hmm

Biomedical Issues: Islamic Perspective, Abul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim

I read that book, and what I got from it:

1. It discusses issues pertaining use of contraceptives, overcoming infertility and abortion from an Islamic point of view. Some methods are permitted while some aren't. Abortion is a sin, unless if it's conducted due to reasons that the pregnancy will risk the mother's life. And in some schools of thought, abortion is permissible as long as the foetus has not been ensouled. Even so, abortion should not be casually allowed as it will lead to misuse. It should only be considered as a last resort when there is no other treatment. In terms of overcoming infertility, in vitro and artificial insemination is permissible as long as the sperm involved is from the husband and not from some random man from the sperm bank. That would be considered adultery. Masturbating is wrong (obviously Islam prohibits from letting all those good stuff go to waste eh?) , unless if it's to get sperms for your wife. (okay, now this sentence sounds weird?) As for contraceptives, methods that do not involve permanent damage to one's reproductive system is allowed. Contraceptives is also not considered a sin, but it is makruh, unless if one resorts to contraceptives due legitimate reasons. Infertility is also regarded as a "disease" that needs to be cured, so, in a way, it does not interfere with God's doing.

2. Sanctity of life overrules everything else. i.e. abortion is haram, but if abortion is not conducted, and the patient will die, then in that case, abortion is not haram, but is permissible to maintain the sanctity of life.

You know what? I used to not want to get married, because well, I don't like kids and I don't like married life. Then, later on, I thought to myself, wouldn't my genetics be a waste if I didn't marry and have kids? But then again, I don't want to be married, so I thought about having an ovum bank. So, at least some other woman out there who is incapable of producing ovums can have them and my genetics are being made use of. But now that I know of this ruling, well, that idea would be far-fetched. Hey, I was a kid!

Another thing I got out of this is the question of female slaves in Islam, but I'm not going to elaborate on that. Maybe some other time. Work to do.

But I put it up as a status in FB, here are some responses:

Nawwar: sbb dulu, hamba tu di kira mcm isteri. hamba perempuan ni mcm milik laki gak laa and bawah tanggungan the man. And benda ni byk org kapiaq pertikaikan. Dia only merdeka kalau u merdekakan je. Tp dia kena ikut ckp the laki mcm bini gak. Btw, u can google it.






farhana: mane leh toksah jwb.. harith xpe la.. die bkn pompuan..nnt kte yg pompuan ni kene tanye nnt.. da bad impression da plak kat diorg x leh nk jwb.. kam, i've heard about dat before, but can u provide the ayat too.. is it from the quran... try looking at this link http://www.answering-chris
tianity.com/karim/no_rape_of_female_slaves.htm
it clears my mind a bit..

Papa: The answer is simple. We have to look at the historical context of slavery to understand. YES, during Prophet's time the master can have sex with his slave. We have to look at the history. Before Prophet's time, for thousands of years slavery was rampant and masters can do whatever they like to the slaves. Therefore, it was impossible for the prophet to outright outlaw slavery. Prophet Muhammad actually instituted an incremental change by puting various laws such as to treat the slaves (in arabic "sarriyah", sariyyah came from the root word 'sirr' means marriage) more humanely and to take responsiblities for the outcome of that intercourse. The child born out of that intercourse was considered as the master's child and had the same rights as the child born out of the legally married wife. Furhtermore, Allah and Prophet said that the best solution was to grant freedom for the slaves. 

Now let us compare with the slaves treatment in Judaism and Christianity. Let us take an example of Prophet Ibrahim. Prophet Ibrahim married Sarah but he also has a slave called Hagar (Siti Hajar). In Islam, Ismael (son of Hagar) is considered as the legitimate sone of Ibrahim whereas in Judaism and Christianity, Ismael was not considered as son to Ibrahim since Ismael from a slave mother. 

So Islam actually given certain rights to the slave during Prophet's time. Ultimately, the command of Allah to free the slaves are the best solution.

just to add additional information:

In the Quran, you can see the progression where the permission to have sex with slaves changed. Surah 70 was revealed in Mecca before Hijrah and in this surah, where the master did not have to marry the slaves to have sex. But in surah 4 which was revealed in Madinah after the Hijrah, Allah has put condition that you have to marry the slaves.