Islam perspective on UK assisted dying debate.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition focuses on secular perspectives concerning euthanasia and assisted suicide but the following article explains the Islamic perspective. There are more than 4 million Islamic adherents living in the UK.

Yusuf Patel published an article for Islam21c.com titled: Our duty to oppose the inhumane euthanasia bill. Patel explains what the assisted dying bill is and why Islam opposes assisted dying:

All life has inherent sanctity and value

This is a key point; Allah (subḥānahu wa ta’āla) says,

“Thus, We decreed upon the children of Israel that whoever kills a soul — unless as legal punishment for murder or for corruption in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one soul, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (al-Qur’ān, 5:32)

Ibn Kathīr comments on the above:

“The verse means that whoever kills a soul without a just cause such as legal punishment for murder or for causing corruption on Earth, then it will be as if he has killed all people because there is no difference between one life and another.” (Link)

Allah also states,

“We have certainly dignified the children of Ādam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created with definite preference.” (al-Qur’ān, 17:70)

Patel then provides information on how the Canadian law expanded.

Patel then instructs Islamic adherents to do the following:

What you need to do?

Write to your MP in advance of the second reading and urge him/her to vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at the second reading on 29th November.

We are not providing a template letter because a short email — even a few lines that speak from your heart — is far more effective than a templated approach received a number of times.

If Members of the UK parliament are contacted from people of all faith groups and no faith to express their opposition to assisted dying, then the assisted dying bill may die a natural death on November 29.