“Medical Futility” clarified by idle (Laghw) in The Holy
Keywords:
Idle, Laghw, Medical Futility, Holy Quran, Medical ethicsAbstract
A major challenging debate in medical ethics is the request for “medical futility”. The topic of medical futility requires separate examination in Iran, because at least two reasons: First, the common principles and foundations of medical ethics have been formed in the context of Western culture and Western secularism. Accordingly, implementing the same guidelines and codes of medical ethics as Western societies in Muslim communities does not seem rational. Second, the challenges presented in health services settings (health and medical care) differ across different countries. The Quranic concept of laghw was searched in the verses of the Quran. The word and its derivatives are used in 13 verses of the Quran. The 3rd verse of Surah Al-Muminūn was selected for its closer connection to the futility concept. That verse was researched in the context of all commentaries presented in special software and its glossaries. In commentaries, Laghw[idle] is known as any insignificant speech, act or thing that is not beneficial; an action from which no benefit is gained; any falsehood (that is not stable or realized); an entertaining act; any foul, futile talk and action unworthy of attention; losing hope; something that is not derived from procedure and thought; and it has also been used to refer to anything insignificant. The notes and interpretations derived from the commentaries were placed in the following categories: (A) Having no significant benefit (B) Having no specific purpose (C) Negligence (D) Having no necessity (E) Not being good (lack of beneficence).
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