Euthanasia, or "mercy killing" as it is known, is the act of "painlessly" putting to death a person suffering from an incurable and painful disease or condition. Many views are held in favour of Euthanasia and many in opposition to it.

Those in favour of Euthanasia argue that if the patient wishes to be released from suffering, he or she should not be denied it. This argument is tantamount to a plea for the legalisation of suicide. We know that a high proportion of suicides are actually people who are "calling for help" and who do not really intend to kill themselves, but go too far. A person's request for Euthanasia might easily be due to temporary despair and doom. The risk of irreversible error would therefore be even greater.

Today, medical science is in a state of continual change and progress, therefore it is extremely difficult for doctors to draw up a list of diseases which are invariably fatal. Due to the advances in medicines a number of cancer sufferers, until recently doomed, can now be cured. People suffering from heart conditions may now live long useful lives.

Even though a patient is aware of his condition and deliberately asks for Euthanasia, it would further be an act of utter cruelty to let a patient know that his life has to be terminated.

While it is a highly qualified medical doctor that normally requests that the patient's life be terminated, doctors do not correctly estimate a patient's power of recovering from the illness. Doctors should not be burdened with the responsibility of making, in effect, a decision to murder.

This immense responsibility, of being the final decision maker of cutting short the patient's life, should not also be given to relatives or those with ties of affection. Those relatives who have no integrity and moral standards will make decisions with their own motives in mind.

Euthanasia is actually the cheapening the respect of human life. Legalising Euthanasia is opening the door to suicide and murder.

The Islamic religion places a high value on human life. Under these circumstances, even due to strict medical grounds involving Euthanasia patients, the Islamic faith does not sanction the killing of a human being, whether or not this has been the request of the patient, the doctor, or relatives.

As far as the human body is concerned, light fever, a cold, headache and light sickness is not a curse but a blessing. In fact, its absence is misfortune. If the Awliya do not experience misfortune or sickness in a period of 40 days then they revert to repentance and deep meditation fearing that they have been discarded by Allah. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Allah bestows misfortune and sickness upon those whom he loves" and "No Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or some other inconveniences, but that Allah will remove his sins for him as a tree sheds its leaves".