From an Islamic perspective, healthcare is discussed as a universal right for all human being. Numerous codes are cited from Quran and Hadith (words of the Prophet and Imams) to further clarify the subjects. Very lucid classifications are presented in each section to correlate the main course of discussions with modern healthcare basics.

1. Health as a
Human Right in
Islam
Farhad Zargari, MD, PhD

2. Contents
 1. Introduction
 2. Protection of the Human Body
 3. Importance of Health in Islam
 4. Health Factors
 5. The Right to Health
 5.1- Responsibility for Oneself
 5.2- Responsibility of Society
 5.3- Responsibility of State
 6. References
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3. 1. Introduction
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4. Comprehensive View
 Islam is a Deen (Religion). It is a way of life which
encompasses all aspects of human life. With regard to
health and welfare the Islamic teachings pay due attention
to physical as well as spiritual and mental health.
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5. Comprehensive View
 In Islam the concept of health as demonstrated in Quran
and Sunnah (Prophet’s and Imams’ hadith and practices) is
that mankind should be sound mentally, physically and
socially.
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6. Comprehensive View
 Medicine and health are part and parcel of worship and
subservience to Allah. A weak person may not perform his
duties towards Allah, his family and community as the
strong healthy one can do. So health and wellness in the
eyes of Islam has an important standing encompassing
both physical as well as spiritual dimensions.
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7. Great Responsibility
 In the Islamic teachings, our body and our health are
considered as important gifts of the Almighty God (Allah),
therefore there is a great responsibility for every body to
safeguard its health.
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8. Human Right
 The right to life is, from the Islamic point of view, the
second most important human right. Nothing takes greater
importance except the right to freedom.
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9. All Mankind
 In the Holy Quran God has decreed to the mankind that if
anyone slays a human being, for anything other than in
punishment of murder or for spreading corruption on
earth, it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; and
that if anyone saves a human life, it shall be as though he
had saved all mankind.(5:32)
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10. Good Health
 Hence, when we talk of the right to life as a basic human
right, we simply mean the right to preserve life, literally and
morally. This right is not completely assured unless man is
able to enjoy good health and live in a healthy
environment. So both the right to life and the right to
health are fundamental and integral parts of the human
rights.
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11. 2. Protection of the
Human Body
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12. Protection of the Human Body
 In line with this we read a remarkable statement by the
Prophet Muhammad(PBUH), the like of which we cannot
find in the statements of any human being.
 In a highly authentic saying (hadith), the Prophet is quoted
as saying: “Your body has a right over you”.
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Your body has a
right over you
The Prophet (PBUH):

13. Protection of the Human Body
 The human body may rightfully claim from its owner
 to be fed when hungry,
 rested when tired,
 cleaned when it gets dirty,
 protected against harm and disease,
 treated when suffering an illness,
 and not overburdened.
 This is a rightful claim which imposes a duty on everyone of
us. It must never be neglected or made subordinate to
other rights and claims.
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14. Protection of the Human Body
 Fourteen centuries after Islam established the rights of
man, elite of different nations managed to issue the
international declaration of human rights. Nevertheless,
they have not yet arrived at the point where they recognize
the rights of the human body.
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15. Protection of the Human Body
 It is indeed true that our bodies have a rightful claim
against us. This right requires each one of us to
 feed the body when it is hungry,
 rest it when tired,
 clean it when it gets dirty,
 protect it against all harm,
 take precautions against subjecting it to illness,
 provide it with the necessary treatment when it suffers from
disease,
 and not to overburden or overload it in any way.
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16. Protection of the Human Body
 All these represent, from the Islamic standpoint, a right
which must never be overlooked or neglected in preference
to other rights, including God’s own rights over us.
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17. Protection of the Human Body
 When we speak of health, we do not restrict ourselves to
medicine as it is sometimes understood nowadays,
meaning curative medicine. Doctors and health experts
today are talking about “Comprehensive Healthcare” which
encompasses all three areas of prevention, therapeutics,
and rehabilitation.
 preservation of the health of those who are healthy,
 and restoration of health to the sick through medication,
surgical interventions and rehabilitation.
 A number of hadith (Sayings) have come down to us from
the Prophet (PBUH) prescribing preventively or curatively
certain medicines and procedures for certain diseases.
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18. Protection of the Human Body
 What is important in this aspect of medicine, which is the
curative aspect, is that the Prophet (PBUH) approved the
principle of medical treatment and encouraged us to seek
it, in contrast to other schools of thought at the time which
believed in metaphysical and mysterious roots for diseases.
In an authentic hadith, he is quoted as saying:
 "Seek medical treatment".
 In another version of this hadith, he says: "Yes, servants of
God! Seek medical treatment".
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19. Protection of the Human Body
 He raised the hopes of patients, making clear that all
diseases may be cured.
 In an authentic hadith', he says: "God has not created a
disease without creating a cure for it".
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20. Protection of the Human Body
 Also important in relation to curative medicine is the fact
that the Prophet (PBUH) placed the whole issue of the
treatment of illnesses in its proper perspective. He was
once asked : "Do our supplication, medication and methods
of prevention prevent anything that God has willed?"
 He replied: "These (supplication, medication and methods
of prevention) are also part of God's will".
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21. Protection of the Human Body
 It is evident that Islam leaves no room for fatalism, even
though it may be mistaken for reliance on God. Although
disease occurs by the laws of nature that God has
implemented, every Muslim is commanded to try to protect
himself against it utilizing methods of prevention and ways
of treatment which also work by God's will. In that, as
always, they should place their trust in God.
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22. Protection of the Human Body
 A similarly important point in relation to curative medicine
is that the Prophet (PBUH) opposed so-called faith-healing.
He approved medicine that relies on study and
experimentation, seeking to relate causes to effects. He
spoke against the practices of the pagan Arabs who
discarded evident causes and laws of nature in preference
for mysterious causes and powers, such as charms,
talismans, incomprehensible jabbering and tricks practiced
by sorcerers and quacks.
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