What is the interpretation of this phrase (dire necessity permits the prohibited)?
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The questioner : I ask for an interpretation of this phrase: "dire necessity permits the prohibited"?
The Shaykh : Yes, the meaning of this phrase is that if a person is compelled to do something forbidden in a way that removes the dire necessity, then this forbidden thing becomes permissible.
An example of this is a man in a state of extreme hunger, who has nothing but carrion. If he eats the carrion, he is saved from perishing, and if he does not eat, he perishes. So here we say it is permissible for him to eat the carrion, because he is in a state of dire necessity.
Likewise, if he has nothing but pork, and he is extremely hungry, if he eats from its meat he remains alive, and if he does not eat he perishes, so we tell him this is permissible, because dire necessity permits the prohibited.
As for what concerns medicine, some people think that this phrase includes medicine, and that it is permissible for a person to treat himself with something forbidden if he is compelled to it, as he claims. This is an error, because medicine does not remove the dire necessity with certainty, and because one may do without it and the patient may be healed without medicine.
As for the first point, how many people have treated themselves with beneficial medicine but did not benefit from it.
And as for the second point, how many people have left the medicine and Allah healed them without medicine, yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the meaning of this phrase is that if a person is compelled to do something forbidden in a way that removes the dire necessity, then this forbidden thing becomes permissible.
An example of this is a man in a state of extreme hunger, who has nothing but carrion. If he eats the carrion, he is saved from perishing, and if he does not eat, he perishes. So here we say it is permissible for him to eat the carrion, because he is in a state of dire necessity.
Likewise, if he has nothing but pork, and he is extremely hungry, if he eats from its meat he remains alive, and if he does not eat he perishes, so we tell him this is permissible, because dire necessity permits the prohibited.
As for what concerns medicine, some people think that this phrase includes medicine, and that it is permissible for a person to treat himself with something forbidden if he is compelled to it, as he claims. This is an error, because medicine does not remove the dire necessity with certainty, and because one may do without it and the patient may be healed without medicine.
As for the first point, how many people have treated themselves with beneficial medicine but did not benefit from it.
And as for the second point, how many people have left the medicine and Allah healed them without medicine, yes.