Responsibility of Unqualified Practitioners

📖Sunan Ibn Mājah 3466
Abdullah ibn Amr reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever practices medicine without any prior knowledge of medicine will be held liable.”

This hadith emphasizes the importance of having proper knowledge before attempting any medical practice. Islam encourages seeking medicine and treatment to maintain health, but it strictly forbids practicing without proper understanding, as this can harm others and incur accountability.

Explanation:

• Islam has always recommended taking care of one’s health and seeking medical treatment. The Prophet ﷺ himself emphasized using remedies and cures.
• Today, this principle aligns with modern medicine: doctors must study extensively and gain knowledge before treating patients. Practicing without this knowledge is dangerous and prohibited.
• Performing any action without proper understanding, especially in medicine, can lead to harm and accountability before Allah.

Quranic Support:

📖Quran 17:36
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—about all those [one] will be questioned.

This clearly supports the hadith: one must learn, understand, and act with knowledge, particularly when dealing with matters that affect others’ health and wellbeing.