Updated: Apr 6, 2023
The Muslims Personal directive is the Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and a Medical directive is Living Will. We will use a Personal directive and Living Will (instead of a Medical directive) below.
A personal directive is about property, financial, or personal affairs. Living Will is about your Medical treatment-related preferences.
A personal directive protects preferences for day-to-day affairs, values, and beliefs during a lifetime. Living Will is to protect your preferences about medical treatments, organ donations, and organ transplantations during a lifetime.
A personal directive is called a Power of Attorney for Personal care, a Power of Attorney for Healthcare, etc., Living Will is called a Medical directive, Health directive, Advance Medical directive, Advance Healthcare directive, etc.,
A personal directive becomes effective before or after physical disability or mental incapacity. Living Will becomes effective upon mental incapacity.
The keyword for Personal directive, you should remember, is “PERSONAL,” which means your personal affairs in a lifetime. The keyword for Living Will, you should remember, is “LIVING,” which means applicable during Living.
A personal directive is revocable until mental incapacity. Living Will is revocable until mental incapacity.
A personal directive and Living Will can be created by any adult who has reached the age of majority determined by his or her country or jurisdiction.
Muslim Personal directives and Muslim Living Will laws are country-specific in most countries except Canada, the United States, Australia, and part of Europe, where laws differ from one jurisdiction (i.e., State, Province, or Territory) to another.
Personal directive's foundation is what you think, your likes, your values, your affairs, and your faith. Living Will’s foundation is Islamic Bioethics.
A personal directive goes through medical/legal assessment before it becomes effective. Living Will goes through medical/legal assessment before it becomes effective.