Religion...and science...

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Then from here

Sir,

I am an engineer by profession (having a PhD in biomedical engineering) and maintain a Bengali freethinker's site named mukto-mona. I am also the author of several Bengali best -seller books on science and philosophy. I recently came across a very controversial paper named, The heart and cardiovascular system in the Qur'an and Hadeeth (authored by Marios Loukas, Yousuf Saad, R. Shane Tubbs and Mohamadali M. Shojawhich) claimed to be peer reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of your journal.

I am disappointed to see a reputed journal publishing, or even accepting a cleverly crafted religious propaganda. Careful study of Qur'an, Hadeeth and other Islamic resources for years, I know that like other ancient books, these scriptures also contain lot of errors and weird misconceptions in embryology, biology and medicine. For example, in one verse of Qur'an it clearly declares that sperm originates between the back and the ribs (sura At-Tariq 86:6-7) i.e, it comes from the kidneys! Note that, Greek physician Hippocrates theorized this wrong idea long before Muhammad that sperm passed through the kidneys into the penis. For centuries this was an accepted (and incorrect) belief of the origins of sperm. Aristotle though correctly described the function of the umbilical cord, also amusingly believed that sperm testicles functioned as weights to keep the seminal passages open during sexual intercourse. Not only this, Qur'an, as a whole, has a whole lot of ambiguity and meaningless statements. For example, occasionally it tells that we are created from earth (11:61), sometimes it claims from dry clay (15:26,28,33, 17:61, 32:7), sometimes "from nothing" (19:67), sometimes "NOT from nothing" (52:35), sometimes from wet earth (23:12), or from mire (38:71), sometimes from water (25:54, 21:30, 24:45), sometimes from dust ( 3:59, 30:20, 35:11) or even sometimes from dead (30:19, 39:6) etc.. So which one is true? Those contradictory ambiguous statements actually do not reveal any scientific facts regarding either how we created or what exactly we are made of. If we go forward we will see - according to Qur'an and Hadeeth, Allah’s Angels 'take charge' while sperm enters a woman’s womb (see Sahih Bukhari 1.6.315, 4.54.430, Sahih Bukhari, 8.73.17, 18, Sahih Muslim, 33.6392 etc.), Human limbs can 'carry Islamic Sins' (Sunaan Nasai, 1.149), or Human organs can even talk like a human being (41:20, 41:21, 36:65, 24:24 etc). These are becoming simply meaningless and entirely laughable if we consider the knowledge of today's context.

Of course, the authors did not mention the above funny verses from Qur'an and Hadeeth while submitting their 'scholarly' paper. Nevertheless, they did not forget to mention that honey as the good medicine referred by Qur'an, or it mentions some 'miraculous spiritual power' (?) of Zam Zam water etc. Well, Honey is not at all any good medicine in today's standard, however, was used by ancient people as medicine and food for tens of thousands of years. Physicians of Pharaoh King used to prescribe Honey for diseases. In pre-Islamic Arab, pagans used to use honey widely as medicine. In India, Ayurbedic medicine widely used honey as the ingredients of medicine thousands of years before the arrival of Qur'an. Honey was known as "Grandma's Medicine" throughout the ancient world for thousands of years. What is so miracle or even important to mention in a cutting edge journal? Lest we speak about the 'miraculous spiritual power' of a simple well the better for us. There are many well documented technical details about the well is available even in the Internet.

Lastly, the paper was not written following standard method of proper scientific enquiry. The frequent attribution of "God" (e.g. " The entire Qur'an is believed to be the direct word of God", " the Qur'an and Hadeeth recognize the pursuit of knowledge as being an act of worship to God", "God created disease and God also created a treatment for every disease", " remedy is made apparent, the disease is cured by the permission of God", "... as God removes “rage form their hearts", " scripture and remembrance of God is supposed to heal the hidden ailments of people", " Mohammad states that while praising God is half of faith", "moustache are all acts that benefit the body and thus bring one closer to God", "invoked the name of other than God", "The relationship between God and man is illustrated" etc.), and the use of non-scientific words such 'spiritual' (e.g. 'treatment can be found—spiritual healing and physical healing' , 'Although spiritual healing is most mentioned in the Qur'an ', 'heart that are described are the extensively described spiritual heart ' etc.) or 'miracle' shows the authors were trying to express a specific brand of belief, not doing proper scientific investigation or research. Our scientific knowledge has moved beyond childhood. A scientific journal should not depend on imaginary fairy-tales or a 'God in gaps' to provide for our explanations or needs. Science proposes explanations about the natural world and then puts those hypothesis for repeated testing using experiments, observations and a creative and diverse array of other methods and strategies. The paper like 'The heart and cardiovascular system in the Qur'an and Hadeeth' , on the other hand, discourage skepticism or critical examination of cherished precepts.

