What is the ruling on seeking medical treatment, and based on that, does one sin by leaving it off?
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The questioner : Praise is to Allah, we praise Him and seek His help. Praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon His trustworthy Messenger. After that, these are questions directed from Dr. Adnan Hammada. The first question says: What is the ruling on seeking medical treatment, in parentheses: obligatory, recommended, or permissible? And based on that, does one sin by leaving it off?
The Shaykh : The medicines a patient takes are divided, regarding the patient's belief in the effect of the medicine on his illness, into three categories: a category in which he is certain it is a cure, and this is obligatory; a category in which it is more likely than not that it is a cure, and this is recommended; and a category in which it is not more likely than not that it will be successful, and the recommended thing is to leave it off. And what is other than that is not prescribed. Allahu Akbar.
The questioner : He says, and is it complete, excuse me, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And knowing these categories: a category returns to the cost, by which it is judged to be certain, more likely, or less likely. And some of these categories... a man was cut by him and his blood was taken, and the blood was spurting from him. There is no doubt that treating him is from the first category, obligatory, because it is successful. Otherwise, if he were left and his blood kept flowing, it would lead to his death and destruction. And of this kind are some treatments for known diseases today, like fever, the high temperature, which a penicillin injection lowers. What... two examples of the certain benefit of a medicine are two good examples of obligatory treatment. As for the more likely, I often say most medicines are like this; many of them are more likely than not to be beneficial. And the doctors are, in fact, the most capable people to exemplify this second type of medicine. Is that clear?
The questioner : Very clear, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The third example is what is not more likely than not. And the truth is, the best example of what the Shari'ah indicates is that the actual medicines and treatments now... speak of them and there is no harm, for the slightest reasons—who wants to go?—or his saying (peace be upon him) regarding the description of the seventy thousand who enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment, their faces like the moon on the night of the full moon. He said:Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 911 The seeking of ruqyah here was a Shari'ah treatment, although it was permissible, it was less likely, and the reason—may Allah know best—is because the person does not think it is more likely than not thatThe Shaykh : this blessed one, if he prays for him that Allah will cure him of any pain that afflicted him, it is more likely than not that his prayer will be answered. Based on this detail, the Muslim should proceed in his life—easily—... today, especially women, for the slightest reasons, they go to the doctor. There is no likelihood that she is afflicted with a disease, and that this disease's treatment is known and famous, and it is more likely than not that it is successful. And therefore, for such diseases, the Muslim should accustom himself to rely on Allah (Mighty and Majestic), like his leaving off seeking ruqyah from other Muslims. And with this, I think the answer to the question is sufficient.
The Shaykh : The medicines a patient takes are divided, regarding the patient's belief in the effect of the medicine on his illness, into three categories: a category in which he is certain it is a cure, and this is obligatory; a category in which it is more likely than not that it is a cure, and this is recommended; and a category in which it is not more likely than not that it will be successful, and the recommended thing is to leave it off. And what is other than that is not prescribed. Allahu Akbar.
The questioner : He says, and is it complete, excuse me, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And knowing these categories: a category returns to the cost, by which it is judged to be certain, more likely, or less likely. And some of these categories... a man was cut by him and his blood was taken, and the blood was spurting from him. There is no doubt that treating him is from the first category, obligatory, because it is successful. Otherwise, if he were left and his blood kept flowing, it would lead to his death and destruction. And of this kind are some treatments for known diseases today, like fever, the high temperature, which a penicillin injection lowers. What... two examples of the certain benefit of a medicine are two good examples of obligatory treatment. As for the more likely, I often say most medicines are like this; many of them are more likely than not to be beneficial. And the doctors are, in fact, the most capable people to exemplify this second type of medicine. Is that clear?
The questioner : Very clear, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The third example is what is not more likely than not. And the truth is, the best example of what the Shari'ah indicates is that the actual medicines and treatments now... speak of them and there is no harm, for the slightest reasons—who wants to go?—or his saying (peace be upon him) regarding the description of the seventy thousand who enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment, their faces like the moon on the night of the full moon. He said:
They are those who do not use charms nor cauterise themselves nor seek omens and who rely on their Lord.
هم الذين لا يسترقون ، ولا يكتوون ، ولا يتطيَّرون ، وعلى ربهم يتوكَّلون
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.