[lbo-talk] health insurance violates Sharia

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Mon Apr 7 10:06:57 PDT 2008


<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Personal_Finance/Insurance/ Health_Insuarance_illegal_Islamic_body/articleshow/2930737.cms>

Health Insuarance illegal: Islamic body 6 Apr, 2008, 1806 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: Comparing the benefits of health insurance policy to gambling, key Islamic organisations have termed the policies as "illegal" and directed Muslims to keep away from them.

At a seminar to deliberate whether insuring health was permissible under Islamic law Shariat, the Islamic Fiqh Academy (India) decided that availing such policies was illegal.

Representatives from around 300 Madrasas, including Darul Uloom Deoband, Jamiat Islami participated in the three-day meet, where they reached a conclusion that seeking insurance cover was only another form of gambling.

Health insurance schemes have turned a noble service in to a business activity, hence under Islam it is not permitted, they said.

The Academy, however said, if a person had insured himself under some legal constraints, then it was matter that could be thought over.

It also said that in such a situation, the patient should the spend the left-over amount of the claim he receives from the company on some form service to Allah.

The Ulema suggested that the community could itself organise services to help in the treatment of poor.



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