Beyondhalal: Maqasid al-shari'ah to assess bioethical issues arising from genetically modified crops
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2020
Abstract
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have increasingly dominated commodity crop production in the world in the endeavour to address issues related to food security. However, this technology is not without problems, and can give rise to bioethical issues for consumers, particularly Muslims. The Islamic perspective on GMOs is complex and goes beyond just the determination of whether food ishalalor not. If the food ishalal, but the process to obtain it is notthoyibban,as it is unethical, then the food cannot be permitted under theMaqasid al-Shari'ah. This paper examines ethical issues pertaining to GM crops and how the related ethical issues contradict with Islamic principles beyond the binary distinction between the contaminated and uncontaminated food. Since GM technology is a contemporary issue that may not be directly addressed in the al-Quran and Sunnah, other Islamic sources should also be referred to when drawing up this code of ethics to achieve the objective of Syariah (Maqasid al-Shari'ah).Maqasid al-Shari'ahcan be applied to frame the Islamic bioethics guideline as it is comprehensive and encompasses moral principles directly applicable to modern biotechnology. The paper subsequently explores how the principles ofMaqasid al-Shari'ahare applied in addressing these ethical issues.
Keywords
Halalan thoyyiban, Islamic, Bioethics, GM crops, Farmers' rights, Maqasid al-Shari'ah
Divisions
civil
Funders
None
Publication Title
Science and Engineering Ethics
Volume
26
Issue
3
Publisher
Springer Verlag
Publisher Location
VAN GODEWIJCKSTRAAT 30, 3311 GZ DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS