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“Harvesting” and Use of Human (Embryonic) Stem Cells: An Islamic Evaluation

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Abstract

This paper gives insight into the Islamic bioethical discussion on harvesting and using human embryonic (hESC) and adult stem cells. It describes some of the Islamic legal mechanisms involved in the bioethical discourse among Muslims. As the contemporary Islamic bioethical discourse is very diverse, the paper focuses on the critical discussion of related resolutions of the Saudi-based Islamic Fiqh Academy due to the esteem in which the IFA is held in the Islamic world and the pertinence of their rulings on this issue. This study discusses the different sources of human adult and embryonic stem cells and their use from an Islamic perspective, while questioning some directions the Islamic bioethical discourse has taken. The paper invites interested parties to deliberate the use of some of the legal means resorted to in the ongoing Islamic bioethical discourse.

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Notes

  1. The term “scholar” and its derivatives in this research refer to contemporary or classical Muslim scholars of Islamic law or fiqh (in Arabic, al-fuqahā’), unless otherwise stated.

  2. Unless otherwise mentioned, in this paper terms such as “legal,” “illegal,” “lawful,” “legitimate,” etc. are used in reference to Islamic law and not to secular law.

  3. “PBUH” or “pbuh,” short for “peace be upon him,” is an Islamic honorific phrase typically mentioned after reference to a prophet of God.

  4. Of importance here are two ḥadīth (reports) narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The first is narrated on behalf of Abū l-Dardā’: “Allah has sent the illness and the cure, and He has made a cure for every illness, so seek medical treatment, but do not treat with anything prohibited (ḥarām)” (Abū Dawūd). The second ḥadīth, on the authority of Usāmah b. Shurayk, mentions that the Arabs asked the Prophet (pbuh), “O Messenger of Allah, do we not seek medical treatment?” And the Prophet answered, “Yes, o servants of Allah, seek medical treatment, because Allah has not created an illness without its cure, with the exception of one.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, which one is that?” He replied, “Old age” (Al-Tirmidhī, see Al-mawsū‘ah al-fiqhiyyah 1983, 11: 116.)

  5. See for this aspect Aksoy 2005. The legal implications involved cannot be discussed in detail here but will, it is hoped, be taken up elsewhere.

  6. The state of iḥrām is the status of a pilgrim to the holy sites of Islam, Mecca, and Medina. Hunting is not permissible by the pilgrim in this state. For the usage of this evidence in legal deduction see Al-Qarādāghī 2009.

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  1. Department of Islamic Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 32, Al Khoud, 123, Muscat, Oman

    Anke I. Bouzenita

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Bouzenita, A.I. “Harvesting” and Use of Human (Embryonic) Stem Cells: An Islamic Evaluation. Bioethical Inquiry 14, 97–108 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-016-9757-6

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