Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
My grandma is in intensive care and the doctors have asked about the resuscitation orders. If an elderly heart were to stop beating:
- Are chest compressions (pressing down hard on the chest repeatedly) with the risk of breaking the ribs allowed?
- Are electrical shocks to stimulate the heart (sometimes more than once via defibrillator) permitted?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah Institute.
I pray the Almighty grant the best in ‘āfiyah (well-being).
If the described treatment would improve the health of your grandmother, then it is permissible however, if more than likely such a procedure would not revive nor improve the health of the patient then the procedure would be deemed islamicaly impermissible. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 5, Page 355, Dār Al-Fikr[1])
In treatment, sometimes there is a reaction or consequence however, looking at the bigger picture, overall health is obtained, therefore chest compressions and or electrical shocks for revival are permissible. – (See: Al-Qawā’id Al-Fiqhīyyah, Page 33, Dār Al-Tirmidhī)[2]
Usāmah ibn Sharīk (may Allāh be pleased with him) says, “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were sitting as if they had birds on their heads. I saluted and sat down. The desert Arabs then came from various regions. They asked, “Messenger of Allāh, should we make use of medical treatment?” He replied, “Make use of medical treatment, for Allāh has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age.” – (Abū Dāwūd 3855)[3]
Only Allāh knows best
[1] مَرِضَ أَوْ رَمِدَ فَلَمْ يُعَالِجْ حَتَّى مَاتَ لَا يَأْثَمُ كَذَا فِي الْمُلْتَقَطِ وَالرَّجُلُ إذَا اسْتَطْلَقَ بَطْنَهُ أَوْ رَمِدَتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَلَمْ يُعَالِجْ حَتَّى أَضْعَفَهُ ذَلِكَ وَأَضْنَاهُ وَمَاتَ مِنْهُ لَا إثْمَ عَلَيْهِ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ هَذَا وَبَيْنَمَا إذَا جَاعَ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ مَعَ الْقُدْرَةِ حَتَّى مَاتَ حَيْثُ يَأْثَمُ وَالْفَرْقُ أَنَّ الْأَكْلَ مِقْدَارُ قُوتِهِ مُشْبِعٌ بِيَقِينٍ فَكَانَ تَرْكُهُ إهْلَاكًا وَلَا كَذَلِكَ الْمُعَالَجَةُ وَالتَّدَاوِي كَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ – كتاب الفتاوى الهندية ج٥/ ص ٣٥٥ دار الفكر
[2] اذَا تَعَارَضَت مَفسَدَتَان روعيَ اَعظَمهمَا ضَرَرًا بارتكَاب اَخفهمَا … وَاذَا وَقَعَ انسَان بَينَ اَمرَين اَحَدهمَا اَهوَن منَ الاخَر كَمَا لَو هدد بالقَتل عَلى ان يرمي بنَفسه من مَكَان مرتَفع عَن الأرض مقدَارَ ثَلَاثَةَ امتَار يَجب عَلَيه رَمي نَفسه لاحتمَال النَجاَة فَيختَار اَهوَنَ الشَرَين وَلَو هدد بالقَتل اَو يرمي بنَفسه من مَكَان عَال كَالمنَارَة له الخيار لكَون المفسدَتين متَساويَتَين – القَوَاعد الفقهيَة ص ٣٣ دَار الترمذي
[3] عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابُهُ كَأَنَّمَا عَلَى رُءُوسِهِمُ الطَّيْرُ فَسَلَّمْتُ ثُمَّ قَعَدْتُ فَجَاءَ الأَعْرَابُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَتَدَاوَى فَقَالَ تَدَاوَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ لَهُ دَوَاءً غَيْرَ دَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ الْهَرَمُ – رواه أبو داؤد ٣٨٥٥