It is simply laughable that a reputable science journal of twentieth century would publish such a poorly argued paper - 'The heart and cardiovascular system in the Qur'an and Hadeeth'! I sincerely believe, if you publish the article in your journal, you will loose all the credibility. I hope that your consciousness will return and your editorial board will realize that this paper is not worthy at all for publication.

Dr. Avijit Roy
email: charbak_bd@yahoo.com

Animal Rights and Islam

Animals and other living things were created by Allah, the Lord of the Universe. They have their own independent existences and modes of living. (55:10) Allah has said in the Holy Qur'an that every animal has its own communal life and its own way to do 'Ibadah, or service, to Allah. Every animal praises Allah, the Exalted, in its own way. (6:38)

It is Allah who gave every animal its ability. He enabled birds to fly, fish to swim and horses to gallop. Animals were here on Earth long before humans. The first man and woman on Earth were Adam and Hawwa. Allah gave them the responsibility to be caretakers on Earth, or, as the term used in the Qur'an states, a Khalifa in the world.

Humans, who have been created with a greater intellect than animals, have a special responsibility to be fair, just and kind to all other living things. The Blessed Prophet Muhammad (p) once said that every injustice will be paid back on the Day of Judgment, even if one goat hits another with its horns it will be taken account of. Therefore, in our use of animals for our own survival we must do justice.

Allah gave us the free use of the plants and animals of this Earth. He said, "Eat and drink of the good things of the Earth." He also said, "It is Allah Who has provided you livestock of every kind. You can ride some kinds and others you eat..." (40:79) But we must balance our use of animals and plants with our primary role as a caretaker on the Earth.

For example, we are not allowed to harm animals or plants for no reason. The Blessed Prophet forbade people from capturing baby birds, burning ant hills and whipping animals cruelly. All the people he stopped from doing these things were doing them "for fun." Well, as the Prophet pointed out, it wasn't fun for the animals.

If we use animals for our work, we must feed them and not over work them. If we eat animals we are supposed to slaughter the animals according to Dhabiha rules which prevent all cruelty to animals and if we have them as pets we are to feed them and care for them. The Prophet once told a story in which he noted that a woman who starved her pet cat to death will be tormented by that cat on Judgment Day by way of revenge.

So as we can see, we have a responsibility to all living creatures around us and even though many non-Muslims assert that animals have no rights, Islam says otherwise.

The Prophet on Humane Treatment of Animals

1. Allah has ordained kindness (and excellence) in everything. If the killing (of animals) is to be done, do it in the best manner, and when you slaughter, do it in the best manner by first sharpening the knife, and putting the animal at ease.
(Muslim).

2. If someone kills a sparrow for sport, the sparrow will cry out on the Day of Judgment, "O Lord! That person killed me in vain! He did not kill me for any useful purpose."
(Nisai).

3. Any part cut off a living animal is dead flesh.
(Unlawful to eat. The implication is that it is not allowed to mutilate a living animal.)
(Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Hakim).

4. The Prophet said, "Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, Allah will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgment." The listeners asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is a just cause?" He replied, "That he will kill it to eat, not simply to chop off its head and then throw it away."
(Nisai, Hakim).

5. When you set your dog (for the chase), mention the name of Allah, if he catches the game, and you reach it while it is still alive, cut, its throat quickly (so it won't suffer)."
(Bukhari, Muslim).

6. If you send your dog after the game, and it eats part of it, you should not eat of it, for the dog has hunted for itself and not for you; but if you send the dog and it kills the game without eating it, you can eat it, as it has caught it for its master.
(Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim).

