Producing parenthood: Islamic bioethical perspectives and normative implications

Producing parenthood: Islamic bioethical perspectives and normative implications

Padela, Aasim I.
Klima, Katherine
Duivenbode, Rosie

English

20200300

Biomedicine has opened up new possibilities for parenthood. Once resigned to remaining childless or pursuing adoption, infertile couples can now pursue options such as gamete donation, in-vitro fertilization, and uterine transplantation, as well as surrogacy. Muslim thinkers have viewed these strategies with both promise and caution given new types of kinship and parenthood result. By drawing upon leading medical fiqh academy resolutions this paper critically analyses Islamic normative views on the production of parenthood. We start with an overview of the Sunni rulings on gamete donation, gestational surrogacy and uterus transplantation, and the rationale and scriptural sources that undergird these moral assessments. Next, we discuss the contested relational bonds in light of larger discussions on genetics and the preservation of lineage. Finally, we comment on how scientific data, social imaginaries, and empirical gaps impact Islamic normativity regarding the production of parenthood so as to inform more holistic Islamic bioethical assessments.

2.1

2.1; 1.2; 14.1; 14.2; 14.4

biomedical technologies [pri]; Islamic ethics [pri]; reproductive technologies [pri]

bioethical issues; genetic relatedness ties; infertility; Islamic councils; Muslim religious scholars; parents; ovum donors; semen donors; sharia; surrogate mothers; transplantation; uterus

Islamic bioethics; maqasid al-shari’ah; nasab; sunni; uterus transplantation

New Bioethics 2020 March; 26(1): 17-37

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j

58 refs.

20502877 (print); 20502885 (online)