Etiquettes of visiting the sick

Medical students are indeed blessed in their future profession mash’allah, just look at the rerwards for visiting the sick subhna’Allah! But its also a super amanah! . Flowers and a nice desert always bring a smile too Insh’Allah  

 By Asma bint Shameem 

Every now and then, someone we know gets sick. So it is important to know the rulings and etiquettes of visiting the sick from an Islamic point of view. 

Ruling on visiting the sick

Visiting the sick is a fard kifaayah or a communal obligation. (i.e. when someone in the community falls sick, some of the Muslims must go and visit him. Otherwise, the whole community will be sinful).(al- Ikhtiyaaraat by Ibn Taymiyyah)

This is based on the order of the Prophet (pbuh) :
“Feed the hungry, visit the sick and free the captives.” (Bukhaari)  

The rewards for visiting the sick

The Messenger of Allaah (pbuh) said:
1) “When the Muslim visits his (sick) Muslim brother, he is harvesting the fruits of Paradise until he returns.” (Muslim)

2) “Whoever visits a sick person or visits a brother in Islam, a caller cries out to him: ‘May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you occupy a dignified position in Paradise ’.” (Tirmidhi- hasan by al-Albaani)

3) “Whoever visits a sick person is plunging into mercy until he sits down, and when he sits down he is submerged in it.” (Ahmad– Saheeh by al-Albaani)

4) “There is no Muslim who visits a (sick) Muslim early in the morning but seventy thousand angels send blessings upon him until evening comes, and if he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand angels send blessings upon him until morning comes, and he will have a garden in Paradise.” (Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. )
 

Who to visit 

Visit those whom you know, as well as those whom you do not know. (Muslim).

The scholars say that you may visit non-mahrams as long as there is proper covering, no risk of fitnah, and no Khalwa (being alone together). (Islam-qa)

  

You may visit non-Muslims as well since the Prophet (pbuh) visited a Jewish boy and called him to Islam, and he became Muslim. (Bukhaari). 

Who is considered a sick person

If the sickness is preventing the person from seeing people, going out, etc., then the scholars say he is considered a sick person and one should try and visit him. However, if he is sick but he is still going about his work, seeing people, etc., then it is not obligatory to visit him. (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’)  

Principles to be followed when visiting 

  

  

• Ask the person how he is, how he is feeling, etc. following the perfect example of the Prophet (pbuh). (Tirmidhi –hasan by al-Albaani).

• Try to cheer the patient up and talk positive. Give him glad tidings of healing insha Allah, because this will comfort the sick person.

• The patient and his feelings and condition should be the topmost and only concern at all times.

• Generally speaking, one should make his visit short and not sit for too long with the patient, as it may be hard on the patient and his family.

• Consider the time of your visit ( Not to visit too late at night or at the time of the patient’s nap, etc.)

• Do not keep visiting him every day as it may be burdensome for the sick person. However, if it is someone close and you know that they feel pleased and comforted to see you, then you may visit continuously.

• Do NOT sit on the patient’s bed even if you do have to stand, as this might shake the bed and cause him pain and he may be too polite to say anything.

• Do not be loud or make excessive noise.

• Do not overcrowd the patient with too many visitors at the same time. If you happen to visit him at a time when he already has other visitors, it may be better to politely leave and come back at a later time.

Make Dua for the sick person

  

• The Prophet (pbuh) said this dua three times when visiting the sick:

“La ba’s, tuhûr in sha Allâh“
(No worry, it is a purification, if Allah wills).” (Bukhaari.) 

• The Prophet (pbuh) used to place his right hand on the sick person and say:
  

“Adhhib al-ba’s Rabb an-nâs, wa’shfi anta al-Shâfi, lâ shifâ’a illa shifâ’uka shifâ’an lâ yughâdir saqaman “
(Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness).” (Muslim)  

• The Prophet (pbuh) said:
  “Whoever visits a sick person who is not yet dying, and says seven times in his presence:

‘As’alu Allâha rabb al-‘arsh il-‘azîm an yashfiyaka

(I ask Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne, to heal you), Allaah will heal him of that sickness.) (Saheeh Abi Dawûd.)

