Review of the Legal Maxims of Islamic Law on Palliative Sedation: Concerns of the Arabic Bioethicists

Abstract

The complexity of symptoms of terminally ill patients can present an unendurable experience at the end of life. One contested issue sits at the forefront of end of life care, which is the palliative sedation. 

Palliative sedation is a medical practice that is acknowledged and used as a last resort or controlling refractory symptoms. It has received considerable global attention lately, but has not been adequately addressed in Islamic literatures within the Arab world. The tension around palliative sedation is grounded in competing concerns. The first concern, alleviation of the suffering of a human being, is considered very righteous. The second concern, maintaining a level of consciousness as close to normal as possible, is of great importance to allow for the observance of the worship rites for the longest period possible before death. The third concern is the absence of Islamic rules that particularly legalize or prohibit palliative sedation. 

This study, therefore, attempts to examine the legal status of this practice and explore the Islamic rules and ethical boundaries that might govern it. In-depth qualitative studies to affirm and expound any ambiguity in the definition and the practice of palliative sedation are urgently needed.