Islamic Bioethics: A General Scheme

Conclusion

In this paper, we saw how great emphasis has been attached by Islam to life in all forms. Indeed, life is considered as one of the most important qualities of God as well. Among divine creatures, human life is certainly one of the most sacred ones. We studied human dignity from an Islamic perspective and saw how this has been extended to human body both before and after the ensoulment.

Since human life is both a gift and a trust of God, it must be regulated according to divine instructions, that is, to its best and towards a fully human one. Therefore, it must be appreciated, respected and protected. The Islamic law and bioethics are responsible for introducing the Islamic teachings in this regard. Maintenance of physical health and treatment of patients are two important aspects of the Islamic teachings.

In respect to the beginning of human life, we realized that reproduction must occur in the context of a legitimate and stable family. We also saw that as soon as pregnancy starts, abortion is prohibited in the Islamic law and bioethics, though there are differences in the level of respect given to fetus before and after ensoulment.

With respect to the end of life, we saw that death consists in the departure of the soul from body and as long as we are not sure about that, we must practically assume that the person is still alive. The standard view among the Shi'a jurists is that nothing can be done to hasten the death of one's self or the patient. Therefore, suicide and euthanasia are condemned since they demonstrate lack of respect for human life.