Home » Hanafi Fiqh » Seekersguidance.org » Do I Have to Perform an Expiation for my Patients Who Died?

Do I Have to Perform an Expiation for my Patients Who Died?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Seekersguidance.org

Question:

Assalamu ‘alaykum. On a few occasions I, as a doctor, have handled cases where patients have died. I am worried that I did not do everything I could, so I may have accidentally caused their death. Do I have to perform a kaffara? Also, I broke some fasts as a teenager. Do I have to perform a kaffara? Can I combine the two?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

Accidental Deaths

Do not worry; you have not accidentally killed those people, so you do not have to perform a kaffara. Accidentally killing someone would be like when someone aims to shoot an animal when hunting, but misses, and the arrow hits and kills a person. [Maydani, al Lubab]

Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, people do not act as they might in a calmer situation. This is what seems to have happened in the situations you described.

Do your job diligently, seeking Allah’s pleasure and expecting a great reward. Every life you save will a source of many delights for you on the Day of Judgement: “Whoever gives life to [a soul] it is as though he has given life to all humanity.” (Qur’an, 5:32)

Expiation For Boken Fasts

Yes, you need to perform one expiation for the fasts you broke. Simply tell your husband that you broke a fast as a teen, and you need to make it up. Winter is a perfect time as the days are short. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al Falah]

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

This answer was collected from Seekersguidance.org. It’s an online learning platform overseen by Sheikh Faraz Rabbani. All courses are free. They also have in-person classes in Canada.

Read answers with similar topics: