Muslims Doctor And Patient Relationships

Being a Muslim is actually one of the best gifts and nikmah that a person got from his Creator. As a Muslim physician who are practicing Islamic basis in the daily life, we are basically practicing the same practice and share the same knowledge with the other doctor or physician in this field. The only thing that makes us differ is our religion and faith. This one thing is the most valuable criteria of a Muslim doctor that brings us to become closer to Allah SWT. The basis of Islam is to believe that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah. The life of a human being on earth is just a preparation or examination for the eternal life after death. The good or bad consequence of eternal life depends on how much a Muslim believes in and obey Allah. The Qur’an says that saving a life is like saving all of humanity. Medical practice is considered as a sacred duty in Islam, and the physician is rewarded by Allah to have this sacred job. Islamic scholars have agreed that the study and practice of medicine is an obligation that falls upon Muslims to have sufficient numbers of followers to practice, that’s we call them Fard Kifayah. Among a doctor and patient, both can be Muslim, or either can be Muslim. The doctor-patient relationship is an intricate concept in which patients voluntarily approach a doctor and become part of a contract by which they tend to abide by doctor’s instructions.

A good Muslim doctor should be able to make their carrier as a way to gain good deeds. By applying Islamic values in treating the patients they actually are helping the patients to relief the pain and at the same time brings them closer to Allah by showing the good values of a Muslim. Being able to take care of the patients and do what is medically best for them are the objectives of being a physician, but being able to open the heart of the patients to see the beautiful of Islam is more sacred and loved by Allah, and that’s the purpose of a person being a good Muslim. Faith is the first pillar of Islam and as we understand belief in Allah (SWT) and his Prophet (PBUH) are fundamentals of the Islamic faith. All of us who declare ourselves as Muslims vouch and declare this faith. How is this applicable to a physician? Physicians must realize that irrespective of knowledge and expertise the final common pathway that determines the success or failure of any modality of treatment is not scientific logic or deduction but with the will of Allah (SWT). If one can accept this fact, in spite of being a physician, it augurs towards reiteration of Faith. With this comes the realization of the limit of one's own resources. When we prescribe a medication or perform surgery we attribute the success or failure to our expertise or lack of it, when in essence it is the result of divine intervention. If any physician has doubts about this statement, perhaps they can give an explanation for the cases in which he expects to see a particular result and an exact opposite result ensues.

To help understand the role of a Muslim doctor, let us have a look at the texts in the Quran and Hadith relating to the subject. Allah says in the Quran about moral disease and cure in several surahs (chapters): 'O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from you Lord and a healing for the (disease) in your hearts, - and for those who believe, a guidance and a mercy' (Quran 10:57).

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The 'direction' in this verse is to the Quran itself: it is considered a sure cure to any moral or psychological disease that may afflict true believers. 'It (Quran) is a guide and a healing to those who believe' (Quran 41:44).

There is no doubt that genuine belief in God can be the best cure for most of our psychological disturbances. It brings peace to our hearts as we beckon to our Creator and resign in Him. 'But He guideth to Himself those who turn to Him in patience. Those who believe, and whose hearts find peace and satisfaction in the remembrance of God: for without doubt in the remembrance of God do hearts find satisfaction and peace' (Quran 13: 27-28).

The Hadith, as usual, gives us striking revealing facts concerning disease and cure. Our Prophet informed us that the general rule is that there is a cure to every disease, whether we are aware of it or not. We know at present that our cells produce antibodies to fend against the agents of disease: the viruses and virulent bacteria. Homeopathic philosophy is based on helping the body to overcome the disease by giving the sick very small doses of drugs that would stimulate the same symptoms in a healthy person if given in a large doses. In simple words, the well-established Hadith narrated on the authority of Ibn Maso'ud 'God has not inflicted a disease without prescribing a cure to it, known to whoever knows it, and unknown to whoever does not know it.' (cited by Ahmad. cf Nayl-al-Awtar, V.9, p.89) is a confirmation of the natural law of auto-resistance or self-defense. It indicates as well the necessity for discovering cures to our diseases. He said - on the authority us Usama Ibn Shuraik - when a Bedouin asked him whether he should seek treatment: 'Yes, servants of God seek treatment; God has not set a disease without setting a cure to it, known to whoever knows it and unknown to whoever does not know it ' (cited by Ibn Mujah, Tirmidhi and Abu-Dawood). And again, on the authority of Abu-Huraira, the Prophet said, 'God has not sent any disease without sending a cure to it' (cited by Ahmad, Bukhari and Ibn Majah).

From the Quranic verses and hadith that were narrated by Prophet Muhammad, we can see the power of Allah’s creation and understand the basis of relaying on Allah’s will. Most importantly, when the Lord blesses a person with being a physician, He gives them the opportunity to do His work on heart, help relieve the suffering of His people. Each and every day, physicians are given the honor and privilege to help people feel better, breathe better, feel less pain, and through the Lord’s healing power, treat and even cure disease. If smiling to one another, as the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said, is a charity, then we can understand that by helping someone’s asthma attack or helping someone overcome a cancer diagnosis or relieving the pain and suffering of someone afflicted with a terrible infection is actually a bigger charity to the Ummah. For me, as a Muslim, being a doctor goes hand in hand with my mission in life which is to help the Ummah to be better.