Source:

Here's a paper on animal rights and Islam....

Animal Rights and Islam

• Animals in Islam
• Dominion Over Animals
• Animals Are Our Teachers
• Animals Are Members of Communities & Family of God
• Human/Animal Communication
• Animals Have Consciousness
• Animals and Humans Must Share Natural Resources
• Is Animal Suffering Fate (Allah's Will) or Fault of Humans?
• Experimentation on Animals
• Fur and Other Uses of Animals
• Animal Fights
• Factory Farming
• Vegetarianism
• Slaughter of Animals Used for Food
• Providing for Animals Used to Carry Heavy Loads
• Cruelty to Animals
• Animal Sacrifice
• The Importance of Respecting the Balance of Nature
• The Importance of Conserving Nature
• Blood Sports
• Military Research, Including Wound Labs
• Animals in War

Islam and poverty - 1

Introduction:

Islam is the religion and way of life that was revealed to humanity by our creator, Allah (swt) (click for definition). Since Allah (swt) is the one who created the heavens and the earth, and out of His unlimited mercy to mankind, He also revealed to us a way of life and a religion, Islam, that give us peace and happiness in our lives here on earth and in the afterlife. Islam was revealed as a practical religion that covers all aspects of our lives, and it is intended to be implemented in our lives. It brings peace and justice to earth, after all, who is more just and wise than Allah (swt), the creator of the heavens and the earth, the most knowledgeable?

As such, when implemented honestly and correctly, Islam provides solutions to all problems that are faced by humanity. One of the most widespread and dangerous problems faced by humanity is that of poverty, hunger and starvation. There is nothing more horrifying than the realization that as we live our happy lives here, millions of our fellow human beings live in hunger and face starvation. The majority of the world population today lives in poverty. It is clear that the world system we have set up today is unjust and inhumane. Otherwise, how can we allow this situation to continue with less than 10% of the world population controlling over 90% of the wealth and resources on this earth?

Islam, revealed to humanity over 1400 years ago, came with the most just and easy solution to the problem of poverty, hunger and starvation in this world. If Islam is implemented in the world today, the problem of poverty, hunger and starvation would be completely eliminated within a year. Islam, revealed to us by Allah (swt), the most knowledgeable, wise and just, solves the problem of poverty and hunger through several methods:

The Obligatory Zakat:

Islam makes it obligatory on every Muslim to pay a certain "tax", called Zakat, on their accumulated wealth. The money collected from this Zakat is to be distributed among the poor and needy.

The Arabic word "Zakat" means both 'purification' and 'growth'. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to Allah (swt), and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. Our wealth is purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth in our wealth.

Zakat is due on accumulated wealth that has been in the possession of a person for at least one year. There are rules on how to pay Zakat on each type of possessions, such as gold, animals, crops, shares and so on. A certain percentage of each type of these possessions is to be paid as Zakat. Note that the Zakat is taken from excess wealth that a person is accumulating and has had in their possession for over a year. It is not paid on income. Therefore, people whose save nothing after covering their expenses with their income do not pay Zakat, and in fact may be eligible to receive Zakat money from others if their income does not cover all their needs.

The Zakat is to be distributed among people of the following categories, depending on need:

1) The Destitute: Those who don't have material possessions nor nor means of livelihood.
2) The Poor: Those with insufficient means of livelihood to meet basic needs.
3) The Indebted: Those who are in debt and have difficulty repaying it.
4) Stranded Traveller: The traveller who does not have enough money to complete their journey.
5) To Free Slaves: Zakat money is to be used to purchase slaves and free them. 6) New Muslims: Those who are new to Islam and require help to integrate themselves into the Muslims community.
7) In the Path of Allah: Zakat money can also be spent in the path of Allah. This can include many things, basically any project that helps Muslims or Islamic causes.
8) Zakat Workers: Those whose job it is to collect and re-distribute Zakat money get their salary from the Zakat money.

How Can Zakat Eliminate Poverty and Starvation?

