Is It Permissible to Keep Conventional Insurance Due to Medical Hardship?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is it permissible to keep my mother’s conventional insurance, given that canceling it would leave her without coverage due to her medical history and high medical expenses?
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.
The legal ruling concerning conventional insurance is that it is generally impermissible. However, in cases where living without insurance would lead to individual hardship, it may be permissible on a case-by-case basis and depending on the specific region.
Medical Insurance
The prevailing Islamic legal view in conventional insurance is that it is impermissible due to the inclusion of interest and chance, both of which are prohibited in the Quran.
However, there are two exceptions to this rule:
- When the law requires insurance to use a specific commodity, such as a car.
- When not having insurance would result in significant hardship, such as medical insurance in America.
Some scholars suggest that the types of insurance that may be considered permissible under these two circumstances could vary depending on the region.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. Insha’Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.
Related
- Dispensing Medication for Muslims: A Guide for Pharmacists
- Islamic Guidance on Contemporary Healthcare Issues
- Is It Permitted to Take Out Optional Dental Insurance …
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? You can choose from the Islamic Studies Curriculum or the Youth Islamic Studies Curriculum and progress through each course step by step.
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received 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. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
