Question: I am an Egyptian youth and I work as a paramedic or nurse. This is what I hope to ask about: the nature of my work forces me to look at women and deal with them sometimes and uncover them during first-aid or nursing and this is part of the question. The second part: I am from Alexandria and in the summer I work at the shores of the ocean in the field of first aid, like in the situations of drowning, wounds, and what resembles that from emergencies. And you should know that there are at the ocean naked women who do not fear Allah and likewise men. I lower my gaze to the best of my ability, however, they come to me even to the place of my work. So what do you advise me with and what do I do? Should I leave my profession which I do not know anything besides it or what do I do? Direct me to that which is correct.
Answer: “It is obligatory on the Muslim to fear Allah, the Exalted and lower his gaze and preserve his private parts and avoid every means which calls to fitnah and drawing near to evil. Allah, the Exalted said:
وَلاَ تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلا
And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allah forgives him).
[17:32]
And this is a prohibition on doing Fahishah and from every means which leads to it. And more severe than that, is looking at women, specifically those who are unveiled and naked. It is not allowed for a woman to be treated by a male doctor and a male to be treated by a female doctor except in dire necessity where there is no female doctor nor a doctor for a male. So that which we advise you with is to be far away from the places of fitnah and seek provisions in other than this profession. Allah, the Exalted said:
مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا (2)وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ
And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine
[65:2-3]
If a necessity calls for you to treat women, then do that according to the restricted boundaries and without being alone with the woman. And let the looking be restricted to the place of treatment and in accordance to the need. And he should not uncover the woman’s body except the place of treatment.
With Allah is Tawfeeq
And May Blessings and Peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and Companions.
Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and verdicts
Chairman:
Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz
Members:
Abdullah ibn Abdurahman al-Ghudyaan
Salih al-Fawzan
Abdul-Aziz Ala Shaikh
Bakr Abu Zaid
[https://goo.gl/6MOIbL]
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