If Islam was implemented in the world today, starvation would be eliminated from the planet within the first year. The Zakat due on agricultural products ranges from 5% to 10% of the produce. There is also Zakat due on various types of animals such as sheep, cows and camels. Imagine if 5%-10% of all agricultural production in the world, plus the required amounts on animals are distributed among the hungry and starving people of this world. The problem would be solved immedeatly. In the system we have today, some nations intentionally spoil a part of their agricultural production in order to maintain high prices for their produce. Can you see the difference between the system driven by human greed and the Islam which was imposed by Allah (swt), the most gracious and most merciful?

In addition, Islam can solve the problem of poverty. Consider the Zakat due on money. Zakat is due at 2.5% on money that has been in one's possession for over a year. Now consider this simple fact: Forbes Magazine reported that in 2004 there were 587 billionaires worldwide, with a combined net worth of $1.9 trillion dollars. If in 2004 these 587 richest people in the world paid zakat, we would have had $47.5 billion dollars distributed among the poor.

This calculation has just considered less than 600 individuals on this earth. What about if everyone contributed to a global Zakat fund in the same way? The total world GDP (summation of gross domestic product of all countries in the world) was estimated in 1999 to be $27,357.9 billion dollars. The 2.5% Zakat on this would amount to $683.95 billion dollars annually. These are just ball park figures to give the reader an idea of how much money Zakat can generate.

This Zakat money should not only be distributed for immedeate relief to the poor. It can also be given in the form of small business loans. For example, poor farmers can be given loans or even grants from this Zakat money to enable them to purchase the equipment and materials they need to lift them out of poverty. The same can be done for small business owners, or for the poor to set up small workshops or factories to lift them out of poverty once and for all. Within a few years, poverty would be eliminated or at least greatly reduced.

Optional Charity:

As discussed earlier, the obligatory Zakat imposed by Islam can easily solve the problems of poverty and starvation in the world. However, in addition to that, Islam greatly encourages Muslims to give extra charity. For example, the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) once said that the person who sleeps full while his neighbour sleeps hungry is not a true believer. Islam also always encourages charity in all situations. For example, for the persons who are not able to fast in Ramadan, they are required to feed some poor people for each day they do not fast. And there are many such examples.

Islam and Poverty - 2

Allah (swt) said: "And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity" (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, verse 110).

Allah (swt) said addressing the messenger of Allah, Mohammad (pbuh): "Of their goods take alms (charity), so that you might purify and sanctify them, and pray on their behalf" (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 9, verse 103).

When the messenger of Allah, Mohammad (pbuh), sent one of his companions to call the people of Yemen to Islam, he asked him to tell them the basics of Islam, among which was: "... and tell them that Allah has made obligatory on them a charity that is taken from their rich and given to their poor..." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).

Allah (swt) said: "So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), and (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, And gives the lie to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the Path to Misery; Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the hell fire)." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 92, verses 5-11).

Allah (swt) said: "By no means shall you attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which you love; and whatever you give, Allah knows it well." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 3, verse 92).

Allah (swt) said: "O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in Parable like a hard barren rock, on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject Faith." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, verse 264).

IVF and Islam

Firstly:

Undoubtedly children are one of the blessings and adornments of this world, and one of the greatest purposes of marriage is to produce offspring. A righteous child is a treasure for his parents in this world and in the Hereafter, and his righteous deeds will be recorded in the balance of his parents’ deeds. A man or a woman may be faced with lack of children or delay of having children. What they must do is be patient and seek reward, and say a lot of du’aa’ and prayers for forgiveness. They should understand that Allaah only decrees things for a reason. If a person has available Islamically acceptable means of getting children, there is nothing wrong with his pursuing that. But the Muslim should beware of false ways involving sihr (witchcraft) and myths, and he should beware of doctors who do not fear Allaah and whose main aim is to make money from those who want to have children. Hence some of them switch eggs or sperm. This is why some scholars have forbidden these methods of having children or have stipulated very strict conditions.

Secondly:

One of the methods that doctors use to help couples have children is that which is mentioned in the question, namely IVF. This method involves stimulating the ovary to produce a number of eggs, similar to the way in which a woman naturally produces one egg. This is done by giving the woman an injection of Decapeptyl to prepare the ovaries for the next step, which is injections of hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce a number of eggs. After ascertaining that the eggs have grown, the woman is given an injection of HCG to complete the development of the eggs before they are extracted. This injection is usually given 36 hours before the eggs are extracted.

