ISLAMIC BIOETHICS: PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

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1 ISLAMIC BIOETHICS: PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

2 INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF ETHICS, LAW, AND THE NEW MEDICINE Founding Editors DAVID C. THOMASMA DAVID N. WEISSTUB, Université de Montréal, Canada THOMASINE KIMBROUGH KUSHNER, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A. Editor DAVID N. WEISSTUB, Université de Montréal, Canada Editorial Board TERRY CARNEY, University of Sydney, Australia MARCUS DÜWELL, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands SØREN HOLM, University of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom GERRIT K. KIMSMA, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands DAVID NOVAK, University of Toronto, Canada EDMUND D. PELLEGRINO, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., U.S.A. DOM RENZO PEGORARO, Fondazione Lanza and University of Padua, Italy DANIEL P. SULMASY, Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers, New York, U.S.A. LAWRENCE TANCREDI, New York University, New York, U.S.A. VOLUME 31 The titles published in this series are listed at the end of this volume.

3 Islamic Bioethics: Problems and Perspectives DARIUSCH ATIGHETCHI Second University, Naples, Italy

4 A C.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN (HB) ISBN (HB) ISBN (e-book) ISBN (e-book) Published by Springer P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands Printed on acid-free paper All Rights Reserved 2007 Springer No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.

5 To BIANCA, my mother

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Note... Acknowledgements... xi xiii 1 INTRODUCTION TO MUSLIM LAW... 1 The Origins... 1 The Present... 7 Conclusion FEATURES OF ISLAMIC BIOETHICS The Value of the Different Positions The Problems of Ethical Pluralism Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistan And Iran The Dependence on Muslim Law The Political Dimension of Islamic Bioethics The Principles of Bioethics Cultural Sensibilities and Medical Ethics Bioethics and Society Bioethics and Apologetics Bioethics and Muslim Countries Conclusion SOME ASPECTS OF MEDICAL ETHICS Introduction Principles and Characteristics The Doctor Patient Relationship Men and Women Autonomy and Consent of the Patient Saudi Arabia, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria The Problem of Penal Mutilation Doctors and Penal Mutilation Conclusion vii

7 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 CONTRACEPTION AND POPULATION CONTROL Some Classic Formulations The Contemporary Debate: The Pro-Contraception Jurists Sterilisation The Opponents of Contraception The Socio-Political Context The Case of Iran Conclusion ABORTION Introduction The Sources of Tradition Before Ensoulment After Ensoulment The Penal System The Duration of Pregnancy Three Bioethical Problems The Debate and Contemporary Opinions Rape, Adultery and Fornication Legislation in Some Countries Abortion and the Defence of Honour Conclusion ASSISTED PROCREATION Introduction Legal Adoption Juridical-Religious Formulations Opinions in Shi ite Islam Problems Relative to the Embryo Society and Legislation Conclusion THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGAN TRANSPLANTS Ethical-Juridical Principles Some Features of the Debate Transplants from Living Donors Transplants from Corpses The Debate on the Criteria of Death The Organ Trade Uterine Transplantation Xenotransplantation Some National Legislations Conclusion

8 TABLE OF CONTENTS ix 8 AIDS Introduction Particular Aspects The Countries THE OPINIONS ON GENETICS Principles and Values The Debate on Genetics Human Cloning Positions Tolerating Human Cloning Research on Stem Cells The Abortion of Handicapped Foetuses Consanguineous Marriage Pre-Natal Diagnosis Conclusion THE END OF LIFE Suffering and Illness The Incurably and Terminally Ill Patient Palliative Care Information and Consent of the Seriously and Terminally Ill Patient The Living Will Euthanasia Suicide and Martyrdom Death Post-Mortems Conclusion FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION IN SPECIFIC MUSLIM AREAS Some Historical-Juridical Elements The Opinions in Favour of Genital Mutilation The Opinions Against Genital Mutilation The Debate in Some Countries THE KORAN AND MODERN SCIENCE Introduction Scientific Exegesis of the Koran Moderate Concordism The Opponents of Scientific Exegesis Conclusion

9 x TABLE OF CONTENTS 13 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AUTHOR INDEX SUBJECT INDEX

10 NOTE For the terms in Arabic and other languages, a simplified system of transcription has been adopted without special signs to distinguish similar consonants or long vowels. The proper names of historic figures appear in their commonest spelling, for modern names they are shown as they appear in the sources. As there is no distinction between first name and surname, the names are shown in such a way as to make them easy to recognise. To help the reader confirm the data, we have chosen sources translated into Western languages. xi

11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Francesco Castro (Full Professor of Muslim Law, Second University, Rome-Tor Vergata); Renzo Pegoraro (President of the Lanza Foundation, Padua); Gian Maria Piccinelli (Full Professor of Muslim Law, Second University, Naples). Special thanks to Joan Rundo for the translation and revision of the text and for her helpful comments. xiii

EUTHANASIA IN THE NETHERLANDS

EUTHANASIA IN THE NETHERLANDS INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF ETHICS, LAW, AND THE NEW MEDICINE Founding Editors DAVID C. THOMASMA DAVID N. WEISSTUB, Université de Montréal, Canada THOMASINE KIMBROUGH KUSHNER,