THE SECOND ENTRY
PRESERVATION OF THE ESSENCE OF HUMAN LIFE
Of the known Islamic rules (Fiqh): "What is necessary to perform the necessity is a necessity." Thus every individual has the right to preserve his life, and is entitled to be provided with the rights that save him the basic elements of human life.
These rights are:
- The right of food to preserve life. Thus, Sharia gives the individual who fears starvation a right in the Moslems' wealth to support himself. His support is a prescribed duty on every Moslem. The Prophet (r) says; "Whoever receives guests and becomes destitute, then helping him is a duty on every Moslem until he entertains his guests from his own money and income."
- The right of treatment. This right is deduced from the story narrated by Anas Bin Malik that the Prophet (r) sent some people who were very sick to a healthy place in the open air outside Al Madinah, near a pasture of the camels of Zakat (given in charity) to drink of their milk, until their bodies recovered.
- Other material and spiritual rights, which have a reflection on the psychological and physical health. Of such are: the rights of clothing, housing, marriage, education and work; and each has its own ascriptions in the honoured Sunnah.
- Islam has acknowledged the right of providing patronage in the event of sickness, disability, senility and loss of family provider.
Al-Bukhary narrated that the Prophet (r) said: "Whoever died and left wealth, it is for the inheritors, but whoever died and left helpless heirs or family, I am their patron." (In another narration, they are for Allah and His Messenger.) Abu Al Darda'a narrated that the Prophet (r) said: "Seek for my pleasure in your weak people, as you win and are provided with sustenance because of your weak people."