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 Alaykum Br Burhan;

Firstly, Jazakallahu khayr to you guyz for your v.insightful Q&A emails. It in time were shaytan, the chief deceiver, is using the email and internet to lead many of us astray, it is very encouraging to receive productive emails from you guyz that teach us more about our beautiful deen. May Allah reward you guyz for your humble efforts.

My question is: I volunteered to do a first aid training course at work so as to be able to help people who may need any sort of emergency medical attention at work. I just wanted to find out if it would be okay for me as a man to help out females as well since it may sometimes involve me touching them or for example pressing their chest in some situations to help with breathing? I recently read an article about Medical students here in the U.K. failing their exams because they are refusing to examine female patients which is part of what they are suppose to do since it involves touching them. I wonder what the Islamic position on this issue is? Any sort of guidance will be appreciated…

Thanks   

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Answer:

First aid course females

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verses 30-31:

30 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, (etc……) …… And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain success.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have time and time again guided the believers, both men and women, to scrupulously guard their modesty and honor the conditions of the ‘hijaab’ between non-mehram members of the opposite sex.

But when there is a state of emergency, or a matter of life and death….for example, earthquakes, fire, accidents, natural calamities, etc….and one finds a person needing help under such situations, regardless of whether they are male or female, mehram or non-mehram, etc….it would be their moral duty to help that person to the best of their ability. In such emergency and life and death situations one would not be bound by the restrictions of the ‘hijaab’, provided one fears Allah and does not willfully transgress the prescribed boundaries of the Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme.

In such extreme situations, it is not as if when one sees a person in mortal danger, one starts running around looking for their mehram-relatives to save them….but rather one would do whatever is within their means and ability to remove that person, regardless of whether male or female, from harms way….and if in the process one violates the conditions of the ‘hijaab’, provided one fears Allah and does not willfully transgress the prescribed boundaries, one would be blameless for their necessary violation in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

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

173 He (Allah) 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 willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

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