May Allah enable us to understand and appreciate the Sunnah and apply it, not just in this matter, but in each and every walk of our life. Ameen. 

Etiquettes of Visiting the Sick

 

 

Ruling on medicines that contain alcohol

Lately, I received a query regarding the Islamic ruling on medication containing alcohol. The email is below and so is the reply.  Ps my reply is from documented evidence that I got (some of it word for word) from a scholarly source that derives its conclusions from the strongest  of opinions of the major madhabs (including the 4 schools of thought) and the world fiqh council.

Salam Omar

actually  i  bought  a  vitamin c  yesterday .But  unfortunately  i dont realize that  the tablet  contain  alcohol.It is  Rubex Orange 1000mg  , with less than 100 mg of alcohol pertablet .

can i take it ?It’s really effective  by the way .

[Questioner]

My Reply:

Walaikum assalam warahmatullahi  wabarakatuhu Sister,

I really thank you for asking this question because many of us Muslims today have neglected necessary caution in what we consume in day to day life.

My apologies for the late email but i needed to check my notes before giving u an answer insh’Allah.

Regarding the fiqhi opinion on alcohol based products that are not needed due to necessity and thus are more of luxury.

Alcohol eg ethanol is mainly used as a preservative in medicines especially solutions.

The majority of the early scholars of Islam considered alcohol to be be najis (impure) but due to later evidence, scholars now consider alcohol to be haraam as opposed to impure hence why alcohol swabs, wipes, perfumes are ok to use and you do not need to wash them before worship.

Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) which is present in cough syrups and mixes where alcohol is significant then these are to be avoided due to alternatives available these days. The International organization of Islamic medicine lobbied health ministers to remove these kind of products. Thus the Kuwaiti government removed all medicines having more than 3% of alcohol content.

In your case its best to look for an alternative to what you have insh’Allah (it has almost 10% alcohol content).

In saying that many soft drinks that contain alcohol but their levels are so low that its diluted by a very large amount of water into it. eg red bull, lucozade which are all halal.

Note: Definition of alcohol in Islam is ethanol. Another types of alcohols (in chemistry there are many) like iso-propanyl, benzyl alcohol are not hara’am and products that use these as preservatives are ok to use insh’Allah. However some chocolates (e.g a few of Butlers chocolates) that have alcohol or cooked products that have alcohol are to be completely avoided because alcohol is not diluted with water.

I hope this helps insh’Allah. And Allah Subhnatala’a knows best.

Jazakallahaire and please make du’aa for me.

Omar

 

The new age of infanticide

An interesting article I found by Dr. Tawfique Chowdhury from the AlKauthar website. Its a well worth read for all the medics and health care professionals out there with this current debate about infanticide etc. Interesting perspective from someone who has studied both Shariah & medicine. Insh’Allah i will update on later articles under the “Medical Ethics” section about a few issues e.g. organ donations/transplants, blood donations, contraception etc.

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Recently the Australian Medical Association asked our medical department for our vote on legalizing Mifeprestone (RU486) in Australia in yet another attempt to make non-invasive abortion more accessable to Australian women. At the moment it takes a woman about AU$120 to get an abortion done as medicare pays for the rest. There are about 84,000 abortions performed in Australia in 2003. Pro-choice argue that even this is too restrictive on women, especially on those women in rural areas, so they want the medicare itemed RU486 to be legalized. It is for this reason that attempts are underway to de-criminalize abortion in those states that require a ‘lawful’ abortion to be performed, even though there has not been a successful prosecution for unlawful abortion since 1970s. At 84,000 abortions a year, I strongly doubt that they are all legal abortions and in reality, practise is more common than we are led to believe.

