medical issues

It is my brother and I intention to perform the Hajj this year in shaa Allah. My brother is a handicap, and he wears and artificial leg on his left leg and a filler on his right foot. What are the rules for him in state of Ihram, I understand that he can be on wheel chair during the tawaf and so force, but what about when he is at the hotel for example and needs to go to the bathroom, or go to eat....etc, can he wear his artificial leg, which requires him wearing socks and shoes?

Doctors may be briefed on many secrets of their patients. Such secrets may have a relation with others such as a spouse, fiancé, or the law, etc. The question arises, then, to what extent a doctor is responsible to disclose or to withhold the secrets of a patient.

My relative is a doctor and he wants to ask: if he is doing surgery can he delay breaking the fast?

Assalamu`alykum. I am a medical student. We, students of medicine, have to examine women in pregnancy, delivery and with diseases particular to women. In such cases we examine women partially dressed. Although our primary motive is learning, sometimes we get slightly aroused to the extent that sexual secretions [not semen] are released. Some people say that we Muslims have to carry out this task arguing that if we refuse to practice it, then who will do so?However, my opinion is that women should examine women and men should examine men. So what shall I do? Do I continue studying medicine and examine females? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Assalamu 'alaikum, when someone is fasting during Ramadan and they need to go to the dentist who will give them an injection which will mke the gum numb. Will this injection invalidate the fast? If so what should one do? Should they not keep it and make it up on another day?Jazakum Allahu khayranWasalaamKhaled

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Is acupuncture considered as halal (lawful) or haram (unlawful)? My wife is thinking of going through this procedure for pregnancy reasons. It has been proven, and Allah knows best, in the United Kingdom that acupuncture will help in getting pregnant. I have the documents if you would like to go through it. Please let us know the Islamic position on this subject.

Doctors may sometimes separate one of the Siamese twins in order to save the life of one of them. Such process may cause natural defects or death to one of the conjoined twins. However, if the separation process does not take place, both will die as a result. What is the Islamic legal ruling concerning the previous process?

I am wondering whether a Muslim is allowed to drink barium suspension for X-ray examination of the stomach during the month of Ramadan?

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Is rhinoplasty (plastic surgery to reshape the nose) allowed in Islam if there is a deformity that affects a person psychologically? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. It is known that there are two kinds of sex chromosomes, X and Y. A female has two X chromosomes, while a male has one X and one Y chromosome. When a sperm containing an X chromosome fertilizes an egg, the resulting offspring will be female. When a sperm containing a Y chromosome fertilizes an egg, the offspring is male.Researches have been conducted in order to discover the differences between the sperms bearing the X chromosome and those bearing the Y chromosome. It has been proved that they differ in their mass, speed, electrical effect, ability to penetrate into and cross a viscid medium, and their degree of activity according to the chemical interaction of the surrounding environment. Such differences have been used to make one of them precede the other in fertilizing the egg and thus deciding the sex of the fetus.In experiments, female animals have been artificially fertilized to produce a certain sex, male or female. This often work in animals. This has not been applied yet to humans for many reasons, the most important of which is that it is difficult to subject human beings to the conditions of the experiments performed upon animals. But it is probable that scientists will progress in that regard and allow parents to choose the sex of the child.It is currently easy to know the sex of the fetus via amniocentesis (extracting a small amount of the amniotic fluid and analyzing the fetal cells in it). Many women use amniocentesis to know the sex of their baby, and some even abort their baby if it is not the sex they want. This occurs in countries that permit abortion. I know that Islam forbids abortion unless the mother’s life is at risk. But what if the difficulties regarding controlling the sex of the fetus were overcome without abortion, which is probable? Would it be allowed to choose the sex of one’s child?In my career, I notice that many women want to limit the number of their children, but when they find that they always have girls, they increase the number of their births hoping to produce a boy. But I wonder what would happen if scientists succeeded in determining the sex of the fetus? Would parents limit the number of their children from the beginning, being able to choose the sex of the baby? Would many people seek to have boys instead of girls?I wonder also if man’s attempt to play the role of “nature” in distributing the sexes would bring about more harm than good? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Is in vitro fertilization (IVF) allowed if the ovum or semen comes from a donor other than the wife or husband? Jazakum Allah khayran.

As-salamu `alaykum. Could you please clarify the Islamic ruling regarding resorting to human milk banks for nursing babies?

I am going for fertility treatment where hormones are taken to produce a larger than normal number of eggs. Multiple pregnancies are a possible outcome of this. Is embryo reduction permissible in view of the fact that the babies stand a lesser chance of survival, the mother may be unable to cope, etc. I know for example of the case in the UK a couple of years ago where a woman produced 8 embryos, she refused to have embryo reduction and none of the embryos/babies survived. What is the Islamic ruling on this?

Dear Sheikh, As-Salam `alaykum wa Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh. I have two questions: 1. Can Muslims use animal organs/products for medicine, such as insulin made from pig tissue/medicine containing liver from cows or other organs from cows? What about medicines which contain extracts from animal hormones? 2. Can a Muslim doctor administer the above medicines to Muslims or non-Muslims?

Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. I work in the x-ray field, which includes imaging of female patients. What is the ruling on fasting for the woman who has to have such imaging done: should she break her fast and repeat it later on? Does it invalidate my ablution if I examine a woman for the purpose of imaging, noting that I wear gloves during the examination? Jazakum Allah khayran.