Ruling on working as a paramedic in non-Muslim countries and practicing freestyle wrestling
Fatwa No: 261058

Question

Are males allowed to be a paramedic in Canada? Is it allowed for us to join professional wrestling like the WWE if we don't show our awrah and not wear tight clothing

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

It is permissible for a Muslim man to work as a paramedic in a Muslim or non-Muslim country, since it is permissible for a Muslim to offer medical treatment for a non-belligerent disbeliever just like it is permissible to offer medical treatment to a Muslim patient.

However, a Muslim paramedic should be cautious and mindful (of Allaah) while treating the patients; he should not unnecessarily disclose a patient’s ‘Awrah (body parts that should be covered as per the Sharee‘ah) or stay in seclusion with a female patient to the best of his ability. He should also not treat female patients as long as female paramedics are available. He should be conscious of Allaah all the time and know that Allaah is watching him and knows what is apparent and what is hidden.

As for practicing freestyle wrestling, if it does not involve religious violations such as incurring harm on oneself, missing prayers, impermissible exposure of the ‘Awrah, and is practiced for the purpose of improving physical strength and self-defense, it is permissible. However, if practicing it involves religious violations, it is prohibited.

Al-Fiqh Al-Islaami wa Adillatuh (by Prof Dr. Wahbah Az-Zuhayli) reads, “Provoking fights between animals such as roosters, rams, bulls, and others until they kill or injure each other as well as practicing freestyle wrestling, boxing, and similar combat sports are impermissible because of the physical harm they cause to the human or animal's life. However, if there is no harm incurred to either side engaged in boxing or wrestling, then they are permissible. Similarly, they are permissible as a means of training to improve physical strength in combat and self-defense. It has been reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wrestled with Rukaanah and defeated him.”

Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz reads, “There is no harm in practicing freestyle wrestling that is free of danger or harm (incurred on both sides) and does not involve exposure of ‘Awrah. It has been reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wrestled with Rukaanah and defeated him. Moreover, the basic principle is that things are lawful unless proven otherwise based on evidence in the divine Law. The Islamic Fiqh Academy, an affiliate of the Muslim World League, has issued a decree prohibiting boxing and bullfighting for the aforementioned reasons.”

Then, he cited the resolution in full; the following is a part of the decree, “As for freestyle wrestling in which wrestlers consider it lawful to hurt one another and cause mutual injury, the council views that it completely resembles boxing even if there are slight differences between them, because the legal physical reasons for the prohibition of boxing exist in freestyle wrestling that assumes the nature of fighting. Thus, it takes the same ruling of prohibition. Regarding other types of wrestling practiced for physical exercise without causing any injury, they are legally permissible and the council decides that there is nothing in Shaee‘ah to forbid them.”

Allaah Knows best.

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