Is there a need to make abortion even more accessible to women, especially since the age of women asking for abortion is getting lower and lower?

I watched with amazement at the 60,000 signatures and hand prints collected to prevent the capital punishment in Singapore being applied on convicted Australian drug smuggler, Nguyen, arguing to save his life. ‘Life is sacred’ we are told, ‘Life is the greatest gift’ – amazing statements from a people arguing for every ease to end that very life! On one hand, remove the life of an innocent soul because of perceived inconvenience and on the other hand, save the life of one guilty of a crime that will destroy thousands of others!

This, I believe, is attestament to the perversion of logic in the minds of those who hold these views – those who, in their struggle to have the perfect lifestyle, crown convenience and ‘choice’ as king and queen. To make abortion even more accessible, is I believe, completely amoral. Such an act would put the monumental decision of termination of life to even younger women, and at a time when their judgement and wisdom is clouded by circumstance.

I do not believe that society can ever learn to forgive women who kill their living children. Considering the fact that 90% of abortions are performed in the first 90 days since inception, the problem seems to lie in people’s interpretation as to when life truly starts. 

The Carnegie stages of human development show that the development of all body organs are completed by 56 days. The heart starts beating at 25 days and the first impulses from the brain can be felt at 40 days. Islamically and medically, life ends with brain death so too it must start with it as well. If 90% of abortions are performed before 90 days, then it seems the vast majority of abortions are actually performed on a living soul. I believe, to not provide this information in counselling women who want to have an abortion, is moral and medical negligence and perversion, and not in accordance with medical ethics of beneficience and non-maleficence.

Islamically the doctor who performs abortion is obliged to pay 5% blood money since classical scholars of fiqh consider the baby inconception, to have the probability of life, but not fully alive as life in those times could only be proven on delivery. In our time, I believe modern technology has changed all that and abortion must carry 100% blood money – approximately AU$45,000 in 2006.

If morality and human ethics will be neglected for convenience and choice, then perhaps it is the blood money that will stop them. If that too fails then all that is left is the hadeeth of our beloved Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam: “If you have no shame, then do as you wish.”

“And when the infant buried alive with be questioned, for what reason she was killed.” [81:8-9]

Abu Yusuf Tawfique Chowdhury
Director
AlKauthar Institute

 

Character of the Muslim Physician

* The physician should be amongst those who believe in God, fulfill His rights, are aware of His greatness. obedient to His orders, refraining from his prohibitions, and observing Him in secret and in public.

* The physician should be endowed with wisdom and graceful admonition. He should be, cheering not dispiriting, smiling and not frowning, loving and not hateful, tolerant and not edgy. He should never succumb to a grudge or fall short of clemency. He should be an instrument of God’s justice, forgiveness and not punishment, coverage and not exposure.

* He should be so tranquil as never to be rash even when he is right.. Chaste of words even when joking.. tame of voice and not noisy or loud, neat and trim and not shabby or unkempt.. conducive of trust and inspiring of respect.. well mannered in his dealings with the poor or rich, modest or great.. in perfect control of his composure.. and never compromising his dignity, however modest and forbearing.

* The physician should firmly know that ‘life’ is God’s.. awarded only by Him.. and that ‘Death’ is the conclusion of one life and the beginning of another. Death is a solid truth.. and it is the end of all but God. In his profession the physician is a solidier for “Life” only.. defending and preserving it as best as it can be, to the best of his ability.

* The Physician should offer the good example by caring for his own health. It is not befitting for his that his “do’s” and “don’t's” are not observed primarily by himself He should not turn his back on the lessons of medical progress, because he will never convince his patients unless they see the evidence of his won conviction.. God addresses us in the “Quran” by saying, “and make not your own hands throw you into destruction”. “The Prophet says” Your body has a right on you”.. and the known dictum is “no harm or harming in Islam”.

