100320P - ISLAMIC PERCEPTION OF MEDICAL ETHICS

Paper presented at a training program for family physicians at the King Fahd Medical City Riyadh on 20^th March 2010 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule MB ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard) Department of Bioethics Faculty of Medicine KFMC omarkasule@yahoo.com

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The term ethics

1.2 Need for revelation

1.3 Evolution of medical fiqh

2.0 THE SHARI'AT AS A SOURCE OF ETHICS

2.1 The Primary sources of the Law are the Qur'an and sunnat.

2.2 Secondary sources may be based on revelation (ijma & qiyas) or may be rational within the spirit of revelation (istishaab, istihsaan, & istislah).

3.0 MAQASID AL SHARI"AT

3.1 Purpose #1: Protection of ddiin, hifdh al ddiin

3.2 Purpose #2: Protection of life, hifdh al nafs

3.3 Purpose #3: Protection of progeny, hifdh al nasl

3.4 Purpose #4: Protection of the mind, hifdh al ‘aq

3.5 Purpose #5: Protection of resources, hifdh al mal

4.0 QAWA'ID AL SHARI'AT

4.1 Principle #1: The principle of intention, qa’idat al qasd

4.2 Principle #2: The principle of certainty, qa’idat al yaqeen

4.3 Principle #3: The principle of injury, qa’idat al dharar

4.4 Principle #4: The principle of hardship, qaidat al mashaqqat

4.5 Principle #5: The principle of custom or precedent, qaidat al urf