Fatwa ID: 08250

Answered by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Question:
Please can you advise if a Muslim female dentist is allowed to work on male patients while wearing gloves and in the presence of a female colleague (assistant)?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:
Due to the nature of this profession, which involves physical contact with non-mahrams, it is advisable to exercise caution, such as wearing gloves, as you mentioned. This is considered a valid motivation to remove hardship, allowing flexibility in such circumstances. [1]

If you can prioritize accepting more female patients, that would be preferable. However, Islam is a religion of ease [2] and does not seek to burden or inconvenience you unnecessarily.

I hope that this answers the question.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by:
Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by:
Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] وَيُلاحظ في باب الرُّخَصِ ظُهُورُ مَقْصَدِ الشَّرِيعَةِ بِرَفْعِ الْحَرَجِ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ

مذكرة – مقاصد الشريعة – الكلية، ص ١٥

[2] أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مَعْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ هَذَا الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ………..

Sunan an-Nasa’i 5034