Fatwa ID: 06880
Answered by: Maulana Abdul Malik
Question:
My mom was diagnosed with COVID and I took her to the hospital. After that, I couldn’t go to the hospital as I tested COVID positive the next day and was afraid that I might catch more infections if I went to the hospital.
After three days my mom died.
I went to take her body but didn’t gather the courage to take her body or go near it as the nurse had told me that one must catch an infection from the body and I was afraid that my infection may get worse. So I attended the funeral from a distance and offered namaz e janaza.
Afterwards, when I recovered I felt this guilt about why I took my mom to the hospital and why I couldn’t gather courage to go near her.
In this situation, have I done anything wrong and I am the culprit of my mom’s death?
Secondly, I decided to take her to the hospital with the intent that she get treatment, where she died. Is it my fault or it was destined this way?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Islam permits seeking medical treatment for one’s sickness.
Usamah ibn Sharik narrated: I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions were sitting as if they had birds on their heads. I greeted and sat down. The desert Arabs then came from here and there. They asked: Messenger of Allah, should we make use of medical treatment? He replied: Make use of medical treatment, for Allah, has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, except one disease, namely old age. (Sunan Abu Dawood, hadith # 3855)[1]
It is advised to seek medical aid from professionals rather than attempting to treat oneself when seeking medical attention. Therefore, the correct course of action was to take your sick mother to the hospital to receive medical treatment from professionals.
Allah states in the holy Quran: “Say, “Nothing will ever befall us except what Allah has destined for us. He is our Protector.” So in Allah let the believers put their trust”. (Quran, chapter 9, verse 51)[2]
Firstly, condolences for the loss of your mother. However, you are not responsible for the death of your mother in any way. These are all misgivings and promptings from the devil. Therefore, these thoughts should be discarded to the best of one’s abilities. You should make supplication for your mother instead.
[1] عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابُهُ كَأَنَّمَا عَلَى رُءُوسِهِمُ الطَّيْرُ فَسَلَّمْتُ ثُمَّ قَعَدْتُ فَجَاءَ الأَعْرَابُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَتَدَاوَى فَقَالَ “ تَدَاوَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ لَهُ دَوَاءً غَيْرَ دَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ الْهَرَمُ ” .
[2] قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Only Allah Knows Best
Written by Maulana Abdul Malik
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
