EUTHANASIA AND ISLAMIC RULINGS PERTINENT TO MAINTAINING AND REMOVING ARTIFICIAL LIFE SUPPORT DEVICES

Abstract

This paper is intended to elaborate on the legal ruling of removing life support from a brain-dead person. Brain death means the permanent absence of brainstem and cerebral functions, not only the death of the brain cortex. Life support devices restore the functions of the heart and respiratory system, which sometimes result in the full recovery of consciousness of the patient and all of his basic functions. It is possible for the patient to restore normal breathing and leave the hospital in a full healthy state. On this basis, it is not permissible for a doctor to remove these devices before the brainstem dies, otherwise this would cause a real and irreversible death of the patient. In this case, the doctor bears full civil and criminal responsibility. The doctor is held accountable if he refrains from providing assistance to this patient who is legally and medically alive. It is permissible to remove artificial life devices once the death of the brain is ascertained in the light of the above-mentioned diagnoses. Then, the patient will be transferred to another room, but his death is announced only after the heart stops functioning. It is from this moment that the rulings of death are applied. The responsibility of removing these devices and declaring death is the work of a specialized medical committee that approves the diagnosis and issues a burial permit.