What is a Health Care Directive (also known as a Health Care Proxy or Living Will) and why do I need it?

God forbid you have an accident or medical emergency and you’re unable to make decisions about your health—or that you become generally incapacitated, fall into a coma, or must be kept alive by artificial life support.

A Health Care Directive (also called a Living Will or Health Care Proxy) is a legal document that allows you to appoint a person you trust to make health care decisions on your behalf if you cannot communicate your decisions on your own.

It is very important to make your intentions known to everyone BEFORE you suffer a critical illness, disability, or incapacity. The Health Care Directive contains your wishes and preferences about health care, including your moral and religious values when it comes to end-of-life issues.

Your health care representative has to act in good faith and in your best interest, including acting in compliance with your religious faith. Signing a Health Care Directive ensures your wishes are followed. It also protects your family, so that they do not have to make these difficult decisions for you.

Do you want your family to follow Islamic principles for these end-of-life issues? Then you MUST have a health care directive with your specific wishes and preferences about health care. It must include your moral and religious values for end-of-life issues. With this directive in place, physicians and your family are required to follow your wishes.

Use our HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE software to prepare your own state-specific, legally binding Health Care Directive that is Sharī‘a-compliant and customized to your situation.