Is it haram to stop life support for one who is brain dead?
brain dead is defined as Irreversible brain damage and loss of brain function, as evidenced by cessation of breathing and other vital reflexes, unresponsiveness to stimuli, absence of muscle activity, and a flat electroencephalogram for a specific length of time.
Most people believe that one who becomes brain dead has no chance at survival, although a few cases prove otherwise. The only thing that is keeping the patient alive is a respiratory machine that keeps the heart pumping. Most of patient’s vital organs have ceased to function, causing them to be pronounced as legally dead.
There are few cases where the patient has recovered after a long period of time, giving small chance of survival to those who are pronounced brain dead, but even when they do wake up they face years of trauma and rehabilitation from shock and the inactivity of their organs for so long.
So would it be haram to pull the plug on the respitory machine, as most doctors suggest you do? Or is the persons soul still in their body causing them to be alive and have a chance at survival. Should we leave their time of death to Allah? Or should we let them rest in peace to avoid pain and suffering to the patient and their family?
