I’ve been trying to find information on what Islam says about euthanasia. I know that suicide is not permitted in Islam. But if you are at death’s door and the only thing keeping you alive is a machine, are you permitted to pull the plug? If so, where are the boundaries, when is it ok, when is it not?
Achtung
Thanks for a good question Achtung…
You may be interested in this scholar’s response on this issue. I hope you find this interesting. For your covenience the article has been given below the link…
http://www.understanding-islam.com/rb/mb-028.htm
**About Euthanasia or Mercy Killings
Question:**
I was wondering brother if you could tell me your thoughts on the issue of euthanasia and mercy killing and how a Muslim should address these issues.
Reply
The Muslim faith holds Allah to be ever active in running the affairs of the world as well as each individual life. We believe that Allah is not only omnipotent and omniscient but also that He is most merciful and all His actions, whether we understand them or not, are full of wisdom. We believe that all the good as well as the bad times come on us as planned and allowed by Him. We believe that prosperity as well as suffering are parts of our test, which we have been put in by the ever merciful Himself. We believe that in times of prosperity, we are being tested for our thankfulness and in times of suffering we are being tested for our steadfastness. We believe that the starting as well as the ending of our test is solely in the hands of Him who has put us in this test. If this is really the case, then true success can be acheived only if we continue to present ourselves as a true picture of contentment, under all circumstances, till such time that Allah decides on terminating our test – our death.
Mercy killing is a negation of all that we believe in. Mercy killing negates the belief that Allah is active in running the affairs of the individual who is being subjected to euthanasia. Mercy killing negates our belief in Allah’s absolute mercy and absolute wisdom. Mercy killing negates our contentment in Allah’s plans. Mercy killing negates our belief in the fact that the life of this world, from birth till death is a test for us. Mercy killing is against steadfastness. Mercy killing is actually taking the decision, regarding the termination of someone’s test – life – in our own hands.
To clarify my point of view regarding euthanasia, I would like you to consider the following two cases:
If a person can live only with the aid of artificial means, removing these artificial means, at the risk of the death of the individual, is not taking life – it is simply not sustaining it. Thus, if euthanasia means to stop sustaining life that can only be sustained through artificial means, then there is nothing wrong with it.
If a person is put to sleep to avoid the pain and suffering that he is likely to suffer if he is allowed to live, then this would be taking life. In my opinion, this cannot be allowed in an Islamic society. The time of a persons death and the amount of the suffering that he must go through is for Allah, the most wise and the ever merciful to decide.
Man, with the knowledge that he has gained in the field of medicine, must try to find cures to all the diseases and also try to make a death as painless as possible. But, on the other hand, deciding about the time of a person’s death is not man’s jurisdiction.
I do appreciate that it would be difficult for people who do not believe God to be wise and merciful, to comprehend my point of view. But if a person believes in the knowledge, wisdom, mercy and love of God for the human beings then he cannot approve of euthanasia, or any thing that negates his beliefs.
I hope this helps.
Best regards
They shoot partypoopers, don’t they?
[This message has been edited by Mr Partypooper (edited October 27, 2000).]
Salam Achtung, kaisay ho bahi.
Few months back we tried to touch this topic; take a look, I hope you might find some positive aspect over there as well.
http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/Forum13/HTML/001110.html
regards.
Salam,
Thank you both, that answers my question.
Achtung
Partypooper…thanks. I also searched around for the answer but was a bit short of time and couldn’t get a satisfactory answer.
This site www.understanding-islam.com usually seems to be a more ‘liberal’ sort of site (when I checked out their responses ot sexual-related questions), but nevertheless, on this topic, their answer makes sense. Ideally I would like a scholar to provide more references to Quran or Aahdith/Sunnah, while presenting a view.
Ciao!
Pristine, I like the site because in my ( limited ) experience it is the nearest to the truth of the Islam...
I don't really think in terms of whether it is liberal or not, it is how near it is to Islam that I take issue with...
In any case, you are not the only one to say this... one friend of mine here said that the scholar was trying to be lenient, even apologetic. I thought that was wrong completely because there is no evidence to that claim... in fact I find it is to the contrary. Of course nobody is perfect... but then which scholar is? I just happen to be more confident with his mistakes thanmany other people who speak on Islam.
They shoot partypoopers, don't they?