Bioethics in Islam

• Dr. Shahida Naumani

  Director, Shauoor Welfare Society, Lahore

  Author

Islamic bioethics is based mainly on the Qurʾan, Sunnah, and objectives of Shariah (Maqasid al-Shariah), which together form the ethical and legal foundations for addressing current biomedical challenges. Along with medical science advancing at an unprecedented rate, challenges like organ donation, cloning, and gene editing have evolved from theoretical discourses to urgent ethical issues. This paper addresses these three bioethical challenges from an Islamic perspective, surveying the main sources of Islamic jurisprudence and opinions of contemporary scholars and global bioethical norms. Organ donation is addressed in the context of the Islamic tendency to maintain humanity, along with the dignity to which holiness of the human body is owed. Cloning is examined in relation to its medical and reproductive advantages, along with the theological and ethical issues expressed by scholars. Gene editing, particularly with technology like CRISPR, is addressed through the lens of Islamic ethics based on the difference between therapeutic goals and enhancement goals. The discussion reveals the dynamic function of Islamic legal theory in confronting new medical technologies and upholding basic moral principles. Finally, the study assumes that Islamic bioethics offers sophisticated, flexible, and principled leadership that may engage with innovations in science without compromising faith-based norms.

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