Islam Bioethics by Joshua Quealy

Ethics is a system of moral principles by which human moral actions may be judged to be
right or wrong. Specifically, bioethics is a branch of ethics concerned with uses surrounding
health care and biological sciences. Islamic bioethics derives from a framework of values
from revelation and tradition and includes the Quran, Sunna and Hadith, and Ijma
(consensus among religious leaders). Current predominant Islamic bioethical issues include
abortion and euthanasia, and where ethical discrepancies occur, Islamic jurisprudence is used
to determine Muslims beliefs. Collectively, the two variants of Islam; Sunni and Shiia
generally share the same ethical teachings with their only differences arising from the
interpretation of new issues.
Abortion is the deliberate termination of an embryo or foetus to end pregnancy. There are
conflicting views of abortion in Islam. Muslims believe abortion interferes with Gods role as
the author of life and death. Since the power to procreate does not lie with womankind, it
follows that women do not have an unquestioned right to terminate pregnancy. Islamic
jurisprudence based on Quaranic verses states, do not kill the soul that God has made sacred,
except for just cause (17:33, 25:68). This is further emphasised through Islamic jurist stating
the status of a foetus as incomplete zimma which means it has the right for life and other
facets including inheritance but it has no duties.
On the other hand, abortion is not haraam (forbidden) as long as it is strongly justified. Most
Islamic jurists such as Hanafi believe the foetus is ensouled after 120 days after conception
and that emergency abortion concerning any damage to the mothers physical and
physiological health, or health of the foetus prior to this are permissible. This is derived from
Quaranic scriptures which state, We first created the human being from an essence of
clay...we fashioned into bones, then clothed bones with flesh, thus, bringing forth another
creation (23:12-14). If within the 120 days abortion is permitted preserve the mothers life
or if the foetus is suffering from significant defects as necessity knows no law. It is
unanimously not permissible in both Islamic variants after 120 unless a result of the
aforementioned emergencies and as a result it is only readily available in three Islamic
countries including Turkey, Tunisia and Iran.
Another predominant bioethical issue is Euthanasia, which is the deliberate killing of a
person for the benefit of that person and includes both active and passive. They believe in the
sanctity of human life given by Allah and that he governs how long each person lives. This
belief is drawn from the Quran, Do not take life, which Allah made sacred, other than in the
course of justice (17:33). No matter how ill the patient is, they are not allowed to be killed
because of desperation or loss of hope of recovery as if anyone kills a person-unless it be for
murder or spreading mischief in the land-it would be as if he killed the whole people (5:32).
In addition to this, it is unlawful for the patient to administer euthanasia on themselves as this
will be suicide. The Prophetic hadith supports this as the person who commits suicide will
be tortured in the Hell-fire in the same way he (or she) killed himself. Finally, Islams firmly
believe that the active administering of euthanasia to prevent the transfer of contagious
disease is impermissible. They believe that you cant kill individuals to prevent the spread of
disease but must utilise other means such as quarantine to protect the patient as Allay
created no disease but created something to cure it (Reported by AL-Bukhari and Muslim).

In conclusion, Muslims has two duties Ibadat (to Allah) and Muamalat (to human beings
and relationship) to follow their ethical system. The most prevalent bioethical issues the
encounter include abortion and euthanasia and to overcome these events they draw from the
key sources of Islamic ethics such as the Quran and Hadith and Sunna. Collectively, they
place strong emphasis on the importance of right actions and together, Shiah and Sunni
Muslims believe in the sanctity of the human life as per the ethical teachings and traditions of
Allah.