Is it permissible for a son to force his father to undergo a surgical operation?

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says, Shaykh: My father is elderly and ill. We took him to one of the hospitals, and they decided to perform an operation, but the father refused to have this operation done, fearing for his life. The son desires his father’s recovery. What is the son’s position in this, even though they are dutiful to him, Shaykh?

Answer:
If the father has his mind and reasoning intact and refuses the operation, he is not to be forced to have it, because seeking medical treatment is permissible and not obligatory. So, if he has his mind and reasoning and refuses to have the operation, it is not to be performed. However, if he has no mind or reasoning and there is danger to him, the operation is to be performed for him, considering his benefit and his need for it, while he is unaware of it. Yes.