{"_id":"66ec54a5b4b3ebc118a409c9","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"What are the guidelines for doctors/nurses when treating the opposite gender?\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"What are the guidelines for doctors/nurses when treating the opposite gender?\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Doctors/Nurses treating the opposite gender\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nAssuming ideal circumstances, the initial ruling is that women may only be treated by a female doctor or by a male doctor who is a close relative. Male doctors who are not close relatives are not permitted to look at them or to touch them, except in some specific situations.\\n\\nAmong the exceptional circumstances that allow a male doctor to treat an unrelated female patient (and, equivalently, permit the female patient to allow herself to be examined by the male doctor) are the following:\\n(1) When the male doctor-whether Muslim or non-Muslim-is more skilled at treating the case than existing female doctors and closely-related male doctors.\\n(2) When the female doctors or closely related male doctors charge more than the \\\"going rate\\\" for medical treatment, even if only slightly more.\\n(3) When the female doctors or closely related male doctors charge the \\\"going- rate\\\" or less, but there is an unrelated male doctor who charges even less. There is facilitation and ease in this position for women who go to government hospitals because of affordable treatment, even when the doctor on duty at the time happens to be a male doctor.\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"underline\":true},\"insert\":\"Western Anti-Discrimination Laws\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nIf a male Muslim doctor lives in a Western country that makes it legally binding on him to accept any patient that walks in the door, whether male or female, then if the doctor is able to find a legal exemption from this situation that will enable him to abide by the rulings outlined above, then it is obligatory on him to do so.\\n\\nIf, however, he is unable to find such an exemption, and implementing a gender-based filtration policy will result in difficulty or harm, then the opinion of our teacher Shaykh Muhammad al-Khatib is that it would be permissible for him to treat female patients because of legal necessity (darurah). This is because by performing their jobs, Muslim doctors are fulfilling a communal obligation, and for Muslims to forsake medical occupations would result in the non-fulfillment of this obligation and many vital communal interests would thereby be lost to the Muslim community.\\n\\nThis permissibility is, however, confined to the extent of its need. It is therefore obligatory for such a doctor to follow the following rulings and procedures (these guidelines are obligatory on every male doctor who treats a female patient, regardless of situation).\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9ff00b76658b4c2329a9","tag":"Contemporary Life: Jobs and Career","count":120},{"_id":"668d9ff10b76658b4c2329d2","tag":"Relationships: Opposite Gender","count":80},{"_id":"668d9fde0b76658b4c232779","tag":"Women: Modesty","count":60},{"_id":"668d9fe00b76658b4c2327b5","tag":"Men: Modesty","count":37}],"createdOn":"2024-09-19T16:43:17.205Z"}