Question
If a patient is on life support and doctors determine that there is no further treatment that can benefit the patient, is it permissible to remove or switch off the life-support machines?
Answer
Yes. If two trustworthy and qualified doctors agree that the patient is brain dead and that there is no hope of recovery, it is permissible to withdraw or switch off the life-support machines. In many instances, regardless of whether the family agrees, public hospitals may nevertheless withdraw life support.
Consider the following:
1. A patient's condition while on life support may vary, and not all cases should be treated the same.
2. The general rule is that as long as there is reasonable hope, based on the guidance of qualified doctors, that if the patient remains on life support for a specified period, they may recover and continue living, it would be impermissible to withdraw or switch off the life support. Whoever does so would be liable for murder.
3. Accordingly, if two trustworthy specialists concur (a) that the patient’s condition is irreversible, (b) that there is no chance of recovery despite continued life support, (c) that death is inevitable, and (d) that all appropriate avenues of treatment have been exhausted, then withdrawing life support will be permissible.
4. The Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League, during its tenth session in 1408 AH, reached the same conclusion and issued Resolution No. 49 (10/2), stating that it is permissible to remove life-support equipment from a patient, subject to two conditions: (a) all functions of the patient's brain have ceased completely and irreversibly; and (b) a committee of three specialist and expert physicians determines that the cessation of brain function is irreversible.
والله أعلم
And Allah knows best.
النصوص المستند إليها :
قال حج: (ولو قتل مريضا في النزع) وهو الوصول لآخر رمق (وعيشه عيش مذبوح وجب) بقتله (القصاص)