regard to Islam, saying: Whenever the physician is trustworthy, his statement is acted upon, even if he is not Muslim.

They cited as evidence that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, relied upon the statement of a disbeliever when he found him trustworthy. During the Hijrah, he hired a polytheist from Banu al-Dil, named Abdullah ibn Urayqit, to guide him along the route from Mecca to Medina (1). This was despite the extreme danger of relying upon a disbeliever in such circumstances, for Quraysh were pursuing the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr, and had offered two hundred camels to whoever brought them in. Yet when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw that he was an honest man, though a disbeliever, he entrusted him to guide him along the way.

Thus, the scholars who hold that the determining factor is trustworthiness concluded that the statement of a non-Muslim physician is accepted if he is trustworthy. We know that some non-Muslim physicians uphold the standards of their craft and profession more carefully than some Muslims do—not out of seeking nearness to Allah, Most High, or hoping for His reward, but in order to preserve their reputation and honour. Therefore, if a non-Muslim physician, whose statement is trusted because of his honesty and skill, says, “Praying standing will harm you, and you must pray reclining,” then he may act upon his statement. Likewise, if a trustworthy physician tells him that fasting will harm him or delay his recovery, then he may break his fast on the basis of his statement.

This is the preponderant view, due to the strength of its evidence and reasoning.

Thus, this issue may be posed as a conundrum: “A man is able to stand, yet it is valid for him to pray reclining.” We say: This is a sick man who is able to