Is medical aid and hospital plan permissible?

Published as Medical Aid, Hospital Plan and Insurance

· 26 Rajab 1433 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

Is medical aid and hospital plan permissible? Also, Is insurance permissible in South Africa?

Answer

Medical aid and the hospital plan revolves around insurance, and insurance is impermissible due to the elements of interest and gambling.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللَّـهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ﴿البقرة: ٢٧٥﴾

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿المائدة: ٩٠﴾

Answered by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, please ask a Mufti. Report an issue

For corrections or mistakes, please email us at fatawasa786@gmail.com.

People also ask

Is insurance permissible?

“Life insurance policies are Haraam as it is based on interest, gambling and uncertainty (Gharar). Make Taubah and Istighfaar for your mother for engaging in Haraam dealings. There are severe warnings cited in the Mubarak…”

Ibn Masood · 392 fatawa from 7 Darul Iftas on this

What the Darul Iftas say
Is medical aid permissible?

“One is permitted to take benefit from an involuntary medical aid policy. The example of an involuntary medical aid policy is where an employer enforces the medical aid upon his employees with the employee having no choice in the…”

Ibn Masood · 69 fatawa from 6 Darul Iftas on this

What the Darul Iftas say