Question Summary:
Is the use of surgical cautery allowed? it is almost universally used by surgeons to gain access to various parts of the body during surgery. ..

Question Detail:

Is the use of surgical cautery allowed? it is almost universally used by surgeons to gain access to various parts of the body during surgery. it usually consists of a metal tip with current flowing which burns the tissue and coagulates the blood . the patient is almost always under anaesthesia and do not feel anything. could this be related to the branding(cautery ) mentioned in ahadith? 

               

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Branding (cauterization) was used to stop heavy bleeding in the early days, especially during amputations. A piece of metal was heated over fire and applied to the wound. This would cause tissues and blood to heat rapidly to extreme temperatures in turn causing coagulation of the blood thus controlling the bleeding, at the cost of extensive tissue damage. This was later improved with the introduction of medical instruments call cauters, and is recognised today as surgical cautery. Therefore, the surgical cautery used today could be related to the branding mentioned in the Ahadith of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Hereunder are some of the narrations related to branding (cauterization) mentioned in the Ahadith of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam):
عن عاصم بن عمر بن قتادة قال سمعت جابر بن عبد الله رضى الله عنهما قال سمعت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول "إن كان فى شىء من أدويتكم - أو يكون فى شىء من أدويتكم - خير ففى شرطة محجم ، أو شربة عسل ، أو لذعة بنار توافق الداء ، وما أحب أن أكتوى". (رواه البخاري)
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "If there is any remedy in your medicines, then it is in cupping, taking of honey or branding with fire that suits the ailment. I would not like to be branded". (Sahih al-Bukhari)
 
عن ابن عباس عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "الشفاء فى ثلاثة شرطة محجم ، أو شربة عسل ، أو كية بنار ، وأنهى أمتى عن الكى". (رواه البخاري)
It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Remedy is in three things: cupping, drinking of honey and branding with fire. I forbid my followers from branding". (Sahih al-Bukhari)
عن أنس أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كوى أسعد بن زرارة من الشوكة. (رواه الترمذي)
It has been narrated on the authority of Anas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) branded (or ordered the branding of) As’ad bin Zurarah due to a redness that had spread over his face and body. (Sunan al-Tirmizi)
We understand from the abovementioned Narrations that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) permitted branding at times, and forbade it and expressed displeasure at times.
The commentators of Ahadith explain that the Arabs used to have a lot of faith in branding and used to consider it as the only source of remedy. It is for this reason that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) forbade them from branding and turned their attention towards Allah Ta’ala. However, if one believes that remedy and cure is only in the hands of Allah Ta’ala and regards branding as only a means of cure, then it will be permissible.
(Sharh al-Tibi Vol.9 Pg.2969/70 – Maktabah Nazar Mustapha al-Baz)
In the light of the abovementioned, the use of surgical cautery will be permissible when one does not base his faith on cauterization, especially when there is no practical alternative to it.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Abu Yahya,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah