Can he use medication which may cause his death to reduce pain?
Question Two years ago I had a surgery to remove a tumor from my maxillary sinus. Since that time, I have continuous sinus and facial pain and I take pain medication. The pain did not subside after taking several medicines. Once or twice a week, I have to delay my farad salat by few hours…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
We ask Allaah to grant you healing and good health.
It is not permissible for
the Muslim whom Allaah is testing with sickness to take something that will
definitely or will most likely harm him. He is commanded to protect his body
and it is not permissible for him to neglect the blessing of the physical
faculties that Allaah has bestowed upon him. How can he neglect himself?
One of the basic principles of Islamic sharee’ah is: “A
harmful thing cannot be removed by something like it (i.e., something else
that is also harmful).” Based on this, it is haraam to use as medicine
something that will cause greater harm than the disease itself.
See: Ahkaam al-Jaraahah al-Tibbiyyah, p. 124, by
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mukhtaar al-Shanqeeti.
Patience in putting up with pain and seeking the reward of
Allaah are things that will benefit the Muslim in the Hereafter and increase
his reward.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No
tiredness, exhaustion, worry, grief, distress or harm befalls a believer in
this world, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah expiates some of
his sins thereby.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5318 and Muslim, 2573.
Read the story of this great women and how she was afflicted
by sickness – with all its pain – but she chose to bear it with patience in
return for the great reward, which is admittance to Paradise.
It was narrated that ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabaah said: Ibn ‘Abbaas
said to me: Shall I not show you a woman who is one of the people of
Paradise? He said: Yes. He said: This black woman came to the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “I suffer from epilepsy and I
become uncovered. Pray to Allaah for me.” He said: “If you wish, you can be
patient and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish I will pray to Allaah to
heal you.” She said, “I will be patient.” Then she said: “But I become
uncovered. Pray to Allaah that I will not become uncovered.” So he prayed
for her.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5652; Muslim, 2576.
Some doctors have stated that taking tranquillizers may cause
a great deal of harm and lead to serious complications.
Some specialists have said that it is possible to reduce pain
through a nutritional program and an exercise regime, and other methods… You
should consult more than one doctor; perhaps with another specialist you
will find an answer that the one who told you to take that dangerous
medication does not know about.
But first and foremost, you have to be patient and accept the
decree of Allaah; make a lot of du’aa’ and ask Allaah for good health, for
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him,
and Who removes the evil”
[al-Naml 27:62]
We ask Allaah to take
away your pain, and to decree reward for you, and to grant you wellbeing in
your spiritual and worldly affairs, and to protect you and take care of
you.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
