Seeking medical treatment is prescribed in Islam

7-7-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. In the Quran and Hadith, do they encourage the Muslims to seek remedy from medicine that consists of drugs and natural herbs? I was told by a friend that seeking natural herbs is better, and he was saying that doctors (whether they are Muslims or not) do not care about their patients. They just keep prescribing drugs and the drugs do not remove the systems; rather, they do something else in the body that is not good. However, there are times where natural herbs do not work for certain circumstances, and likewise with pharmaceutical drugs.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Allah has prescribed to His servants to seek medical treatment, as in the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) "O Worshipers of Allah! Seek medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without making a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease. They asked, 'O Messenger of Allah! What is it?' He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied, 'Old age." [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i, Ibn Maajah, and Al-Haakim - Ath-Thahabi, Al-Albaani and Al-Arna’oot classified it as saheeh (sound)]

As regards whether treatment with natural herbs is better than medical drugs, then one should consult specialists in medical matters in this regard.

Allah knows best.

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