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Fatwa CenterSeeking treatment from a non-Muslim doctor
Question
assalam wa alykum i know a muslim who say that he will die but will not go to a non-muslim doctor and asks a question how can u believe a doctor who does not believe in Allah. is this correct?
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 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is permissible for a Muslim to seek treatment from non-Muslims even if Muslims are available, but in principle, if a Muslim needs any help –among which is seeking treatment – he should look for a Muslim. Therefore, one should not leave a Muslim doctor and go to a non-Muslim doctor, but if there is no Muslim doctor, or that there is one but there is a non-Muslim doctor who is more proficient than him, then it is permissible to go to the non-Muslim.
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas 
said: “Once I was sick and the Prophet came to visit me, so he put his hand between my nipples until I felt its coolness at my heart and he said: “You are a man suffering from heart sickness, so go to Al-Haarith ibn Kaladah, brother of Thaqeef, as he is a man who gives medical treatment.” [Abu Daawood]
Ibn Abu Haatem and Ibn Hajar 
stated that Haarith ibn Kaladah was not a Muslim [it was said that he was a Muslim but this is not correct].
Furthermore, it is not correct to say that all non-Muslims are not trustworthy because the Prophet hired ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Urayqit as a guide [and he was a non-Muslim] in the most important matter which was his migration (from Makkah to Madeenah) at a time when Quraysh wanted the Prophet dead or alive, and wanted to give a reward of 100 camels to whoever brings him.
The scholars differed about the ruling on seeking treatment in general and in our view in Islamweb it is permissible to seek treatment and this is the view of the majority of the scholars . Moreover, if a patient or a doctor predominantly thinks that not seeking treatment may lead to death, then in this case, in our view, it is an obligation to seek treatment because Allaah forbade killing oneself, and not seeking treatment in this case leads to killing oneself. Allaah Says (what means): {And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you.}[Quran 4:29] Allaah has also forbidden us from causing destruction of our own selves as He Says (what means): {...and do not throw yourselves into destruction.}[Quran 2:195] For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 89830.
Allaah Knows best.
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