Questions from a Muslim Doctor in the West:

[1]:

There are some students of knowledge in the West who give medical advice on the internet. However, they are not doctors and have not trained in the fields which they give advice about. They tell people to treat themselves through changing their diet, while warning against well-established medical treatments such as vaccinations and medication for preventing heart attacks, using weak medical evidence to support their claims.

What would you advise these students?

Shaykh’s answer: Wa alaykumusSalaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, I advise these young men to return to the people of knowledge with regard to understanding the Book and the Sunnah. And the Prophetic medicine is a science of the Islamic legislation – it is not permissible for someone who is not proficient in it and who did not learn it at the hands of the scholars to speak about it. And censuring the medicine that is established by scientific tests is wrong, and the doctors used to practice a lot of it at the time of the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and he did not censure them; and it is included in the generality of the Prophet’s (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) statement: “Indeed Allaah has created both disease and remedy, so treat yourselves but don’t treat yourselves with that which is prohibited.” [as-Saheehah 1633 authenticated by Sh al-Albaani (slightly different wording from the hadith mentioned above)] And Allaah knows best.

[2]:

These students say that they wish to revive the Prophetic medicine. For example one of them says that “labanan khaalisan” [Soorat-un-Nahl:66] refers only to milk which has not been pasteurised. He says that drinking unpasteurised milk is an, “affirmation of tawheed”, and that drinking pasteurised milk is not in accordance with the sunnah, and is in fact harmful. He says that modern doctors prescribe medicines which prolong illness so that pharmaceutical companies can make more money. He says that the modern medical profession is based upon, “mu‘tazilee”, principles. He likens taking certain medications to the impatience of those who revolt against the rulers.

Is the approach of this student correct, as we have not heard the like of this from our ‘ulemaa?

Shaykh’s answer: The answer to this is like the answer to the previous (question), as it has branched off from it.

[3]:

We have advised these students, but they have not responded to our advice. Some of the common people have been influenced by these ideas, and they think that it is better to take only herbal and Prophetic Medicine and avoid modern medicines. They are reluctant to take precautions from the spread of diseases, claiming that illness only spreads by the permission of Allaah. We know of people who have become ill through following the advice of these students.

Should we as Muslim doctors publicly explain the errors of these students to the common people? Should we do so even if we are accused of causing splitting?

Shaykh’s answer: Yes, it is obligatory upon you to make their mistake clear to the people; and spread the speech of the scholars with regard to these issues and connect the people to the scholars, as these people are harming the people in the name of religion while they perceive not, and they think that they are doing good. There is no doubt that from modern medicine there is that which is beneficial and also that which is harmful, and there is no doubt about the existence of business companies whose concern is to gain profit. But that does not mean that everything made by the modern method of medicine is not beneficial; and in the like of this, it is obligatory to return to the trustworthy people among them who are duly qualified and have experience in order to know what is beneficial and what is harmful. And likewise, the Prophetic medicine is in need of one who understands it with a correct understanding so that it would be beneficial for the people because everyone who (just) read a book about that is not able to understand it. And there is no doubt that disease spreads by the permission of Allaah but the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to us: flee from the leper like you flee from a lion, and he prohibited us from entering the place where there is plague and prohibited its people from leaving it, as a way of preventing the spread of the disease, and the discussion goes on. In general, it is obligatory to return to the scholars with regard to that. And Allaah knows best.

[Answered by Shaikh Ali ar-Ramlee hafizahullaah]

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Sh Ramlee