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Chapter 4
Islam & Ethics
 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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 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.
 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.
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.
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.
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.
Actions are permissible in the sense they are specified neither
as mandatory nor as forbidden. e.g. trading during hajj.
Actions are not absolutely forbidden, but are detested.
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
Not do it
Fard
Wajeb
Reward
Punishment
Mustahab
Mandub
Reward
No Punishment
Mubah
Halal
No Reward
No Punishment
Discouraged
(Disliked)
Makruh
Manboth
No Punishment
Reward
Forbidden
(Prohibited)
Haraam
Mahd’ur
Punishment
No Reward
Obligatory
(Prescribed)
Recommended
(Desirable)
Permitted
(Allowed)
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
The Holy Book
(Hadith), words or actions
of the prophet
(Ijma) of the Clerics
(Ijtihad) personal study
Quran
Sunnah
Consensus
Wisdom
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Forbidden
Enforcing of not Doing
Maslow
Way
Discourage
d
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.
Permitted
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 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 mother’s 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).
Forbidden
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 Surgical contraception: (Sterilization: Vasectomy & tubal
ligation). Permitted for mentally sick or when another
pregnancy risks mother’s 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).
Forbidden
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 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).
Female Modesty
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 Dress: Provide a long-sleeved gown or allow to wear her own
cloths.
 Examination: exposure of the patient’s 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 leave’s the body.
 Death is Inevitable: “ Every soul shall have a taste of death: In the end to
Us shall you be brought back." Qur’an 29:57
 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 God’s will and
purpose regarding death.