Doctors request family to remove patient from life support machine

10-4-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the ruling concerning a husband and wife who have been married for a long time but have been living separately for more than a year in different countries? What is the ruling concerning a person who is on a life support machine and the family is asked by the doctors to switch it off?

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

 

As for the first question, please read the Fatwa: 84753.

As for the second question it is strictly forbidden to do what the doctors demand if it causes the death of the person.  It is not allowed to take any action to kill a person even if one despairs of his life.  Many patients were cured and lived many years after doctors despaired of their lives.  Many people were washed and were about to be buried when the signs of life were found, and thereafter they lived a long time following their cure.

Allah knows best.