Chapter 4 Islam

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Chapter 4Islam Ethics
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Ethics from Islamic Perspective

• Ethics, like other Islamic sciences, takes its
  origin form the Quran. The Quran lays down the
  foundation of a religious system on purely
  ethical principles, hence there is not much to
  distinguish between Islam as such and Islamic
  ethics.
• The Muslims started the study of Ethics along
  with the study of the Quran.

INCEIF
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Cont. Ethics from Islamic Perspective

• Ethics in Islam is nothing but the body of
  injunction laid down in the Quran for the
  practical conduct of life and fully exemplified
  in the practice of the Holy Prophet throughout
  his life.
• Within an Islamic Context, the term most closely
  related to ethics is khuluq in the Quran which
  has been guided by principles from the Quran and
  the Sunnah.

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Code of Ethics of the Prophet(PBUH) Peace be upon
him

• Islam consider the Prophet as an ideally perfect
  man, par excellence, in all aspects of life.
• The Quran exhorts the believers to follow the
  rightly guided particularly the Prophet.
• It is the desire of every pious Muslim to model
  his life in every possible particular upon that
  of the Prophet.

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Degrees of lawful and unlawful behavior in Islam

• In explaining the moral code of Islam, it is
  important to categorize the action according to
  the degree of lawfulness and unlawfulness as
  classified in fiqh to five categories fard,
  mustahabb, mubah, makruh and haram.

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1. Fard

• It represents the class of actions that is
  mandatory on every Muslim, such as praying the
  five times a day, fasting the month of Ramadan,
  paying zakah and performing hajj.

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2. Mustahabb

• Describes the class of actions that are not
  obligatory but highly recommended to do. e.g.
  fasting beyond the month of Remadan, put perfume
  during Friday prayer, or praying nawafil etc.

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3. Mubah

• Actions are permissible in the sense they are
  specified neither as mandatory nor as forbidden.
  e.g. trading during hajj.

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4. Makruh

• Actions are not absolutely forbidden, but are
  detested.

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5. Haram

• Actions are unlawful and prohibited.
  Committing them is a major sin. e.g. murder,
  commit adultery, dealing with riba, drinking
  alcohol etc.

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The Sharia Law System
Category Arabic Do it Do it Not do it
Obligatory (Prescribed) Fard Wajeb Fard Wajeb Reward Punishment
Recommended (Desirable) MustahabMandub MustahabMandub Reward No Punishment
Permitted (Allowed) Mubah Halal Mubah Halal No Reward No Punishment
Discouraged (Disliked) Makruh Manboth Makruh Manboth No Punishment Reward
Forbidden (Prohibited) Haraam Mahdur Haraam Mahdur Punishment No Reward
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Norms and Moral Codes in Islam

• Islam asks its believers to observe certain norms
  and moral codes in
• dealings with relatives
• with neighbours and friends
• in their business transactions
• in the market
• in their social affairs,
• in all spheres of private and public life.

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Islamic Law and Rules
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Maslow Way
Forbidden
Enforcing of not Doing
Discouraged
Urging of not Doing
Permitted
Choice of Doing
Recommended
Urging of Doing
Obligatory
Enforcing of Doing
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Recommended

• Blood and organ donation. (giving and receiving).
• Circumcision of male infants (7th day).
  Controversy of female circumcision.
• Breast feeding (two years).
• Human skin bank lawful for medical grafting and
  unlawful for cosmetics and misleading others.

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Permitted

• Autopsy if for medically or by law indicated.
• Reconstructive Surgery (post mastectomy).
• Do Not Resuscitate order when the treatment
  becomes futile.
• Withdrawal or withheld therapy is permitted in
  brain death.
• Genetic Engineering to alter or cure diseased
  genes.
• Abortion pregnancy that risk the mothers
  health, physically or mentally.

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Discourage

• Forced feeding the sick.
• Smoking
• Divorce
• Elective abortion before age 120 days (some sects
  before 40 days).

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Forbidden

• Surgical contraception (Sterilization Vasectomy
  tubal ligation). Permitted for mentally sick or
  when another pregnancy risks mothers life.
• Sperm or ova donation.
• Fetal Sex Determination.
• Elective abortion in a healthy mother 120 days
  after fertilization.
• Human milk bank.
• Human cloning (permitted for tissues and organs).

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Forbidden

• Surrogacy Uterus Surrogacy involving a third
  person is not permissible. (even if the woman
  involved is another wife of the husband)..
• Cosmetic surgery Changing the creation of Allah.
• Food not Halal meat, of pork or dead
  animal/bird.
• Drink alcohol.
• Others interest, theft, gambling and drugs.

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Principles of Medical Ethics

• Necessity overrides prohibition (insulin from
  pork, medications with alcohol).
• Remove harm at every cost if possible (quit
  smoking, risk factors, disease therapy).
• Accept the lesser of two harms if both cannot be
  avoided (abortion in risk to the pregnant woman).
• Public interest overrides individual interest
  (blood and organ donation).

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Female Modesty

• Dress Provide a long-sleeved gown or allow to
  wear her own cloths.
• Examination exposure of the patients body parts
  should be limited to the minimum necessary.
• Sex sensitivity when asking a single, widow or a
  divorced about sexual habits.
• Respect privacy and do not touch while talking.
• Should not be placed in mixed rooms.
• Avoid eye contact and shaking hands to prevent
  unnecessary embarrassment.

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Death

• Death definition when spirit leaves the body.
• Death is Inevitable Every soul shall have a
  taste of death In the end to Us shall you be
  brought back." Quran 2957
• The dying person should sit up or lie with their
  face towards Mecca. Ideally one should die with
  the Declaration of Faith on the lips (Shahada).
• When death occur eyes should be closed all
  connected tubes removed all limbs flexed and the
  body straightened.

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After Death

• Washing and burying the body as soon as possible
  (same day). On the right side, facing Mecca.
• Respect for the body and prayers over the dead.
• Recitation of the whole Quran if possible.
• Mourning should not be excessive, as this would
  disturb the dead as well as show lack of
  acceptance of Gods will and purpose regarding
  death.