On the day on which the eggs are extracted, semen is taken from the husband and 100,000 sperm are placed with each egg in a test tube so that fertilization may take place. Two or three days later, the fertilized eggs divide to form what is called the embryo, and the embryos are divided into categories according to their quality. The best embryos are selected to be returned to the uterus, where they are placed, and later on an examination is carried out to make sure whether there is a pregnancy or not. The success rate of this procedure according to doctors is 30-40 %.

This summary was mentioned by Dr Usaamah Saalihah, a specialist in gynaecology, obstetrics, infertility and laparoscopic surgery. in Britain, and the director of the test tube baby unit in the new Dar al-Shifa’ Hospital.

From al-Watan Clinic magazine.

Thirdly:

With regard to the shar’i ruling: it should be disallowed, in order to be on the safe side. This is the view of Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Jibreen (may Allaah preserve him) and it was quoted from the scholars of the Standing Committee – as we quoted from them in the answer to question no. 1992. Or it may be permissible subject to certain conditions, including the following:

1 – That there be a real need for that. A delay of one or two years in having children is not an excuse for the couple to pursue this or similar methods. Rather they should be patient, for Allaah may grant them a way out soon without them doing anything that is haraam.

2 – The woman should not uncover her ‘awrah before men when there are female staff available.

3 – It is not permissible for the husband to masturbate, rather he may be intimate with his wife without penetration, and produce semen in this manner.

4 – The woman’s eggs and man’s sperm should not be kept in a freezer for later use, or another appointment, and there should not be any delay in placing them in the woman’s uterus. Rather that should be done immediately without any delay, lest they be mixed with others or be used for other people.

5 –The sperm must come from the husband and the egg from the wife, and be implanted in the wife’s uterus. Anything else is not permissible at all. See the answer to question no. 21871 and 23104.

6 – There should be complete trust in the doctors who are doing this procedure.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on putting a woman’s egg in a test tube then fertilizing it with the man’s sperm, then returning it to the woman’s uterus so that it may develop.

He replied:

(a) If there is no need for this procedure then we do not think it is permissible, because it involves surgery to extract the eggs – as you mention in the question – and this surgery involves uncovering the ‘awrah unnecessarily, then it involves surgery and there is the fear that it may have effects even in the distant future, such as damaging the Fallopian tube or causing infections.

Moreover, if things are left to proceed naturally as created by the Most merciful of those who show mercy and the Wisest of judges, that is closer to proper etiquette with Allaah and it is better and more beneficial than ways invented by man, which may appear initially to be good but they fail later on.

(b) If there is a need for this procedure, then we do not think there is anything wrong with it, so long as three conditions are met:

1 – That this fertilization be done with the husband’s sperm. It is not permissible to use the sperm of anyone but the husband for this fertilization, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Allaah has made for you Azwaaj (mates or wives) of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed on you good provision. Do they then believe in false deities and deny the Favour of Allaah (by not worshipping Allaah Alone)”

[al-Nahl 16:27]

2 – The collection of sperm from the man should be done in a permissible manner, such as by the husband being intimate with his wife, and ejaculating between her thighs or in her hand, so that the semen may be emitted, then the egg may be fertilized with it.

3 – After fertilization, the egg should be placed in the wife’s uterus. It is not permissible to place it in the uterus of any other woman under any circumstances whatsoever, because that involves inserting the sperm of the man into the uterus of a woman who is not permissible for him, and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask Allaah to bestow upon you pious offspring) for your ownselves beforehand. And fear Allaah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)”

[al-Baqarah 2:223]

Tilth is mentioned specifically with regard to a man’s wife, which indicates that a woman other than his wife is not appropriate for his tilth. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (17/p. 27, 28).

And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said:

Artificial fertilization is when the husband’s sperm is taken and placed in the uterus of the wife by means of a syringe. This is a very serious issue. Who can be certain that the doctor will not put the sperm of one man in the uterus of someone else’s wife?! Hence we think that precautions must be taken and we should not issue fatwas except in specific cases where we know the man, the woman and the doctor. As for opening the door to this, there is the fear of evil consequences.

