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Euthanasia, or "mercy killing" as it is known, is the
act of "painlessly" putting to death a person suffering from an incurable and
painful disease or condition. Many views are held in favour of Euthanasia and
many in opposition to it.
Those in favour of Euthanasia argue that if the patient
wishes to be released from suffering, he or she should not be denied it. This
argument is tantamount to a plea for the legalisation of suicide. We know that a
high proportion of suicides are actually people who are "calling for help" and
who do not really intend to kill themselves, but go too far. A person's request
for Euthanasia might easily be due to temporary despair and doom. The risk of
irreversible error would therefore be even greater.
Today, medical science is in a state of continual change and
progress, therefore it is extremely difficult for doctors to draw up a list of
diseases which are invariably fatal. Due to the advances in medicines a number
of cancer sufferers, until recently doomed, can now be cured. People suffering
from heart conditions may now live long useful lives.
Even though a patient is aware of his condition and
deliberately asks for Euthanasia, it would further be an act of utter cruelty to
let a patient know that his life has to be terminated.
While it is a highly qualified medical doctor that normally
requests that the patient's life be terminated, doctors do not correctly
estimate a patient's power of recovering from the illness. Doctors should not be
burdened with the responsibility of making, in effect, a decision to murder.
This immense responsibility, of being the final decision
maker of cutting short the patient's life, should not also be given to relatives
or those with ties of affection. Those relatives who have no integrity and moral
standards will make decisions with their own motives in mind.
Euthanasia is actually the cheapening the respect of human
life. Legalising Euthanasia is opening the door to suicide and murder.
The Islamic religion places a high value on human life. Under
these circumstances, even due to strict medical grounds involving Euthanasia
patients, the Islamic faith does not sanction the killing of a human being,
whether or not this has been the request of the patient, the doctor, or
relatives.
As far as the human body is concerned, light fever, a cold,
headache and light sickness is not a curse but a blessing. In fact, its absence
is misfortune. If the Awliya do not experience misfortune or sickness in
a period of 40 days then they revert to repentance and deep meditation fearing
that they have been discarded by Allah. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "Allah bestows misfortune and sickness upon those whom he
loves" and "No Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or some
other inconveniences, but that Allah will remove his sins for him as a tree
sheds its leaves".
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