Females visiting male doctors
Question:-
A 21 year-old unmarried male is studying sport science and has started doing sports massage for males.
He was enquiring about males massaging females, citing the fact that it’s a sports massage carried out for medical reasons. He states that gynecologists, physiotherapists etc. touch Ghair Mahram woman due to medical reasons in their professions, hence, this is not a sensual massage, but a firm, deep-tissue sports massage.
Is his reasoning correct, and is he allowed to massage Ghair Mahram females with the intention of health reasons?
He cites that there is the aspect of Fatwa, and of Taqwa, in this instance. Is this correct?
Answer:-
Allah Ta’ala has blessed us with a complete and perfect Deen which promotes unwavering adherence to the commandments of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. By following the teachings of Deen, one will attain success in this world and the hereafter, whereas contradicting the teachings of Deen in any way, will lead to destruction in both Dunya and Aakhirah. One of the final verses of the Quran Sharif to be revealed unto Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Deen for you.” (5:3)
Allah Ta’ala states in another verse,
اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ
“(O humankind!) Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord” (7:3)
By following the teachings of Rasullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, we are actually obeying the commands of Allah Ta’ala, as understood from the following verse of the Quraan Sharif:
مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has surely obeyed Allah” (4:80)
Now coming to your query, the Shariah prohibits us not only from engaging in the disobedience of Allah Ta’ala, but also from all those things that will ultimately lead to the disobedience of Allah Ta’ala. Adultery and fornication have been declared as Haraam because this is such an evil act, that it will destroy the very foundation and structure of society. However, the Quraan Sharif doesn’t only state that adultery is evil and prohibited, rather, the Quraan Sharif prohibits us from going close to those actions that would ultimately lead to fornication, such as glancing at strange women, talking unnecessarily, and chatting with strange women or intermingling with strange women, etc. Allah Ta’ala states:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا
“And do not even go close to fornication. It is indeed a shameful act and an evil way to follow”. (17:32)
Hence, the jurists have written that a female requiring medical treatment should not visit a male physician or doctor, if there are female doctors available to treat her. Yes, if a female doctor is not available to treat her, then she may visit a male doctor based on necessity. It is then the duty of the male doctor to keep his gaze lowered, and furthermore, only examine the area that requires treatment. He is not permitted to expose her body more than necessity; in other words, he should only examine the area that requires treatment.
However, we are fortunate in our country with female doctors being easily available. We have many female gynaecologists, general practitioners, opticians, physiotherapists, dentists, etc. A Muslim male doctor should refer females to them, and he should attend to the male patients. Yes, if females are not available to attend to female patients or are unable to provide satisfactory treatment for whatever reason, then a male doctor may attend to them, with the proviso that he controls his gazes and only examines those parts of the body that require treatment. The same ruling will be applicable to the future doctor (in our query) that intends offering massages to his patients as a medical treatment. We should keep in mind that the practice of others cannot be used as a proof in Shariah, hence, the future doctor cannot use the practice of other doctors to legitimize his actions. Our practices should be sanctioned by the proofs of Shariah. We hope that our ruling mentioned above has clarified the matter. [[i]].
سوال: کیا غیر مسلم عورت مسلمان عورت کو مالش اور مساج (massage) کر سکتی ہے یا نہیں؟ جب کہ اس میں کشف عورت ہوتا ہے ۔ اور یہ مالش کسی خاص بیماری کا علاج ہے جس میں غیر مسلم عورت ماہر ہے۔ بینوا توجروا۔
الجواب: بصورت مسئولہ علاج و معالجات میں ایک قسم کی ضرورت ہے اور ماہر طبیب سے علاج حاصل کرنے میں کوئی حرج نہیں ، لہذا غیر مسلم عورت سے مالش کرانے اور علاج حاصل کرنے میں چنداں حرج نہیں بلکہ جائز اور درست ہے۔ ہاں عورت کے ہوتے ہوئے مرد ڈاکٹر سے علاج کرانا درست نہیں۔ فقہاء فرماتے ہیں کہ نظر انکس الی الجنس اخف ہے۔ ملاحظہ ہوا بحر الرائق میں ہے[i] فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا (7/220)
وَالطَّبِيبُ إنَّمَا يَجُوزُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ إذَا لَمْ يُوجَدْ امْرَأَةٌ طَبِيبَةٌ فَلَوْ وُجِدَتْ فَلَا يَجُوزُ لَهُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ لِأَنَّ نَظَرَ الْجِنْسِ إلَى الْجِنْسِ أَخَفُّ وَيَنْبَغِي لِلطَّبِيبِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَ امْرَأَةً إنْ أَمْكَنَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنْ سَتَرَ كُلَّ عُضْوٍ مِنْهَا سِوَى مَوْضِعِ الْوَجَعِ ثُمَّ يَنْظُرُ وَيَغُضُّ بِبَصَرِهِ عَنْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ إنْ اسْتَطَاعَ لِأَنَّ مَا ثَبَتَ لِلضَّرُورَةِ يَتَقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِهَا (البحر الرائق ص218 ج8)
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:-
Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak
Date:- 16 Shawwal 1444 / 07 May 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai