Muslim Women and Male Doctors

Physician and Islamic Propriety

The free, unrestrained, and erotic routine medical examination by male doctors of female “patients” is a practice contrary to the teachings and spirit of the Shariah. Like Islam places restrictions on male/female relationships in other spheres of life, so does it in the medical field. The doctor by virtue of his qualification as a medical practitioner is not exempted from the Islamic restrictions of Hijaab. In Islam, medicine is not a license to ignore the Purdah restrictions.

Muslim doctors have to bear in mind that their first allegiance is  unto Allah Ta’ala and His Divine Shariah and not to “medicine” and the “medical” ways and customs of the Kuffaar. The tenets of the “Hippocratic oath” – whatever the oath enshrines – has no preference and importance whatever if these are in contradiction of Islam.

According to the Shariah the male doctor is not at liberty to view unnecessarily  any part of the female body. The Shariah emphasizes that wherever possible women patients should seek women doctors. In the absence of a female doctor then only should a woman report to a male doctor for treatment.

NO FACET

The Muslim physician when examining females should not adopt the ways and mannerisms of non-Muslim doctors, but should fear Allah Ta’ala, observe propriety and proceed with his examination endeavouring to observe the Islamic Hijaab restrictions to the very best of his ability. The shariah has left no facet of our life undefined. Rules have been prescribed by the Shariah for physicians when attending to female patients. The great Islamic Book of Law, Hidayaah, states:

“It is permissible for the physician to look at the affected part (of the female body) because of necessity. It is preferable that he administer the treatment of the female (patient) through the service of woman. If this (the obtainal of the services of a lady) is not available then it (is incumbent) that the entire body (of the female patient) be covered and that only the affected part be exposed. He may then (i.e. after covering the entire body of the female patient) look (at the exposed part) inhibiting his gaze to the best of his ability”.

In short, only that extent of the body is to be exposed which is absolutely  necessary.

EROTIC CONTACT

The shariah  is well aware of the sexual misdemeanours which could result from the uninhibited examination of female by male physicians, hence the restrictions. Doctors too are aware of this fact – “erotic contact” with patients – which has been well-established by surveys conducted by doctors themselves. One such survey revealed that 13 percent of 460 doctors who participated in a confidential survey confessed “erotic contact” with patients . What is “erotic contact”? According to Professor Sheldon Kardner and Dr. Ivan Mensch who organized the survey of the medical doctors’ erotic antics – “erotic contact” with patients “meant everything from kissing to canoodling to sexual intercourse”. This study was done at the University of California, Los Angeles.

REPORT

A report on the erotical behavior of the medical practitioners, which appeared in the “Sunday Times”, goes a long way to prove that the observance of the Shariah rules of Hijaab by both Muslim doctor and patient is of vital importance. Muslim women should fear Allah Ta’ala in this regard and visiting a male doctor should be the last – very last – resort.

A word of soothing and healing Islamic advice (in which there is “Shifa”) for Muslim ladies: if you observe the Divine Purdah restrictions rigidly eliminating the visiting to doctors for every minor illness, Allah Ta’ala will preserve you and cure you of the ailments which befall those who  are reckless in discarding the Shariah Laws of Purdah. Allah Ta’ala is “Shaafiyul Mardh” – the Curer of illness.