The matter is not to be taken lightly, because if any deceit takes place, it means that lineages will be mixed, and there will be chaos, which is something that sharee’ah has forbidden. Hence the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “One should not have intercourse with a pregnant woman until she gives birth.” I will not issue fatwas to this effect, unless a specific case is referred to me and I know the man, the woman and the doctor.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (17/question no. 9)

This is the verdict of the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in which it says: There is nothing wrong with resorting to this in the case of need, but it is absolutely essential to take all necessary precautions.

Majallat al-Majma’ (3/1/423).

We ask Allaah to bless the couple with righteous offspring with no need for such methods, and to enable them to bear this trial with patience.

And Allaah knows best.

Assisted reproduction - Islamic Views

Introduction

Assisted reproduction relies on the use of technology to assist infertile couples to conceive a much longed for child. Infertility affects between 10 - 15% of couples (1) where the incidence of infertility in males and females are approximately the same.

The birth of the first IVF baby in 1978 has brought new hope for infertile couples as an alternative means of obtaining a child. Several techniques of assisted reproductive technology have been developed ever since. These include techniques such as gamete intra fallopian transfer (GIFT), intra uterine insemination and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to name a few. However in the light of many technological advances in reproductive technology that are taking place, this field has received strong feelings and often oppositions from religious groups or human right activists in terms of the legality and the morality of some aspects of assisted reproduction.

Infertility and Islamic Law (Shariah)

The issue of infertility has been addressed in the Quran, Surah 42: 49-50:' to God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He wills; He bestows male or female, according to his will; or He bestows both males and females and He leaves barren whom He will; for He is full of knowledge and power.'

Islam is not against treating infertility, it is not seen as a defiance of God's will but to discover the truth about the capability of a couple to achieve a child (2). Infertile couples seeking treatment for their infertility are not seen as going against Islamic laws (Shariah). Moreover seeking treatment for infertility is encouraged and is necessary as it involves the procreation in the couple (3).

The process that is involved in assisted reproduction techniques often raises controversy and debate. However any opposition must not be interpreted as relating to aspects where Islam is against technological advancement, rather it aims to look at any particular aspect so that they go according to the guidelines of the Shariah (Islamic laws). According to Serour (1998) the primary sources of Shariah come from the Holy Quran, followed by the Sunnah and Hadith. Sunnah and Hadith are traditions and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is followed by the opinions of Islamic scholars and Analogy, which is reasoning to rule on events that is not mentioned by the Quran and Sunnah with equivalent events that have been ruled upon (3).

Techniques in assisted reproductive technology

Assisted reproductive technology has gone from older tubal techniques such as GIFT, TET (Tubal Embryo Transfer and PROST (pronuclear stage transfer) to more widely used uterine transfer techniques such as IVF and ICSI (4). Other sophisticated techniques have also been developed in order to achieve better pregnancy rates such as culturing embryos to the blastocyst stage and the assisted hatching of embryos.

The steps involved in a cycle of treatment such as in an IVF cycle would initially be drug stimulation of the ovaries to produce multiple follicles. Follicular aspiration is done in order to collect the oocyte. The oocyte will then be inseminated with sperm and left to fertilise. The embryos will then be cultured for a period of 2-3 days after which they will be selected based on morphology and cell counts before being transferred back to the uterus of the mother.

Another technique in assisted reproduction is the ability to biopsy an embryo and carry out analysis in order to find out the genetic structure. This process is called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). PGD involves sampling one of the blastomeres that is present in the cleaving 2-3 day embryo and screening for their genetic structure. The purpose is to screen for genetic defects that may be present in the embryo. Any embryo that does not carry genes for genetic diseases may be transferred back into the uterus.

Issues arising from assisted reproduction

Sperm donor

In infertile couples whose cause of infertility relates to the husband's condition of being azoospermic (no sperm) or other male factor infertility, an alternative approach would be to inseminate the man's wife with the sperm from a donor. In this aspect, Islam prohibits the act of insemination between the egg of a woman and the sperm of another man who is not her lawful husband.

