In Islam, there is nothing wrong with body scanning that is meant to detect the future possibility of diseases as long as it is done while applying safe precautionary measures that does not jeopardize the health of the individual. The results of body scanning, whether positive or negative, are to be concealed in order to preserve people’s public interests unless necessity dictates publicizing them.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, A Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states the following: “Body scanning and taking pictures has been proven to be very effective in detecting and diagnosing various diseases that cannot be detected or diagnosed in any other way. It has, therefore, saved so many lives of people.
In Islam, protecting life and health are of paramount importance and are given priority; therefore they are classified under the category of daruriyyat or necessities. Also, it is a well-known principle of usul-ul-fiqh or the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence that things otherwise prohibited become permissible because of dire necessities. Therefore, it has been considered permissible if medical experts have determined that the body scanning is the only way to detect or diagnose an ailment or disease.
Further, there is another important principle of Shari`ah which states that if a thing involves benefit and harm and the benefits far exceed the harm, then the thing will be considered permissible.
However, such procedure can only be resorted to strictly for medical purposes as determined and done by experts in the field. In other words, it is only permissible in exceptional cases where exceptions are granted special rulings applying to cases of dire necessity.”
Moreover, Dr. `Ali Muyy Ed-Deen Al-Qara Daaghi, head of the Department of Principles of Jurisprudence at the Faculty of Shari`ah, Qatar Univ., adds: “There is nothing wrong, as far as Islam is concerned, in conducting body scanning as long as the means that are used does not entail any harm to both human beings and the environment. It is well known that body scanning tends to eliminate the possibility of future illnesses, especially hereditary diseases. It also helps physicians to initiate protective programs that help protect man and ward off any possible health risks.
I would like here to refer to the fact that it is the duty of the state to force people to conduct body scanning if a certain disease spreads like a wild fire in a certain country or even when the people’s common weal dictates conducting that body scanning. Also, the results of that process, whether positive or negative, are not to be divulged unless the public interest dictates showing them, as Islam has laid great emphasis on keeping people’s secrets, which is one of the objectives of Shari`ah.”