Islamic Perspectives on Cloning and Genetic Enginerring Asif Razvi, M.D., Islamic Center of Boston
O mankind! Fear
Your Guardian Lord,
Who created you
From a single person
Created, out of it,
His mate, and from them herain
Scattered (like seeds)
Countless men and women -
Fear Allah, through Whom,
Ye demand your mutual (rights),
And be heedful of the wombs
(That bare you): for Allah
Ever watches over you
(Chapter 1, verse 1)
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Creation
- Creation of the universe and mankind
- Purpose of creation of mankind
- Creation of heavens and the earth in true proportions
Hierarchy in Islam?
- There is no hierarchy in Islam
- Allah (God) is the supreme being
- Every Muslim prays directly to God
- Five scholars in the 8th and 9th century
- Maliki
- Hanafi
- ShafiI
- Hanbali
- Jafari
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Islam and Science
- No conflict between Islam and science
- Many scientific facts today were described in the Quran 1400 years ago
- Quran was revealed for all mankind and for all times
- As we understand science better, we understand some of these facts in the Quran better
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Islamic Beliefs
- Oneness of God
- Angels
- All the prophets from Adam (PBUH) to Muhammad (PBUH)
- All the Scriptures from Suhul of Abraham (PBUH), Psalms of David, Torah, Bible, and the Quran
- The Last Day and the Hereafter
- The Divine Decree
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The Divine Decree
- For to anything which We have willed, We but say Be, and it is. (Ch. 16: 40)
- Fundamental belief in rationalizing and accepting scientific developments
- God has the ultimate power to regulate and govern everything that happens in the universe
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Ethics of Genetic Technology
- Staying within the conformity of Gods Will (Ch. 81: 29)
- Any improvement to further the cause of humanity or human health
- Genetic manipulation to improve the health of a fetus
- Improving the chances of fertility and conception within the sanctity of marriage
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Cloning
- Inter-personal human relations heavily weighted in Islam
- Development of an embryo without any spiritual or moral connection between a man and a woman
- A mother can only claim motherhood if she carried the child in her womb
- Potential for abuse
- Dominance of a race
- Black market for organs
- Who makes the decision
- Cloning of sheep by Gods will
- Is it a test for the human race?
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Allahu Alim
We can theorize all we want, and debate all we want, but we have to admit that only God knows the real truth
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link | Feedback | Contributed by: Boston University. Video adapted from the
Issues for the Millennium Workshop
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