Assalamu Alaikom, is it permissible for a female to send by email or show during Skype conversation parts of her body to a female doctor? I suffer from eczema, my doctor(female) would like to see infected parts of my body (e.g. arms, legs, eyes), am I allowed to do so? During Coronavirus pandemic doctors do not see patients personally, rather than they treat them remotely, that is why I can show my skin problem only via Internet.Jazakom Allah Khayr

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 is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm on you – Allah willing – in showing these organs to the aforementioned female doctor. Because it is something that a woman may look at from another woman. If this doctor is a non-Muslim, it is permissible for her to see from you these body parts according to the view of some jurists.

There is a great difference of opinion about the limits of the ‘Awrah of a Muslim woman in front of a non-Muslim woman.

In any case, the need for treatment is something that permits looking at the ‘Awrah. Al-‘Izz ibn Abdus-Salaam said in his book Qawaa-id al-Ahkaam: “Concealing one’s ‘Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered according to the Sharee’ah) is obligatory, and it is one of the best acts of sense of honor (of chivalry), the most beautiful custom, especially in case of non-Mahram (marriageable) women, but this is permissible for necessities and dire needs… The dire need: such as each spouse looking at the other ... and the doctors looking at the woman for the need of treatment.”

Finally, it should be mentioned that these modern means are not safe from the possibility of being infiltrated and penetrated, so whenever it is possible to achieve the purpose with other ways, then it is safer and more appropriate. One may also search for specialists in some programs that may prevent such a penetration.

For more benefit on a woman revealing her ‘Awrah in front of a doctor, please refer to Fataawa 91787, 322978, and 363661.

For more benefit on the ‘Awrah of a woman in front of another Muslim woman and in front of a non-Muslim woman, please refer to Fataawa 92295 and 82459.

Allah knows best.