Is Tailbone Massage and Internal Rectal Therapy Permissible and Can I Refuse them if Alternatives Help?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
In treating tailbone pain, is it permissible for another person to massage the affected area if one can also treat it oneself?
Additionally, is internal rectal examination or therapy permissible for medical treatment, and may one decline such treatments if alternative methods provide relief?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It is permissible to allow a doctor to treat the area, as this may be the most effective way to treat the condition.
An internal rectal examination through the back passage involves direct contact with the awra. Such a type of medical treatment is permissible when there is a genuine medical need, such as diagnosing or treating conditions affecting the rectum, prostate, pelvic floor, or tailbone.
The following conditions should be followed:
Prefer a same-gender doctor. Exposure should be limited to the minimum necessary. Necessity permits what would normally be prohibited, but only to the extent required. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
And Allah knows best.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Related
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Currently, he resides in the UK with his wife and enjoys reading and gardening.
