How can the Hadith "Flee from the leper as you flee from a lion" be reconciled with the female doctor's duty to examine and follow up with leprosy patients?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded fleeing from a leper as one would flee from a lion, and this is for the sake of avoiding the causes of illness. The jurists have stipulated the prohibition of a healthy person mixing with a leper unless with their permission. The Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools of thought went further to prohibit a leper whose condition is harmful from mixing with healthy individuals. However, if one's reliance on Allah Almighty is strong, there is no harm in mixing with a leper, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself did.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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