Islamic bioethics
Islamic bioethics, or Islamic
Introduction
In Islam, human life is regarded as an invaluable gift from
"if anyone slays a human being, unless it be [in punishment] for murder or spreading corruption on earth, it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind."(Qur’an 5:32)
It is this verse which has ultimately fueled the interest in Islamic bioethics and within it exist two basic principles which ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved:
- Saving a life is obligatory.
- Unjustified taking of a life is classified as murder and, thus, forbidden.
Though
Sources
The fundamental basis of Islamic bioethics is that all rulings and actions must fall into accordance with Islamic law (
For this reason, all medical procedures and treatments, as well as conduct between patient and medical professional must be legitimized by the sources of Islamic law,Principles
Principles of
Authority
Formulations of rulings on bioethical issues in the Islamic context generally arise due to some form of deliberation between medical professionals and religious authority who have been recognized as most qualified individuals of location or time period.
Modernity
As health care and science have progressed over time, and the Muslim population has also increased to over one billion adherents over every continent on the globe, there have been increasingly prevalent circumstances for the evaluation of technological applications and bioethical issues to determine how they fit into the Islamic sphere. As a result, larger bodies of Islamic committees have been formed to address issues at hand. National Committees of Medical Ethics/Bioethics have been formed in many
Islamic Medical and Scientific Ethics Project
The Islamic Medical and Scientific Ethics (IMSE) Project is a multinational effort to produce a comprehensive collection of Islamic bioethics resources.
Why is Islamic bioethics important?
The number of Muslims worldwide is estimated to be over 1.2 billion and their numbers are projected to increase. Even in Western countries, the number of Muslims is increasing; for example in Canada the number of Muslims had reached 550 000 by 1999 (Hamdani, 1999). Many Muslims incorporate their religion into almost every aspect of their lives. They invoke the name of God in daily conversation and live a closely examined life in relation to what is right or wrong behavior, drawing often from the Qur’an, the traditions of the Prophet, and subsequent determinations by Muslim jurists and scholars, believing that their actions are very much accountable (Qur’an,52:21, 4:85) and subject to ultimate judgement. Although individuals are given certain concessions on assuming the status of a patient, some try to live their lives in a Muslim way as patients, even when admitted to hospital. Greater understanding of Islamic bioethics would enhance the medical
care of Muslims living in Western societies.[16]
Notes
- ^ a b Shomali, Mohammad Ali. "Islamic Bioethics: A General Scheme." Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine. 1.1 (2008): 3.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 19.
- ^ Shomali, Mohammad Ali. "Islamic Bioethics: A General Scheme." Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine. 1.1 (2008): 1-2.
- ^ a b Younis, Huda. "Islamic Bioethics." O&G Winter 2008: 24.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 14.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 21.
- ^ Al-Hathery, Shabib. "The Muslim Doctor: Duties and Responsibilities." Islamic Medical Association Conference, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Ed. Khan, Y. and H. Bouagada. 8.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 13-14.
- ^ Shomali, Mohammad Ali. "Islamic Bioethics: A General Scheme." Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine. 1.1 (2008): 4.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 15-16.
- ^ Shomali, Mohammad Ali. "Islamic Bioethics: A General Scheme." Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine. 1.1 (2008): 1-8.
- ^ Younis, Huda. "Islamic Bioethics." O&G Winter 2008: 24-26.
- ^ Atighetchi, Darius. Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives. 31. Springer, 2007. 13-29.
- ^ "Islamic Medical and Scientific Ethics | Bioethics Research Library".
- ^ http://www.qnrf.org/nl/research_news/index.php?ELEMEID=1646 [dead link]
- ISBN 978-0-521-69443-8.
References
Younis, Huda (Winter 2008), "Islamic Bioethics", O&G, 10: 24–26
Al-Hathery, Shabib; Yaqub Khan. "The Muslim Doctor: Duties and Responsibilities". Islamic Medical Association Conference. Saudi Arabia, Dammam. pp. 1–21.
Health, Ethics and Law (HEAL) - Online Radio Program, The World Association for Medical Law (WAML). "Islam and Medical Ethics, Interview with Prof. Abul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim". Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
"Oath of a Muslim Doctor". Islamset. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
The Qur'an. Riyadh: