by Asma bint Shameem
Some people think that putting their sick loved ones on life support is putting them through “agony” or “prolonging the pain” of the patient.
And they think by “removing their tubes”, or “taking them off the ventilator”, they’re relieving them of “torture” or doing them a “favor”.
But it’s actually quite the opposite.
Yes it is permissible and it’s actually even “recommended” to keep someone on the ventilator/life support, as long as the patient is alive and IF there’s HOPE that it will be beneficial to the person.
1.🔺 Life is Amaanah!
This life that Allaah has given us is an Amaanah and we must take care of it by seeking medical treatment, and that includes using a ventilator if needed.
🍃The Islamic Fiqh Council says:
“Medical treatment is obligatory if not treating the problem will lead to loss of life or limb, or incapacity, or if the harm of the disease may be transferred to another person, as in the case of contagious diseases.”
🍃 Al-Bahooti said:
“the human who is suffering from painful disease,...his life is protected by sharee’ah so long as he is still alive.” (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (5/495)
🍃 Al-Baghawi said:
“If it is known that healing will result from medical treatment, then it is obligatory.”(Baab Damaan al-Wulaat min al-Anwaar)
🍃 al-Isnawi said:
“It is haraam to neglect medical treatment in cases such as an injury where it is thought likely that a person may die.” (Haashiyat Qalyoobi wa ‘Umayrah)
So we should do our best to use whatever valid treatments are available to seek healing while putting our trust in Allaah.
He is able to do all things and no one can say for sure if a person will die.
So many times, it has happened that people are expected to die and the doctors have given up but he recovers with the Permission of Allaah.
And so many times a person is healthy and fine yet dies out of nowhere.
So we should do whatever’s in our control to preserve life and if a ventilator is needed, we should use it.
2.🔺 Sickness is an expiation for your sins
ANY suffering that a person will go through while he’s alive, will be a means of expiation for his sins and a reason to raise his ranks and rewards if he’s patient.
🍃The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record a hasanah (good deed) for him thereby, or erase from him a sin.” (Muslim)
3.🔺 Continue to earn Rewards
The sick person will continue to earn rewards with Allaah because of the good deeds he USED to do, when he was not sick.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“No (believing) person gets sick, but (his deeds) will be recorded for him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well.” (al-Bukhaari)
So the person is earning REWARDS with Allaah, even though he’s laying there in bed, because of the good deeds he regularly USED to do prior to getting sick.
Subhaan Allaah!
Such is the Mercy of the Most Merciful!
🔺 However, the scholars say, if there’s no hope of recovery and three trustworthy specialist doctors agree that the person will die for sure if life-support is removed and that there is no point in treating him, there’s no need to keep the person on life-support.
🍃 The scholars said:
“In sharee’ah, a person is considered to be dead and therefore subject to all the rulings concerning the deceased, when either of the two following signs are noted:
A) When his heartbeat and breathing stop completely, and the doctors decide that they cannot be restarted.
B) When all the functions of his brain stop completely, and experienced doctors and specialists state that this is irreversible, and his brain has started to disintegrate.
In these circumstances, it is permissible to turn off life support systems, even if some parts of his body – such as the heart, for example – are still functioning artificially with the help of these machines.”
(Majma’ Al-Fiqh Al-Islami, P. 36)
🔺When to Sign a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)?
We are often asked about signing a DNR when our loved ones are seriously sick.
Our Deen tells us we should NOT sign a DNR, and we should try and continue life as much as possible, even if the person is very sick,
except under certain specific conditions, because human life is sacred and valued.
And Islaam came to preserve life.
🍃 The scholars of “the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas” said about DNR:
“Signing a “Do Not Resuscitate” order (DNR) is NOT permissible except in certain cases which have been defined by the scholars.
They are as follows:
🔸 If the sick person has been taken to the hospital and is dead, in which case there is no need to use resuscitation equipment.
🔸If the patient’s condition is not fit for resuscitation according to the opinion of three trustworthy specialist doctors, in which case there is also no need to use resuscitation equipment.
🔸If the patient’s sickness is chronic and untreatable, and death is inevitable according to the testimony of three trustworthy specialist doctors, in which case there is no need to use resuscitation equipment.
🔸 If the patient is incapacitated, or is a persistent vegetative state and chronically ill, or in the case of cancer in its advanced stages, or chronic heart and lung disease, with repeated stoppages of the heart and lungs, and three trustworthy specialist doctors have determined that, then there is no need to use resuscitation equipment.
🔸If there is any indication in the patient of brain injury that cannot be treated according to the reports of three trustworthy specialist doctors then there is no need to use resuscitation equipment, because there is no point in doing so.
🔸If reviving the heart and lungs is of no benefit and not appropriate because of a certain situation according to the opinion of three trustworthy specialist doctors, then there is no need to use resuscitation equipment, and no attention should be paid to the opinions of the patient’s next of kin concerning the use of resuscitation equipment or otherwise, because this is not their specialty.”
[Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (25/80)]
And Allaah knows best
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