What is the physician's obligation toward a non-Muslim patient?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
When a physician is in his place of work, where he is required to treat both Muslims and non-Muslims, such as Christians or others, for example in a state of war, with the fear that this Christian might pose a threat later, what is the position of the treating physician before Allah the Exalted in this matter, and in treating one whom Allah and His Messenger hate, and who hates Allah and His Messenger?
Answer:
The physician is obligated to fulfill the trust by treating him as he would treat anyone else, because this person has entered a place of safety, and a place of safety is not a place of war, if he is under our protection or has entered our territory under a guarantee of safety: as an employee, a physician, or with the mujahideen now, with the militias that are fighting now. If something happens to him, you must treat him as you would treat a Muslim patient. Fear Allah in fulfilling the trust.
And the fact that Allah hates him: that is a matter for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). But you, he has entered your presence under a guarantee of safety, so you must treat him, whether he is a trusted guest, a treaty partner, or came under a letter of safe conduct, if he entered under a guarantee of safety via a letter, or if a physician came, or for other reasons, and then he fell ill, treat him with trust and do not harm him in any way.
Q: Do you not see that in such a situation there is an opportunity for Islamic da'wah and attracting people?
The Shaykh: Increasing da'wah, da'wah is good. His calling him to Allah and encouraging him in Islam; this is good, along with the treatment. But only, he must not betray the trust, he must not treat him with something that harms him. Rather, he must advise him, and this is part of calling to Islam. His advising him is part of calling to Islam. The Christian or other should realize that Islam advises and fulfills the obligation for one who is entrusted with his safety, or who is in his trust, or under his covenant, or under his protection.
When a physician is in his place of work, where he is required to treat both Muslims and non-Muslims, such as Christians or others, for example in a state of war, with the fear that this Christian might pose a threat later, what is the position of the treating physician before Allah the Exalted in this matter, and in treating one whom Allah and His Messenger hate, and who hates Allah and His Messenger?
Answer:
The physician is obligated to fulfill the trust by treating him as he would treat anyone else, because this person has entered a place of safety, and a place of safety is not a place of war, if he is under our protection or has entered our territory under a guarantee of safety: as an employee, a physician, or with the mujahideen now, with the militias that are fighting now. If something happens to him, you must treat him as you would treat a Muslim patient. Fear Allah in fulfilling the trust.
And the fact that Allah hates him: that is a matter for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). But you, he has entered your presence under a guarantee of safety, so you must treat him, whether he is a trusted guest, a treaty partner, or came under a letter of safe conduct, if he entered under a guarantee of safety via a letter, or if a physician came, or for other reasons, and then he fell ill, treat him with trust and do not harm him in any way.
Q: Do you not see that in such a situation there is an opportunity for Islamic da'wah and attracting people?
The Shaykh: Increasing da'wah, da'wah is good. His calling him to Allah and encouraging him in Islam; this is good, along with the treatment. But only, he must not betray the trust, he must not treat him with something that harms him. Rather, he must advise him, and this is part of calling to Islam. His advising him is part of calling to Islam. The Christian or other should realize that Islam advises and fulfills the obligation for one who is entrusted with his safety, or who is in his trust, or under his covenant, or under his protection.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.