Citation

Avci E. J. Relig. Health 2019; 58(5): 1770-1791.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Academy of Religion and Mental Health, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10943-019-00836-4

PMID

31127442

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to study the viewpoints of Sunni Islam and Hinduism on euthanasia to explore whether the Sunni tradition's belief in the hereafter and the Hindu culture's faith in reincarnation have any impact on these two religions' positions on the rejection or justification of euthanasia. Examining these two theologies' approaches demonstrated that Sunni Islam considers euthanasia suicide/homicide in light of the belief in the hereafter, whereas Hinduism can justify euthanasia through Gandhi's interpretation of ahimsa, on the condition that all methods to alleviate the patient's pain and suffering have been exhausted.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Homicide; Islam; Religion and Psychology; Euthanasia; Theology; Hinduism; Reincarnation; Hereafter; Sunni Islam