What is the ruling for prescribing medication that a patient does not require? I am a doctor treating employees of public-sector companies through a contract with a government hospital. Many of the employees I attend to ask me to prescribe to them medications that their condition does not require because the companies they work for do not cover the full cost of their medical treatment. What is the position of Islam regarding this?

It is established in Islamic law that a person who helps another in committing a sin is a partner in it. If those patients request prescriptions for medications that are not medically necessary for their condition, this constitutes the unlawful consumption of people’s wealth. This is prohibited in Islamic law because it involves public funds that benefit widows, orphans, individuals with disabilities, and others in need. Consequently, it is impermissible for the attending doctor to prescribe medications to those patients that their medical condition does not require. This applies if the case is as described in the question.

And Allah Almighty knows best.