Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Aleikum !

Is it ok for a girl to practise/work as a doctor as they have to touch male patients.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Doctor male patients

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, the life of a human being is so sanctified in Islam that when faced with an absolute emergency situation where it is a matter of life and death, and one violates the Commands of Allah only to save one’s life, one will be absolutely blameless in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 173:

173 He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah; but if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 106:

106 Anyone who after accepting faith in Allah utters unbelief except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith; but such as open their breast to unbelief on them is Wrath from Allah and theirs will be a dreadful penalty.

Thus if Allah Subhanah has blessed one amongst the believers to be a doctor, there is absolutely no harm if that believing doctor attends to a non-mehram member of the opposite sex in matters of medical emergency.

But under normal situations and conditions, Islamic culture, Islamic Etiquette, and the Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws) demand that the segregation of sexes be honored and the believing men doctors should fear Allah and attend to men patients, and the believing female doctors attend to female patients. That would be closest to piety and righteousness in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

In cases of emergencies where a doctor of the same sex is unavailable, there is no harm if a believing doctor forced by necessity but without willful disobedience, attends to a patient of the opposite sex.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan