The Ethics of Genetic Engineering: An Islamic Viewpoint
Hassan Hathout · Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America · 2014
For a brief but necessary orientation, Islam is the last of the three monotheistic Abrahamic religjofls following Judaism and Christianity.Islam recognizes and respects both religions.upholds their Same moraJ code, bUI lakes exception to some doctrinal issues that Islam reckons to be innovations in the two religions.Besides the spirituaJ side, [slam brought forward the outlines of a comprehensil/e legal system covering aJl aspects ofhuroan life.The system is flexibk enough to allow lhe human mind to legislate for a changing world and varying circumstances.Howel/er.this flexibility and ability to kgislate is limited within the boundaries of a general framework.It is this system that is called the "SharT'ah• J or Islamic jurisprudence.If we describe the principles of this system, it will perhaps be possible to apply t hem to" genetic engineering", which in spite of an inltiaJ brief moratorium, has grown In record time from the domain of laboratory research to that of applied biotechnology.This has far reaching actual and potcnrial implication~.Let us first consider the attItude of Islam towards science.NOt only was tht::rc never confrontation between them.but the pursuit of knowledge is a religjous duty upon every muslim.man or woman.In ISlamic juridical lerminology, the equivalent of lhe lcrm "scientific research" is called "the revealing of Allah's traditions in His creation", and is part of Man's duty as God's trustee over this planet.Because thert is no clergy-institution in Islam, there was no censorship over research.During the era of Islamic cil/ilization, muslim and nonmuslim scientists ex• perienced no impediment to unfolding thti( full potential.This helped Europe out of the dark ages by bridging Europe's gap betweeTl the Greek cil/ilization, and the renaissance, Islam has never put an obstacle to $cienti fie research, including that pertaining to genelic engineering.When it comes to application, however.five Islamic governing rules must be reviewed.Theflrsl comprises the five goals of Jurisprudence, Presen/ed /0 Conference on Ethics of Genetic Engineering-George Washing/on Universi/J and Cos/ello Ins/i/Ule, OCI/)ber J989,