Fatwa ID: 03031
Answered by: Aalimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
Salam, I was wondering if you could tell me what the correct thing to do is in the following situation:
A friend of mine is considering to pursue a career as a chiropractor but he's concerned whether a job that entails illicit physical contact with the opposite gender is permissible in Islam.
Can the respected ulema and brothers please clarify so InshĀllāh he can make the right decision.
Answer:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh
Generally, it is completely forbidden for a man to touch a strange woman, anywhere on the body. This is even if he does not fear developing desires for her.[[1]]
There are some exceptions to this rule such as, it is permissible for a medical doctor to touch a strange woman’s body as long as he is touching the area that needs treatment.[[2]]
However, even in such cases, the concession can be used in times of necessity. When there are alternatives available, such as the presence of the same-gender doctor, who can perform the medical procedure as well as the opposite-gender doctor, then one much not make contact with an opposite-gender.[[3]]
Chiropractic is a field of study that deals with treating mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system. This mostly entails the consistent touching of the body of one’s patients.
Considering that your friend has yet commenced pursuing such a career, it would be best to avoid this field. There are many other practitioners that are offering this service so there is no dire need for him to also offer this. Also, there are many other fields of study that he has the option of pursuing.
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best
Written by Aalimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Dārul Iftā Birmingham
[1] Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah 5/381, Al-Maktabah al-Faisal
وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَمَسَّ وَجْهَهَا، وَلَا كَفَّهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ يَأْمَنُ الشَّهْوَةَ
Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah 5/380, Al-Maktabah al-Faisal
وَمَا حَلَّ النَّظَرُ إلَيْهِ حَلَّمَسُّهُ وَنَظَرُهُ وَغَمْزُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَائِلٍ …وَكَذَلِكَ الْمَسُّ إنَّمَا يُبَاحُ لَهُ إذَا أَمِنَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَعَلَيْهَا الشَّهْوَةَ، وَأَمَّا إذَا خَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَوْ عَلَيْهَا الشَّهْوَةَ فَلَا يَحِلُّ الْمَسُّ لَهُ
[2] Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah 5/382, Al-Maktabah al-Faisal
وَيَجُوزُ النَّظَرُ إلَى الْفَرْجِ لِلْخَاتِنِ وَلِلْقَابِلَةِ وَلِلطَّبِيبِ عِنْدَ الْمُعَالَجَةِ وَيَغُضُّ بَصَرَهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ، كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ.
[3] Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah 5/382, Al-Maktabah al-Faisal
امْرَأَةٌ أَصَابَتْهَا قُرْحَةٌ فِي مَوْضِعٍ لَا يَحِلُّ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إلَيْهِ لَا يَحِلُّ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إلَيْهَا لَكِنْ تُعْلِمُ امْرَأَةً تُدَاوِيهَا، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدُوا امْرَأَةً تُدَاوِيهَا، وَلَا امْرَأَةً تَتَعَلَّمُ ذَلِكَ إذَا عُلِّمَتْ وَخِيفَ عَلَيْهَا الْبَلَاءُ أَوْ الْوَجَعُ أَوْ الْهَلَاكُ، فَإِنَّهُ يُسْتَرُ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ إلَّا مَوْضِعَ تِلْكَ الْقُرْحَةِ، ثُمَّ يُدَاوِيهَا الرَّجُلُ وَيَغُضُّ بَصَرَهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ إلَّا عَنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ، وَلَا فَرْقَ فِي هَذَا بَيْنَ ذَوَاتِ الْمَحَارِمِ وَغَيْرِهِنَّ؛ لِأَنَّ النَّظَرَ إلَى الْعَوْرَةِ لَا يَحِلُّ بِسَبَبِ الْمَحْرَمِيَّةِ، كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ.
