On June 20, Parliament will debate one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in recent UK medical history, the Assisted Dying Bill. If passed, the law would allow terminally ill patients with six months or fewer to live the legal right to request life-ending medication.

While the draft bill promises voluntary participation by medical staff, many UK Muslim doctors say they are deeply concerned about the direction things are headed and whether, in practice, they will have the right to conscientiously object.

For Dr. Aayesha Malik, a Leeds School of Medicine graduate currently on maternity leave, the bill could shape the rest of her medical career. As she prepares to choose a speciality, the possibility of being asked to assist in patient deaths is weighing heavily.

“It goes against everything I was taught — to improve quality of life, not end it,” she tells TRT World. “If we’re forced to take part, I wouldn’t be able to go into general practice or palliative care.”

Like many of her peers, Malik’s objections are grounded both in medical ethics and her Islamic faith. Islam regards life and death as matters of divine decree, with suicide and euthanasia explicitly prohibited. A 2024 survey by the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) found that 88 percent of Muslim medical professionals oppose legalising assisted dying.

Faith and medicine in conflict

BIMA has been actively involved in parliamentary discussions, submitting evidence to the government’s review committee earlier this year. Dr Nadia Khan, a palliative care consultant and BIMA spokesperson, says the moral pressure the bill creates for Muslim doctors is profound.

“This would cause real moral distress for many,” Khan says. “I’ve had colleagues tell me they would consider leaving the NHS altogether.”

Although the bill stipulates that no healthcare professional will be forced to participate, its language is not yet enshrined in law. For doctors like Malik, the lack of a clear opt-out clause could mean choosing between conscience and career.

Khan argues that the bill’s safeguards are inadequate, and the government has failed to fully consider the social and psychological pressures that could drive vulnerable patients to request assisted dying.

“There’s no way to ensure that wrongful deaths won’t happen — and from our faith’s perspective, even one unjust death is unacceptable,” she says.

The slippery slope of systemic failures

Dr. Ayiesha Malik, a GP and integrative medicine specialist in Birmingham (no relation to Aayesha), shares similar concerns. She worries that a chronically underfunded healthcare system and recent cuts to disability benefits could make assisted dying feel less like a choice and more like a necessity.

“People are being told they’re too sick to work but not sick enough to get support. The only door being opened is assisted dying. That’s terrifying,” she says.

According to Malik, coercion isn’t always overt. “Patients may begin to feel they’re a burden on their families or the NHS, that dying is the responsible thing to do.”

Dr. Shahzad Faisal Chaudhry, a former NHS doctor now working in functional medicine, takes this argument further. He fears the government sees the bill as a financial shortcut, rather than a patient-first policy.

“Let’s not kid ourselves, this could save the NHS millions,” he says. “But it’s a terrible reason to legalise assisted dying. There are patients who’ve outlived six-month prognoses by years.”

All three doctors argue that rather than pushing assisted dying through Parliament, the government should be investing in cutting-edge treatments, palliative care, and better hospice services.

“We’re 20 years behind on research,” says Dr. Ayiesha Malik. “There are global clinics successfully treating late-stage cancer. Why aren’t we learning from them?”

“Let’s give patients real options, not just a fast exit,” she adds. “Improve quality of life, cut waiting lists, and take a holistic approach. That’s what we became doctors to do.”

As Parliament prepares for the crucial June 20 debate, Muslim medical professionals are urging lawmakers not to ignore their voices, or the ethical grey zones the Assisted Dying Bill leaves unresolved.