The Ruling on Treating Oneself With the Unlawful

Question :

I am a doctor and my job requires me to treat people sometimes with narcotics, such as morphine, cocaine and Valium; what is the Islamic ruling on this?

Answer:

It is not permissible to treat illness with the unlawful, due to the confirmation of the legal evidences which prove that they are forbidden, such as the Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan, on the authority of Abu Al-Ward, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Messenger of Allah said:
"Verily, Allah, Most High has sent down the disease and the cure. And He has made a cure for every disease. So use the cure and do not treat yourselves with that which is forbidden."

In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari mentioned that Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Allah has not made your cure in that which He has forbidden to you."

In Al-Musnad, it is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him: "The Messenger of Allah forbade treating oneself with Al-Khabith." In Sahih Muslim, it is reported on the authority of Tariq bin Suwaid Al-Hadhrami - or Suwaid bin Tariq that he asked the Prophet about Khamr used as a medicine and he said:
"It is a disease and not a medicine."

In Sahih Muslim, it is reported that Tariq bin Suwaid Al- Hadhrami, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I said: "O Messenger of Allah! In our land there are herbs which we ferment and then drink." He said: "No." Then I went back to him saying: "We treat the sick with it." He said:
"It is not a cure, it is only a disease."

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