Islam Clashes Scientific Developments In Medical Ethics

Question 1

Ethanasia

Answer 1

Deliberate act of ending somoenes life to relieve them of suffering

Question 2

Voluntary ethanaisa

Answer 2

Person requests for tehir life to be ended
Eg terminal illness causing them a lot o pain

Question 3

Involuntary ethanaisa

Answer 3

Persno unable to request that their life be ended0- in a coma- doctor/relative makes decision

Question 4

Passive euthanasia

Answer 4

Witholding treatment that, if administered, would keep the person alive

Question 5

Active euthanasia

Answer 5

Deliberate ending of a persons life
Eg lethanl drug
Consdiered murder manslaughter uner british law

Question 6

Law euthanaisa

Answer 6

Assisted suicide- terminaly ill patient asks someone to help them t otake their own life
Active euthanaisa, ilegal under suicide act 19610
Not illegal for someone to take/attempt to take their own life

Question 7

Public opinion on euthanaisa

Answer 7

2023 yougov poll fouund 74% public support
20156 ote mps- 220- 118 defeated

Question 8

Non religious- for euthanaisa

Answer 8

Not murder- which is committed through anger or hatred
Euthanasia an act of love and compasion- stop person sufferring
Possible to put controls in pace to ensure patient really wants their life to end
Their life- should be able to choose how to end it

Question 9

Non religious- against- euthanasia

Answer 9

Doctors duty to preserve life, not to end it
Medical advances mean pain control v effective and cures for illnesses mroe effective
Some patients-esp elderly
Agree to euthanise against their will- not to be a burden

Question 10

Islam views on euthhanasia

Answer 10

Against euthaniasa- all human life is sacred as given by allah and he choooses how each person will die- human beings should not interfere with this

Question 11

Dnr orders islam

Answer 11

More flexibility- many elieve dnr soft form of euthanaisa
Islamic code of medical ethics ‘it is futile to diligenly keep the patiet. In a vegetative stte by heroic means.. it is the process of lide that the doctor aims to maintain and not the process of dying’- doctors can stop porllonging life in cases where no hope of a cure

Islamic medical associatn of america- ‘when death becomes inevitable’ ‘the patient should be able to die without unecessar6y procedures’- turn off lide support permissable- as all mechanical life support porceedings are temporary measures

But hastening death with certain pain killing drugs not allowed as would equate to euthanasia

Question 12

How may muslims take stance on euthaniaisa

Answer 12

Wish to oppose scientists and others who may lobby for a change in the law to legalise euthanasia in uk which is currently unlawful

Question 13

Islam quotes on euthanasia -

Answer 13

‘ do not take life, which allah made sacred, other than in the course of justice’

‘Destory not yourselves, surely allah is ever merciful to you’

Question 14

Allah chooses when die- qyote

Answer 14

‘No person can eever die except by allahs leave and at an appointed time

‘When their time comes they canot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward by a single hour’

Question 15

The right to dei

Answer 15

Some people believe a persons life is their own and have right to self determination- right to choose when to die
M believe right to die not heir own- allahs
Under suicide act 1961- not illegal to commit suicide but voluntary euthanasia and assisted suiciee is
Patient does have right to refuse medical treatment, even if it would save their life

Question 16

Abortion

Answer 16

Termination of a foetus during pregnancy
In general- islam opposed to abortion- foeetus human being- abortion is a crime

Question 17

Quote on sanctity of life

Answer 17

‘Whosover has killed a soul, it is as though he has murdered all of mankind

Question 18

Muslim attiudes to abortion should always be based on scientific developments not religious beliefs- yes

Answer 18

Various diff timelines during which an abortion may take place in diff countires
Timeline in uk diff
Uk law up to 24 weeks
Some muslims 40 days- conception stage
Others 80 days- fertilised egg becomes clot
120 days- soul said to enter embryo- absolutely no long after

M consider scientific opinion about development of foetus but donet always agree that abtion should be permited- as take into account concept of a coul and wehn foetus is thought to become.a seperate human

