for it encompasses a positive
role on the part of the physician to end the life of the patient
and hasten his death via lethal injection, electric shock, a sharp
weapon or any other way. This is an act of killing, and, killing is
a major sin and thus forbidden in Islam, the religion of pure
mercy.
As for the suspension of medical treatment via preventing the
patient from his due medication which is, from a medical
perspective, thought to be useless, this is permissible and
sometimes it is even recommended. Thus, the physician can do this
for the sake of the patients comfort and the relief of his family.
Nothing is wrong in this, Insha Allah (Allah willing).
It is highly stressed here that medical treatment is deemed
non-obligatory by the majority of Muslim scholars and the founders
of the famous schools of Islamic Jurisprudence. Rather, to them, it
is permissible. Only a few number of Muslim scholars maintain that
it is obligatory, as said by some followers of Imam Ahmad and
Ash-Shafi`i. Also, others maintain that applying medical treatment
is commendable and preferable.
Moreover, some scholars disputed over which is better for the
patient: treatment or showing endurance. Some who maintain that
showing endurance is far better base their judgment on the
narration of Ibn `Abbas in the two Sahihs that `Ata Ibn Abu Rabih
said: Ibn `Abbas said to me: May I show you a woman of
Paradise? I said: Yes. He said: Here is this dark-complexioned
woman. She came to Allahs Messenger, peace and blessing be upon
him, and said: I am suffering from epilepsy and convulsive
seizures make me naked; supplicate Allah for me.
Thereupon, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said:
You can show endurance and win entry to Paradise, but if
you like, Ill pray to Allah for your recovery. She said: I am
prepared to show endurance but I get naked due to convulsions, so
supplicate Allah to spare me getting naked. And the Prophet, peace
and blessings be upon him, did pray for her. (Al-Bukhari and
Muslim)
These are the views of the scholars of the Ummah on treatment and
medication; most of them maintain that it is permissible; some
maintain that it is recommended; and a few number of them deem it
obligatory. I myself agree with those who deem it obligatory in
case the pain gets unbearable, and the illness is curable, by
Allahs Grace.
This is also compatible with the guidance of Prophet Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him, who sought treatment for himself
and ordered his honorable Companions to seek treatment as well;
this is confirmed by Ibn Al-Qayyim in Zad Al-Ma`ad (Provision of
the Hereafter).
But in cases when sickness gets out of hand, and recovery happens
to be tied to miracle, in addition to ever-increasing pain, no one
can say treatment then is obligatory or even recommended. Thus, the
physicians act of stopping medication, which happens to be of no
use, in this case may be justified, as it helps in mitigating some
negative effects of medications, and it enhances death. But its
different from the controversial Mercy Killing as it does not
imply a positive action on the part of the physician; rather, it is
some sort of leaving what is not obligatory or recommended, and
thus entails no responsibility.
To conclude, the physician can practice this for the sake of the
patients comfort and the relief of his family. Nothing is wrong in
this, Insha Allah.
Switching off the life support:
If a patient is medically presumed dead through what is known as
brain death, in the sense that he no longer has any feelings,
switching off the life support may be permissible, with due
consultation and care, especially when its clear that the life
support machine becomes of no use for the already-dead
patient.
Excerpted with modifications from:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503544774&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar