Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterGiving Medication to Sick without Informing Him: Islamic perspective
Question
Is it permissible to give medication to the sick without telling him or lying to him regarding his treatment?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
If the sick is a sane and mature adult who can refuse to take medication by choice, then it seems, and Allah knows best, that it is not permissible to lie to him and give him medication without telling him. This is because taking medication, in principle, is allowed or recommended, but not obligatory. Thus, the sick has the right to accept medical treatment as he wills or reject it. He may not reject it if there is a confirmed life threatening harm that may expose him to death if he does not take the medication, such as bleeding or similar situations. Then his life must be preserved through treatment without telling him or by lying to him in order to preserve a life, and Islam prioritizes its preservation, which comes second only to the preservation of religion itself.
Allah Almighty says (what means):
· {And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.} [Quran 4:29]
· {And do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining].} [Quran 2:195]
Muslim scholars stated that medical treatment is obligatory if it is feared that one may die.
Allah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
