Description
The end-of-life is a significant time which requires difficult decisions to be made. Medicine and technology are more advanced than they were previously and life can be sustained beyond what was ‘naturally’ possible many years ago. For those with religious beliefs and values, it is important for the period surrounding the end-of-life and death to be in accordance with them.
Islam is the second largest religion in the UK, and as a practicing Muslim, it plays an integral part of my daily life. One of the current challenges pertaining to end-of-life considerations is the fact that end-of-life decision-making is restricted by English laws that may or may not align with certain Islamic beliefs and values. When Covid-19 struck, a surge in cases requiring medical treatment and treatment decisions brought to the forefront the fact that there were questions amongst society, and especially within the Muslim community, of what is permitted at the end-of-life. My research investigates the extent to which the Islamic principles and rulings on the definition of death, the refusal of consent to treatment, the withdrawal of treatment, and assisted dying under English law, align with Islam.
My research reveals how there is a lack of clear Islamic rulings concerning particular end-of-life decisions/situations in the UK. Global rulings are drawn upon to fill the gap and recommendations are made in an attempt to reduce conflict in terms of end-of-life decision-making and to ensure that there is more compatibility and respect towards religious beliefs and values. The goal of this research is to demonstrate how similar Islam and English law actually are - something I did not expect or realise until I conducted this research - and steps required to work towards ensuring that the end-of-life is less stressful and more peaceful for Muslims in the UK.