Yusuf Al-Qarawadi (1995) addressed the issue of using sperm donors to be classified as being the equal to committing adultery and is therefore is regarded as a grevious crime and a great sin. He also emphasises on the importance of safeguarding lineage in Islam. A former head of the Al-Azhar Mosque and University, Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut as cited by Abul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim (1988) released a fatwa (religious decree) that condemns the act of donor sperm insemination and equates it to committing adultery.

Sperm cryopreservation

Cryopreservation involves freezing of semen using a cryoprotectant and storing it at very low temperatures for later use. This technique may be used for patients that have been diagnosed as having a disease where treatment from the disease may result in infertility. The sperm is processed and is kept and thawed at a later date and with the patient's consent, is used to fertilise the oocyte from the wife. This technique is legal as long as the couple is still within the marriage contract, however, the storing of the husband's sperm for the purpose of impregnating the wife in the event of his death is regarded as illegitimate as under Islamic law the event of death render's the marriage union to be void (6). This is because Shariah laws takes into account of the rights of the child for it to be reared by two parents.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

IVF involves fertilisation of the gametes outside of a woman's body. It is the preferred option for patients that present with factors such as the damage of the fallopian tubes. IVF involves several stages such as stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple oocyte, inseminating the oocyte with sperm, culturing the embryos until they have divided and finally transferring the 2-3 day post insemination embryos back to the uterus. The embryos are selected based on their ability to survive culture conditions by looking at the cell numbers present at day 2-3 post insemination and their morphology.

Looking at IVF from the Islamic angle, it is a technique that if successful may result in pregnancy for the childless couple. However a debatable issue that arise would be in the selection of embryos for transfer and the fate of the other remaining embryos. Patients may consent to discard the spare embryos or consent to freezing or cryopreservation. The advantages of freezing embryos would be that the woman might not have to undergo the drug stimulation cycle again and also to prevent the woman from experiencing the side effects of the stimulant drugs that are used.

Moral status of the embryo

Assisted reproductive technology often results in the availability of numerous spare oocytes and embryos (7) that are not transferred into the uterus of the mother. Cyropreservation (freezing) techniques are able to store embryos up to a few years which can be thawed and returned to the uterus of the mother when she decides to have a child, this process is legitimate so long as the woman from whom the oocytes were obtained is still within the marriage contract with the husband whose sperm was used to fertilise her own oocytes.

The other option for spare embryos is to be donated for research purposes. The interests of embryo research include to further improve knowledge in assisted reproduction, the diagnosis and prevention of genetic disease and development of better contraception methods (8). Embryo research for therapeutic purposes are allowed with prior consent of the couple undergoing infertility treatment (3). The embryos that have been researched upon are not to be transferred to the uterus of the mother or to any other woman.

Imam Al Ghazali in his Ihy' Ulum al Din as cited by Abul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim (1988) described human existence as occurring in stages and the first stage of existence begins with the settling of the semen in the womb and that its disturbance would be a crime. In this context, the settling of the semen in the womb can be taken as the fertilisation stage. The fertilised egg and the very early embryo are forms of life and therefore deserves to be treated with respect and as Imam Al Ghazali has stated, disturbing or in other words manipulating it can be regarded as a crime.

Surrogacy

Another alternative for spare embryos could be to donate the spare embryos to a childless couple. Surogacy involves the implantation of an embryo originating from a couple into the womb of another woman. As Islamic jurists have already ruled that the fertilisation of gametes that are from a man and a woman who are not legally married as being illegitimate, consider a situation where a legally married couple were to fertilise their gametes in vitro but have any resulting embryo transferred into the uterus of another woman. This would be illegitimate because it involves a third party to which the husband was not legally married to and would be deemed as violating Islamic Laws (Shariah) (6). Some jurists permit invitro fertilisation between the sperm from a husband and an egg that is from a legally married wife and implanted into the legally married second wife.

