I currently live in Bangladesh. My father suffers from Liver Cirrhosis. I have plans to do Masters or PhD from USA. It is recommended for my father to do liver transplant. But Currently I liver transplant is not available in Bangladesh. And in India it will cost 1-1.5 crore Bangladeshi Taka(currency), which the cost is out of my reach. When I start PhD in US will it me permissible for me to buy an insurance for my father, take him to US and do the liver transplant and then send him back to Bangladesh? Currently I couldn’t find any Takaful Health Insurance in US. And don’t know how the rest of the insurance work there might be be riba and qimar. So will it be permissible in case like this? Can I call it dire need and buy insurance for him and take him to US? Cuz without the treatment he might suffer a lot and die within short span.(May Allah give him long life)
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
If the public (government) hospitals of Bangladesh or India do not do liver transplants, then you should ask a competent Muslim doctor to diagnose your father, and advise you on all options.
If he confirms that there is a dire need for the transplant, and there is no other practical option, then you may take out this insurance. Realizing that it is due to absolute necessity, you and your father should not have any other motive for this.
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best
Wassalaam,
Ismail Moosa (Mufti)