Grand Ayatollah Shirazi remarks on ruling of patients resorting to opposite-gender doctors during daily scholarly session

The daily scholarly meeting of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Sadegh al-Hosseini al-Shirazi was held on Friday, the 11th of Safar. In this session, like the previous meetings, the Marja answered the questions of the attendees about various jurisprudence issues.

Regarding the ruling of patients resorting to opposite-gender doctors for medical treatments, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi said: It is mentioned in the hadiths that seeking the service of a better doctor — better in terms of expertise, skills, experience or performance, there is no problem with such approach.

His Eminence continued: But in a situation where a female doctor of the same level of competence is available and accessible, and yet a woman goes to a male doctor, such an approach is problematic in terms of Sharia.

Referring to some narrations, the Supreme Marja said: There are numerous narrations, frequently reporting a similar concept but most of which might be lacking authentic chain of transmission, that some women accompanied the Holy Prophet in his defensive battles for the purpose of dressing wounds. Based on this, jurists have deduced that the reason for employing women was the softness of their hearts, as women refrain from engaging in intrusive acts in such matters, and so they were hired for this matter.