Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Faith leaders weigh in on ethics and impact of assisted dying bill

Currently, assisting or encouraging another person to take their own life is an offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Faith leaders weigh in on ethics and impact of assisted dying bill
The debate over assisted dying legislation raises critical questions about patient autonomy and the role of medical professionals in end-of-life care

ASIAN faith leaders and doctors are divided on whether there should be a law change to allow assisted dying in the UK.

A bill to legalise helping someone to die in Scotland was published at Holyrood by the Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur.


McArthur’s bill, which will offer terminally ill adults help to end their lives, is set to be debated by politicians in the autumn and voted on next year.

Currently, assisting or encouraging another person to take their own life is an offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. In Scotland, helping someone to kill themselves could lead to prosecution for crimes including murder and culpable homicide.

At the end of July, BBC reported that former Labour justice secretary Lord Falconer introduced a bill in the House of Lords under which terminally ill adults with six months or fewer to live can get medical help to end their own lives.

Health secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme he was “uncharacteristically undecided” on the subject, but said the “time had come” for a debate on the matter.

Sikh and Hindu groups have suggested assisted dying should be allowed in some circumstances, while Muslim groups say Islam opposes any form of euthanasia.

Lord Rami Ranger CBE, a businessman and chairman of the British Sikh Association, told Eastern Eye: “I support assisted end-of-life once doctors and loved ones have confirmed that the person has no chance of recovery and his or her condition will continue to deteriorate further.

“It is important that we do not prolong the suffering of individual and the family once there is no hope of a person ever getting better and their condition will continue to persist or deteriorate with time.”

When he was Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer said he was “committed” to allowing a vote on decriminalising assisted dying if the party won the general election. In July he said MPs would have a free vote on the issue.

Downing Street previously said it would be up to parliament to decide whether to debate assisted dying again.

Dr Salman Waqar, president of The British Islamic Medical Association, said his organisation is “extremely concerned” about proposals to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia.

He told Eastern Eye: “Complex physical and emotional suffering can be effectively managed by palliative care professionals, without shortening people’s lives.

“Assisted dying may reduce communities’ trust in health services, and goes against the professional conduct based on the ethical principle ‘first, do no harm’. Resources, instead, should be focused into improving end-of-life care quality and access, which is a particular concern for ethnic minority communities.”

Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, said in Islam “the unambiguous prohibition against suicide or assisted dying is unequivocally expressed in the Holy Qu’ran”.

The last vote in Parliament on this issue was in 2015, when the Commons decided against changing the law by 330 votes to 118. Meanwhile, The Isle of Man moved closer to introducing assisted dying after a historic vote in May.

A bid to prevent NHS staff from having a role in assisted dying was rejected by members of the House of Keys.

Rajnish Kashyap, general secretary of the Hindu Council UK, said: “Some may argue that a managed death primarily affects the physical body and does not directly impact the eternal essence of the individual. The religion embraces the concepts of karma, the law of cause and effect, dharma, the righteous path or duty, and ahimsa, a commitment to non-violence, which may conflict with a managed death.

“Hindu scriptures provide examples where suicide is recommended or permitted under specific circumstances, such as restitution for crimes or to avoid extreme shame or suffering.

While these instances may not directly relate to euthanasia, they do offer important precedents for considering end-oflife decisions within a moral framework.

“Ultimately, discussions about managing death in Hinduism require careful reflection on these philosophical principles and their application to specific situations of suffering and end-of-life care. Decisions are, therefore, personal after due contemplation of the situation.”

MPs are also divided on whether England should follow Scotland’s lead and consider a law change.

Prior to the July election, Rupa Huq, Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, said: “When it comes to abortion, I am very pro-choice, but last time we voted on this subject [assisted dying] I actively abstained — voted yes and no — and was relieved that the status quo was upheld.

“With the Hippocratic oath and other things, we are just massively torn on this one, despite the opinion polls.”

Labour MP Sir Stephen Timms said: “It seems to me that legalising assisted dying would impose a terrible dilemma on frail people, elderly people and others when they are at the most vulnerable point in their lives, especially on conscientious frail people who do not want to die but do not want to be a burden.

“I do not think there is any way to avoid imposing that dilemma. The NHS should be there to protect those people.

“It is reported that in Oregon since 2017, over half the applicants for assisted dying have applied not because they want to die but because they feel like a burden.

“The next time we have a government committed to austerity, the temptation to cut health service costs by allowing people to choose to end their lives in a wider set of circumstances, instead of funding their care, would, I fear, be irresistible.”

More For You

Comedy Show

Luton Gets Ready to Laugh: ‘Funny Muslims Stand-Up Comedy Show’ Set for April 27

Get Ready to LOL at the Funny Muslims Comedy Show

Laughter is on the agenda this weekend as the Funny Muslims Stand-Up Comedy Show takes over the Luton Library Theatre on Sunday, 27 April, promising an evening full of side-splitting humour — all for a good cause.

Taking place at the Luton Library Theatre, Saint George’s Square, LU1 2NG, the event will showcase a line-up of award-winning comedians from Muslim backgrounds, bringing their unique perspectives and hilarious takes on everyday life to the stage.

Keep ReadingShow less
Campbell Wilson

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair

AIR INDIA CEO Campbell Wilson is stepping down as chair of Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary. He will be replaced by Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s chief commercial officer, according to an internal memo sent on Tuesday.

Wilson will also step down from the board of Air India Express. Basil Kwauk, Air India’s chief operating officer, will take his place.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Priyanka Chopra Teams Up with John Cena, Idris Elba in 'Heads of State'

An elite MI6 agent played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Getty

Priyanka Chopra fronts action thriller ‘Heads of State’ with John Cena, Idris Elba

A dynamic of action, comedy, and political misadventure is set to hit Prime Video this summer with the release of Heads of State. The newly launched trailer teases a fast-paced, explosive ride featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Cena, and Idris Elba in lead roles. The film is slated to premiere globally on 2 July 2025.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller, the filmmaker behind Hardcore Henry and Nobody, Heads of State is billed as a cross between Air Force One and Midnight Run. The film places mismatched world leaders at the centre of a chaotic crisis that forces them to work together, despite their egos and rivalries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less