* The Physician is truthful whenever he speaks, writes or gives testimony. He should be invincible to the dictates of creed, greed. friendship or authority pressurizing him to make a statement or testimony that he knows it false. Testimony is a grave responsibility in Islam. The Prophet once asked his companions. “shall I tell you. about the gravest sins?” When they said yes, he said “claiming partners with God, being undutiful to one’s parents.. “and, after a short pause he repeatedly said “and indeed the giving of false talk or false testimony.”

* The Physician should be in possession of a threshold-knowledge of jurisprudence, worship and essentials of Fiqh enabling him to give counsel to patient seeking his guidance about health and bodily conditions with a bearing of the rites of worship. Men and women are subject to symptoms, ailments or biological situations like pregnancy and would wish to know the religious ruling pertaining to prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, family planning, etc.

* Although ‘necessity overrides prohibition’ the Muslim Physician-nevertheless-should spare no effort in avoiding the recourse to medicines or ways of therapy be they surgical, medical or behavioral that are prohibited by Islam.

* The role of Physician is that of a catalyst through whom God, the Creator, works to preserve life and health. He is merely an instrument of God in alleviating people’s illness. For being so designated the physician should be grateful and forever seeking God’s help. He should be modest, free from arrogance and pride and never fall into boasting or hint at self glorification through speech, writing or direct or subtle advertisement.

* The Physician should strive to keep abreast Scientific progress and innovation. His zeal or complacency and knowledge or ignorance, directly bear on the health and well- being of his patients. Responsibility for others should limit his freedom to expend his time. As the poor and needy have a recognized right in the money of the capable, so the patients own a share of the Doctor’s time spent in study and in following the progress of medicine.

* The physician should also know that the pursuit of knowledge has a double indication in Islam. Apart from the applied therapeutic aspect, pursuit of knowledge is in itself worship, according to the Qoranic guidance, “And say .. My Lord .. advance me in knowledge” and “Among His worshippers.. the learned fear Him most”.. and “God will raise up the ranks of those of you who believed and Thos who have been given knowledge.”

Taken from Islamic Code of Medical Ethics

International Organization of Islamic Medicine

Kuwait, 1981.

 

The Oath of a Muslim Physician

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

The Oath of a Muslim Physician

Praise be to Allah (God),  the Unique, Majesty of the heavens, the Exalted, the Glorious, Glory be to Him, the Eternal Being Who created the Universe and all the creatures within. We serve no other god besides you and regard idolatry as an abominable injustice.

• Give us the strength to be truthful, honest, modest, merciful and objective.
• Give us the fortitude to admit our mistakes, to amend our ways and to forgive the wrongs of others.
• Give us the wisdom to comfort and counsel all towards peace and harmony.
• Give us the understanding that ours is a profession sacred that deals with your most precious gifts of life and intellect.
• Therefore, make us worthy of this favored station with honor, dignity and piety so that we may devote our lives in serving mankind, poor or rich, literate or illiterate, Muslim or non-Muslim, black or white with patience and tolerance with virtue and reverence, with knowledge and vigilance, with Your love in our hearts and compassion for  Your servants, Your most precious creation.
• Hereby we take this oath in Your name, the Creator of all the Heavens and the earth and follow Your counsel as You has revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

“Whoever killeth a human being, not in liew of another human being nor because of mischief on earth, it is as if he hath killed all mankind. And if he saveth a human life, he hath saved the life of all mankind.” [Al-Ma'idah (Chapter 5):35]

This medical oath which is a composite from the historical and contemporary writings of physicians of the Islamic World, was officially adopted by I.M.A. in 1977.  

Amended from the Oath of the Muslim physician from the Islamic Medical Association of North America.

Side note: Muslim doctors should enquire to say this oath as oppose to the traditional Hippocratic oath which originally had Greek idols being mentioned in it, I know that the present one doesn’t include them but still. Also this oath carries more weight to it and is Mash’Allah awesome .