Mohammad Ehsan Ahmad, Final-year student, Jamia Ahmadiyya UK
The right to die of one’s own volition has emerged as one of Britain’s most profound moral debates, as Labour MP Kim Leadbeater prepares to introduce an assisted dying bill to Parliament for deliberation and parliamentary voting on 29 November. At its heart lies a deeply complex question: Should terminally ill patients, facing their final 6-12 months of life, have the legal right to choose when and how they die?
The British public appears to have made up its mind, with 73% of Britons supporting doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. (www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/liz-carr-film-assisted-dying)
Yet beneath these numbers lies an array of concerns, some of which have been raised by actress and disability rights activist Liz Carr. She argues that society applies a troubling double standard: “If a non-disabled person wants to commit assisted suicide, it’s seen as a tragedy … if a disabled person does, it’s a release.” (www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/better-off-dead-liz-carr-assisted-dying-b2542849.html)
Studies have raised crucial concerns about the psychological state of those seeking assisted death. Research presented at the International Psycho-Oncology Society revealed a troubling correlation. Many terminally ill patients requesting euthanasia struggled with major depression. (“Desire for death in the terminally ill”, American Journal of Psychiatry; “Desire for death in cancer patients – an Indian Study”, Presented at the International Congress of the International Psycho Oncology Society, Copenhagen 2004)
This pattern extends beyond terminal illness as studies have documented suicide attempts across a spectrum of mental health conditions, from depression and schizophrenia to substance abuse and obsessive-compulsive disorder. (“Long term suicide risk of depression in the Lundby cohort 1947-1997-severity and gender”, Acta Psychiatr Scand [2008]; “Suicide and schizophrenia”, Psychiatry [2005]; “A prospective investigation of suicide ideation, attempts, and use of mental health service among adolescents in substance abuse treatment”, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors [2008])
This begs the question: Should personal suffering, whether physical or psychological, justify the choice to end one’s life?
The Islamic perspective offers a profound counterpoint to this dilemma. In Islam, life itself is viewed as a divine gift, not merely in times of joy, but perhaps most significantly during periods of hardship. (The Holy Quran, Ch.2: V.157; Ch.6: V.163; Ch.17: V.34; Ch.25: V.69)
This view reframes “suffering” not as meaningless torment, but as a temporary test of faith and resilience, as stated in the Holy Quran “with hardship comes ease”, providing a powerful source of purpose by suggesting that our steadfastness in the face of adversity holds deeper meaning in the broader context of this life and the hereafter.
As regards this question, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IVrh, said:
“According to the Holy Quran, life is not our possession. We do not own life. And the sanctity of life is so important that temporary suffering must not be permitted to interfere with the inviolable principle of sanctity of life. So, once you begin to give right to people to take either their own life with the excuse that they are suffering or to take somebody else’s life because that person is suffering [by saying], ‘Alright, you can take my life’ […] there will be no end to it.
“It doesn’t seem to have any solution because people’s threshold of suffering, or tolerance of suffering, changes. Some people, at the slightest pain, kick up a shindy about it and raise the roof, while some suffer so patiently to such a degree that it’s unbelievable. How can you project yourself into the mind of a person and judge really this has gone beyond the normal level of suffering?
“Sometimes suffering is not meant to be pain. A mother suffers for the suffering of the [unwell] child. A son suffers for the suffering of his [poorly] mother, or a daughter for the suffering of his [frail] father.” (Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh, Question & answer session, 21 January 1996)
However, one may argue the bill’s restrictions are unfair, limiting it to those with 6-12 months to live, seeing this as the level when one can judge the suffering as “beyond the normal level of suffering”.
Islam teaches us to put our trust in God at all times, even when all seems to be lost.
We learn a valuable lesson when, while fighting on the Muslim side, a brave warrior put himself in harm’s way and valiantly fought the enemy. Such was his gallantry that onlookers were left stunned. But as he stumbled to the ground, a result of the heavy injuries he incurred, he pulled out some arrows from his quiver and stabbed himself to death. The Prophetsa disapproved of this act. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Janai‘iz, Hadith 4203)
The Prophet’s disapproval shows that even when the inevitable seems to be happening, one should have complete trust in Allah. And what is complete trust? To accept that we surely belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return when He sees fit.
When trapped with Abu Bakrra in the Cave of Thaur as the enemy closed in, when their capture and eventual end seemed inevitable, Prophet Muhammadsa demonstrated unwavering trust in Allah, saying “Be not concerned; surely, Allah is with us”. (Surah at-Taubah, Ch.9: V.40)
When the Prophetsa was violently chased out by the people of Taif, soaked in his own blood, he remained hopeful that if not them, their very own progeny would accept his message.
The Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas was reminded of this lesson of putting complete trust in Allah and allowing Him to take control of a dire situation when, at the death of his father, Allah told him, “Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?”
Legalising assisted dying could severely undermine palliative care development. As Liz Carr notes, “I know so many people who are suffering – not because of their condition, but because they need more than a 15-minute visit from a care worker.” (www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/14/liz-carr-acting-friendship-campaign-against-assisted-dying)
Rather than offering a compassionate solution, assisted dying legislation might represent an abandonment of society’s responsibility to care for its most vulnerable members who may not necessarily opt for assisted dying. And so patients who don’t opt for this may either be neglected or seen as a burden on society, all of which would be entirely untrue and they would still be deserving of utmost care.
Islam teaches us to desire for others what we desire for ourselves. We must therefore ask ourselves: in our moments of deep suffering, would we want support and care, or would we want those around us to entirely give up hope?