Conclusion

It is common to have conflicting interests and viewpoints between individuals and between different cultural backgrounds. There still exist uncertainties in some aspects of assisted reproduction such as in the area of embryo manipulation and sex selection to name a few. Some of the issues that have been highlighted in this paper have no definite ruling and if there are, is still subject to discussion and criticism. However what stands true is that Islam is a flexible religion and takes into account of the need to accommodate the necessities of life, however in attempting to obtain these necessities one should not contradict with the guidelines according to Islamic laws (Shariah) when doing so. Deeper research which lead to better understanding may be required by Muslims in areas that have no definite answer, and may we have guidance from Allah the Allmighty.

Source

Islam and IVF

I married 11 years ago. We have problems regarding having children, Allah has blessed us with a daughter through IVF. We recently contacted the doctor and he told us about a new technology known as freezing the fertilized eggs and using them months or years later, the doctors puts it back into the womb. Is this halal or haram (freezing the fertilized eggs)?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

There are different kinds of fertilization, some of which are halaal and some are haraam. The halaal types include:

(i) Where the sperm is taken from the husband and the egg from his wife, and fertilization is done externally, then the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.

(ii) Where the husband’s sperm is taken and injected into the wife’s vagina or uterus to fertilize the egg internally.

The Islamic Fiqh Council has stated that this is permissible. See the text of their statement in the answer to question no. 23104.

Secondly:

It is not permissible to keep eggs or embryos, and the fertilization of eggs must be limited to the required number so as to avoid having an excess of fertilized eggs. If there is an excess of fertilized eggs, they should be left without any care to die naturally.

That is because keeping embryos or eggs may lead to them being mixed with others as time goes by, either by mistake or deliberately, as has happened in many cases. Some of them may be taken and placed in the uterus of another woman, which leads to confusion of lineages, which is a serious evil which outweighs the interests which the couple may think are served by keeping embryos to save money and use for fertilization later on.

The Islamic Fiqh Council belonging to the Organization of the Islamic Conference has issued a statement on this matter. The text follows:

1- In the light of what has happened of the possibility of keeping unfertilized eggs to be used later on, when fertilizing eggs it must be limited to the required number for implantation each time, to avoid an excess of fertilized eggs.

2- If there are any extra fertilized eggs – for any reason – they should be left without medical care until they die naturally.

3- It is haraam to use fertilized eggs in another woman, and sufficient precautions must be taken to prevent using fertilized eggs for an illegitimate pregnancy. End quote from Majallat Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami, issue no. 7, vol. 3, p. 563.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam and genetic engineering

Responding to the topic of genetic engioneering, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states the following: One of the blessings of Islam is that it never abstracts scientific programs or narrows the scope of the mind in the field of science and technology. Unlike other religions, there is no conflict between science and religion in Islam. Christian clergy opposed scientists, thinkers and pioneers of technology that we take for granted today. Many were punished, tortured and sentenced to death.

The Qur’an shows that Allah, Almighty, bestows many gifts on mankind enabling them to discover the mysterious nature around them and to recognize the laws that control the universe. Allah Almighty also submits the whole universe with its heavens, earth, sun and moon to mankind.

Allah Almighty says: (See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favors both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a Scripture giving light.) (Luqman 31: 20)

He Almighty also says, (And in the earth are portents for those whose faith is sure. And (also) in yourselves. Can ye then not see??w (Adh-dhariat 51: 20-21)

When man’s knowledge advances, it becomes compulsory for him to deepen his faith and moral virtues. One must not go alone, doing whatever one wants, ignoring religious morals or the welfare of people in general.

The problem in Western civilization is that science is separated from religion and in some cases it fights religion.

Allah Almighty says, (And when he turneth away (from thee) his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle; and Allah loveth not mischief.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 205)

We welcome the idea of genetic engineering. It is one of the greatest discoveries of our time and is shared by many countries. Whether it is considered more important than the discovery of penicillin or man landing on the moon, we hope it is used for the benefit of humanity and that its guidelines will be according to the views of qualified jurists.

There are many benefits we can derive from this, say, for instance, in treating genetic diseases by using the effective genes to prevent harm or disease. This is something commendable in Islam according to the legal rule "Prevention is better than cure"; the rule is taken from the hadith; “There should be neither harm nor reciprocating injury.”

By this, through the assistance of such a scientific device, man will be able to prevent many diseases.