What is the ruling on a male doctor examining women?
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Question:
We are doctors who went abroad to study and specialize. We constantly face a problem when examining women there, which is the absence of a nurse to assist us during their examinations, due to the customs in those countries. So what should be done? Is it permissible? And if it is not permissible, what is the expiation after we returned to our country? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good, so that we may clear our consciences regarding this.
Answer:
If dire necessity calls for examining a woman, it is permissible in Islamic countries and elsewhere, but there must be a companion with the examiner so that he is not alone with her. With him should be a nurse, or a female doctor, or a male doctor if women are not available. He must not be alone with her, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade being alone with a woman, and Satan is present and eager. He treats and looks, but in the presence of a companion, in the presence of someone who attends with him, so that the soul that commands evil and Satan do not lead him to what is not permissible for him: such as a kiss, or intercourse, or anything else. And if dire necessity calls for it, there is no harm in this, but he must have someone else with him.
As for when there is no dire necessity, the woman has a female doctor, and the man has a male doctor. Women are for women, and men are for men. But if a situation arises where a woman needs a male doctor because there is no female specialist, or a man needs a female doctor because there is no male specialist and the female doctor has the specialization, it is permissible in case of dire necessity, but without seclusion. It is necessary that there be no seclusion, such as the presence of a male nurse or a female nurse with the man, or a male nurse in case of dire necessity, according to... if it is a woman: the presence of a woman, and if it is a man, if a woman is not available, then a man, who is present, so that there is no seclusion, according to capacity and possibility. The point is: he does not remain alone with her.
We are doctors who went abroad to study and specialize. We constantly face a problem when examining women there, which is the absence of a nurse to assist us during their examinations, due to the customs in those countries. So what should be done? Is it permissible? And if it is not permissible, what is the expiation after we returned to our country? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good, so that we may clear our consciences regarding this.
Answer:
If dire necessity calls for examining a woman, it is permissible in Islamic countries and elsewhere, but there must be a companion with the examiner so that he is not alone with her. With him should be a nurse, or a female doctor, or a male doctor if women are not available. He must not be alone with her, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade being alone with a woman, and Satan is present and eager. He treats and looks, but in the presence of a companion, in the presence of someone who attends with him, so that the soul that commands evil and Satan do not lead him to what is not permissible for him: such as a kiss, or intercourse, or anything else. And if dire necessity calls for it, there is no harm in this, but he must have someone else with him.
As for when there is no dire necessity, the woman has a female doctor, and the man has a male doctor. Women are for women, and men are for men. But if a situation arises where a woman needs a male doctor because there is no female specialist, or a man needs a female doctor because there is no male specialist and the female doctor has the specialization, it is permissible in case of dire necessity, but without seclusion. It is necessary that there be no seclusion, such as the presence of a male nurse or a female nurse with the man, or a male nurse in case of dire necessity, according to... if it is a woman: the presence of a woman, and if it is a man, if a woman is not available, then a man, who is present, so that there is no seclusion, according to capacity and possibility. The point is: he does not remain alone with her.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.