Quaran doesnt directly adress issue of abortion
M use opinions of scholars who make inetrptations of various traitions from quaran and hadith and try to aply them in a principle for m today

Diff reasons why someoen may choose to have one: if unwanted, if mohter v ill and at risk of death herself

Protection of mothers life- lesser of two evils- general principle in sharia law
Mother has other roles, origionater of foetus, life well established, part of family, would most liekly die with foetues

Question 19

Muslims attitudes to abortion shuld always be based on sceintific developments not religious beliefs- no

Answer 19

‘Kill not your children on a plea of want’ ‘fear of poeverty’ ‘we provide sustenance for you and for them’ ‘take not life, which allah hath made saceed’
Some muslims interpet this to mean abortion should be restricted in all circumstances regardless of scienific opinion
Argue human lifei s the creation of god and no human has the right to take this away- science may encourage eople to think that beacuse an abortion is possible it is justified

‘Among his signs is the cration of the heavens and the earth, and the vairation in your languages and your colours’- m reject scientific opinion if told baby expected to be born deformed, interpet verse tobe ablout accepting diff to a[[u to disability too

Use of always
Cases where mother life in danger- scientific opinion and islamic apion agre
After 1200 days- m may reject- fear about foetus would destroy a life- only god has role to do

Sanctity of life

Question 20

Genetic manipulation

Answer 20

Involves making changes to an organisms genome either by adding dna or isoating it to produce particluar characteristics

Question 21

Theraputic cloning

Answer 21

Making copies of cells that can be rgown and used to cure someone of a serious medical condition
Take a cell from body, remove nucleaus, put into egg, stimulate to start growing, results embryos- stem cells

Question 22

Muslims should never take part in gm- yes

Answer 22

‘Among his sigs is the creation of the ehavens and the earth and the variations in your languages and your colours’- allah has authority to decide genertic vairations and not humans to interfere

Genertic manipulation- opens up other posibilities- hair colour, sex
In day of propeht- many arabian tribes kill female offspring in favour boys- gm could see return of this

Manipulation form of shirk- a role belonging to allah alone

Some m may favour a return to traditional and alternative medicine and rule out anyhing not agreed as permissive in traditional interperetations of quran and sunah of m

Question 23

Muslims should never take part in gm- no

Answer 23

Newly developed science hwich wasnt around in days of prophet- gm prevent children born with birth defeects or create children when couples couldnt, plants survive dorught
M value family and believe couples whould have children- gm another medical advancement where they can- prevent harm or suffereing
M should embrance modrn sceintifuic progress ewith reason to work out what makes most sense

Never shouldnt be ruled out
Gm could avert sufefring- beneficial or halal but cosmetic/supericial- forbidden or haram

Some m accept gm crops- enable greater food security0- eg. Bangladesh new variety of rice to combat increasing level of salt in sea

Question 24

Artificial insemination

Answer 24

Collect man sperm and insert directly into women uterus through non sexual means

Question 25

Ivf

Answer 25

Sperm and egg bought together outsider womans body in lab condistions
Several eggs efertilised, 2 inserted
Rest froxen- used again if fail, donated another couple, research gm

Question 26

Why genetic test/ screening before

Answer 26

Genetic inherited disorders- select healthy embryo
Selected for avoir siblings- babies born to provisde tissue to sibling suffering from medical condition

Question 27

Genetic screening/ivf acceptable under islam

Answer 27

All creation horugh scientifi/technological developments preordainted by god almighty will
Use research or theraputic resources of embryo as- not yet ensouled, could save lievs

Question 28

Ivf and genetic screening not acceptable under islam

Answer 28

Islamic shariah principel- ‘preventing harm is preferable to procuring benefits’- potential danger of human cloing and procuring eggs for resarch/theraputic cloning

Islamic jurisprudence council- ‘human cloning is forbidden in any method

Forbidden to use 3rd person in human reproduction- egg or sperm donor, surrogate

Contradict with god as creater- ‘and He it is who origionated the creation’ quaran
‘Allah created men in the most perfect form’- no changes needed