Outline whether you think the law on Euthanasia should be changed in the UK

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

(6 marks)

Euthanasia is illegal In the UK, as it is in other European countries apart from the Netherlands. There are many grey areas in the law which can cause confusion and controversy. Euthanasia is a very debatable subject and in the UK, the official policy is to oppose all forms of euthanasia.

Personally, I agree with the law on euthanasia at the moment for a variety of reasons. From a non-Islamic point of view, I would say that we can not be sure of the patients’ wishes. So, this means that if she didn’t want to end her life, then it would be as if it was a “murder”, as it would be against her desire. Also, having euthanasia in the UK would give the doctors too much power, and it may eventually lead to them getting used to ending patients’ lives, instead of saving them. Furthermore, there may eventually be a cure for that particular illness, and so that patients’ life could have been saved. Lastly, euthanasia may be requested by unscrupulous relatives of the patient in order to inherit. From a Muslim point of view, the Quran forbids suicide and declares that he is the only one who can take someone’s life, and no-one must take their own life without his permission. And therefore Muslims are forbidden to commit any form of euthanasia as it goes against their belief in the sanctity of life. This is evident in the following Surahs:

“A soul cannot die unless Allah gives His permission, the term being fixed by writing” (3:144)

“O you who believe do not kill yourselves for verily God has been to you most merciful” (4:29)

In addition, the Holy Prophet had once said that even a Muslim soldier who was dying a painful death on the battlefield and therefore committed suicide, would not be allowed to enter heaven. Also, this life is like a test for Muslims, to see assess their strength in their faith. And by using euthanasia is as if you are cheating and taking a short cut. However, ...

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“A soul cannot die unless Allah gives His permission, the term being fixed by writing” (3:144)

“O you who believe do not kill yourselves for verily God has been to you most merciful” (4:29)

However, I do think the law on euthanasia should be changed because it is very expensive for the National Health Service to keep a patient alive for many years on a life support machine, when there is a chance that another person’s life could be saved using that life support machine. Also, we all have control over our own lives, and we all have our human rights. And since taking our own lives away is a basic human right, then surely asking for a doctor’s assistance to take you life away if you are in pain, ill, and therefore unable to take your own life away. What’s more, new discoveries in medicine have allowed patients to be kept alive, however their lives were horrendous and so you wonder whether it’s worth keeping them alive to face such calamities. Additionally, many decisions by judges have given doctors the right to end a patient’s life by stopping their treatment, and so doctors had made decisions about switching off life support machines. An example of this is the case of Tony Bland, whose parents won over the right to stop him being fed. Lastly, when doctors switch off life support machines, it is a form of euthanasia because relatives and doctors of the patient are permitted to agree to switch off the life support machines as long as doctors think that there is no chance of the patient regaining consciousness.

To conclude, I believe that the law of Euthanasia at the moment should not be changed because I feel that many doctors will take advantage of the fact that they are permitted to take away a patients life if they feel that there is not chance of survival. Also, I think that a human cannot choose when to take his life or someone else’s, this is purely in the hands of the almighty God. It is said that if we suffer in this life, we will relax in the next life, and by ending things early or pulling the plug, we are not trusting God’s promise. And for this reason, I believe that Euthanasia should be illegal now, and in the future.

Outline whether you think the law on Euthanasia should be changed in the UK

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