Euthanasia and Islam

What is Euthanasia?

Euthanasia is the practice of taking a patient’s life due to suffering from an incurable and painful disease. Physician assisted suicide (PAS), though similar, is a physician providing a means for a patient to take their own life rather than taking the patient’s life directly. These practices, often called mercy killings, are legal in Washington DC, California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. The ethics of these practices are highly debated with philosophical arguments of the value and quality of life being the center of focus.

Why Practice Euthanasia?

As previously mentioned, euthanasia and PAS occur in terminally ill patients in great pain. Additionally, Euthanasia can also be practiced in patients in an irreversible coma. Euthanasia may be practiced because of financial costs of maintaining the life of terminally ill patients. Having a patient on life support in an intensive care unit bed can cost a minimum of $2000-$4000 per day. When there is very little hope that keeping a patient on this care can help them recover and the financial burden becomes too much for caregivers, stopping treatment may be the only option.

Euthanasia and PAS may also be practiced and defended because the quality of life in terminally ill patients drastically decrease. Patients diagnosed with persistent vegetative state have an absence of responsiveness and awareness. It is argued whether this could be classified as living and that with such little quality of life, performing euthanasia is an act of mercy. There are also cases with terminally ill patients with incurable diseases wanting to end their life on their own terms. In these cases, PAS may be performed. PAS can also be performed when these patients are suffering immensely due to pain.

Islam and Euthanasia

Islam has very clear views on Euthanasia, PAS, and suicide as a whole. The Quran clearly shows that life is precious: “Do not take life, which Allah made sacred, other than in the course of justice.” (17:33). The Quran is also clear about suicide: “Do not kill yourselves as God has been to you very merciful.” (4:29). Islam is against suicide and ideas of physicians helping patients to commit suicide, for all life is sacred.

Islam suggests showing mercy to these patients and caregivers in ways that do not involve the taking of life. Regarding financial burdens, when an individual cannot provide the needed care, the treatment for the patient becomes a responsibility of the entire community. It is also suggested to invest in research of cures for diseases. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “O Muslims, seek cure, since God has not created any illness without creating a cure.” This would eliminate need for euthanasia as a patient can always be treated for a disease. Islamic physicians also strive to improve the quality of life in terminally ill patients. It is understood that finding cures and treatments for disease is an extremely difficult task. Thus, it is recommended that more research into alleviating pain felt by terminally ill patients be done. In addition, most people at the end of their lives find themselves in a hospital bed in our society today. It is recommended that these facilities become more of a home to patients, with effective and psychological treatment also being provided by caregivers. Improving the quality of life in patients can eliminate the want to take their own lives.

Ultimately, these changes can be difficult to implement as some involve changing the healthcare system as a whole. The ethics of euthanasia and PAS will continue to be debated with different morals and philosophies clashing. It is difficult to come to a consensus about the value of life in terminally ill patients that may be suffering. Regardless, being compassionate and merciful to those suffering near the end of their lives will always be of substantial note in society.