Is it permissible for her to have her private parts examined by a male doctor?
Question:
Assalaamualaikum..
Can you advise this sister? What she should do?
Question: For a muslim woman is it permissible for her to have her private parts examined by a male doctor when she is sick ( gynecological problems)?
issues to be considered: public sector health care and not all doctors available will be female, however those who can afford have the luxury of a private female doctor. I recently visited a public health facility and the male doctor asked to do an internal examination and i politely refused and asked to be transferred to a female doctor. He got angry and spoke about professionalism completely ignoring the fact that i said my husband was not with me and therefore it becomes wrong in my religion . He felt offended to make matters worse. Thank you!
Answer:
Wa Alaikumus Salaam,
The law (Islamic) is that it is not allowed for a Muslim woman to expose her private parts and other similar parts of her body to a male doctor. However, if there is no other way out, except that she visits a male doctor (like in the public health), then it will be allowed for him to view her, based on necessity.
The sister must first try her best to be seen by a female doctor. But, if this cannot happen, then she is allowed to be seen by the male doctor.
And Allah knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan
14/2/13