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Would you choose natural birth with the possibility of having a male doctor, or a Cesarean section to control the choice of a female doctor?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The fundamental principle is that a woman should be treated by a woman. If this is not possible, and a woman is compelled to be treated by a man, then it is stipulated that there must be an urgent need. The preference for treatment should be given in the following order: a Muslim female doctor, then a dhimmī (non-Muslim citizen of an Islamic state) female doctor, then a Muslim male doctor, then a non-Muslim male doctor, while also considering that the most competent should be prioritized. It is advisable not to resort to a Cesarean section due to its risks, unless necessity dictates it. One should pray to Allah to facilitate a skilled female doctor. If none is available and the patient is compelled to be treated by a male doctor, then there is no blame upon her, Allah willing.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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