Evaluation of DNR order in terms of Islamic jurisprudence

DNR order, which stands for "Do Not Resuscitate", is to fill out a legally valid form that instructs health care providers not to do cardiopulmomary resuscitation (CPR). The patient fills out this form to avoid any resuscitation interventions if his breathing stops or if his heart stops beating. One of the most significant reasons for DNR order is to prevent unnecessary prolongation of the patient's life in pain and suffering. Apart from this, the reasons for applying DNR order include avoiding a treatment that will increase the pain of a patient in the terminal period despite its very low success rate at the same time, ensuring that the patient dies with dignity, and some other similar concerns. The patient himself, his deputy or his first degree relatives can fill this form out. However, a verbal request is not considered to be legally valid. The patient's decision about DNR order should be respected by the healtcare teams. In addition, it is expected that there will be no disruption either in the treatment or in the care of the patient after DNR order. Although DNR order is the subject of many studies with its philosophical and ethical dimensions, its examination in terms of Islamic jurisprudence is quite inadequate. Despite of the fact that this order has no legal validity in Turkey, the rejection of resuscitation interventions has a wide range of application in countries with the large Muslim populations like America and most of the Europian countries. Besides, it can be witnessed that patients or their relatives make requests like not performing heart message and artificial respiration. Hence, it is quite important to examine the right to refuse resuscitation interventions in terms of Islamic jurisprudence under the title of DNR order.