The ruling on a father who refuses treatment for his sick son
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Question:
A Muslim doctor sent a message saying: I am a doctor in the pediatric department of one of the Kingdom’s hospitals. We have many cases where a father takes his son out of the hospital at his own responsibility, refusing advice and medical treatment. A percentage of these children suffer from serious complications that affect their health for their entire lives. Some may die as a result of leaving the hospital, and some die at home due to the fathers’ ignorance and stubbornness, despite all efforts to convince them. The question is: Who is responsible for these victims? Does the hospital administration have the right to prevent the father, even by using the police and security forces? Does the father have the right to insist on taking his son even if he knows that he may die without treatment? Please issue a ruling and tell us the solution. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Treatment is recommended, and medicine is recommended; seeking medical care and treatment is recommended, not obligatory. If the child’s father is a sane man who understands, and he sees that there is no need for treatment, the father is not forced to treat his son or daughter. However, if the father is ignorant and does not understand matters, there is no harm in the state under whose supervision the hospital operates compelling treatment for the benefit of the children, or for the benefit of the Muslims, the benefit of the subjects. If the state and the officials in charge of the hospital see that discharging him is dangerous, and that he is in dire necessity of treatment, and the father does not understand these matters or reason about them as they should be understood, there is no harm in treating him and preventing the father from discharging him. This is a matter of cooperating in righteousness and piety, of general reform for the Muslims, and of restraining a person who does not understand matters or reason about them as they should be.
As for a father who has his understanding, his intellect, and his religion, but sees that there are reasons necessitating his discharge, he is responsible for his own judgment and effort. And Allah will forgive him if the child dies.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
A Muslim doctor sent a message saying: I am a doctor in the pediatric department of one of the Kingdom’s hospitals. We have many cases where a father takes his son out of the hospital at his own responsibility, refusing advice and medical treatment. A percentage of these children suffer from serious complications that affect their health for their entire lives. Some may die as a result of leaving the hospital, and some die at home due to the fathers’ ignorance and stubbornness, despite all efforts to convince them. The question is: Who is responsible for these victims? Does the hospital administration have the right to prevent the father, even by using the police and security forces? Does the father have the right to insist on taking his son even if he knows that he may die without treatment? Please issue a ruling and tell us the solution. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Treatment is recommended, and medicine is recommended; seeking medical care and treatment is recommended, not obligatory. If the child’s father is a sane man who understands, and he sees that there is no need for treatment, the father is not forced to treat his son or daughter. However, if the father is ignorant and does not understand matters, there is no harm in the state under whose supervision the hospital operates compelling treatment for the benefit of the children, or for the benefit of the Muslims, the benefit of the subjects. If the state and the officials in charge of the hospital see that discharging him is dangerous, and that he is in dire necessity of treatment, and the father does not understand these matters or reason about them as they should be understood, there is no harm in treating him and preventing the father from discharging him. This is a matter of cooperating in righteousness and piety, of general reform for the Muslims, and of restraining a person who does not understand matters or reason about them as they should be.
As for a father who has his understanding, his intellect, and his religion, but sees that there are reasons necessitating his discharge, he is responsible for his own judgment and effort. And Allah will forgive him if the child dies.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.