OIB-COSIMENA Research Colloquium on Biomedical Ethics

After learning about the underlying principles of ‘autonomy’, ‘beneficence’, ‘non-maleficence’ and ‘justice’ in biomedical ethics, attention turned to the existing challenges to develop a pluralistic approach that takes under consideration different cultural and religious contexts. Therefore, participants could delve into the central subject of Islamic bioethics, which one of the lecturer defined as “the field of study which deals with questions that concern interventions in the human body, dealing with the environment or genetic engineering, by taking Islamic tradition into account“. In presenting the field of Islamic bioethics, the successive lectures highlighted the distinctive role of International Islamic Biomedical Organizations, such as the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, founded in 1981 in Jeddah, and their contributions for the development of this field. Equally, some specificities of the Islamic approach to biomedical ethics were analysed, namely the priority of the ‘public good’, putting in contrast the ‘community’ versus ‘autonomy’ principle, while taking into consideration the successive attempts to introduce Islamic ethics-oriented on principles into the international bioethical discourse (Cf. Abdulaziz Sachedina and his book “Islamic Biomedical Ethics”). In addition to the necessary theoretical background, the series of four lectures involved the analysis of specific case-studies and the practical implications of the current debates evolving over time in this field.

Firstly, Prof. Nils Fischer, Head of the Middle East Department at Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD) and co-founder of the working group “medical ethics in Islam”, offered an accurate study of the status of the embryo in the Islamic tradition, referring to specific verses in the Qur’an, sources from the Sunna and different interpretations in the Islamic schools of law (“Madhāhib”). Among others, he recalled that in the Islamic tradition life is a divine gift and should be protected, pregnancy should not be interrupted or terminated, but is allowed under certain circumstances within a certain time, set to 120 days by the majority, and that the interruption of pregnancy is forbidden after ensoulment. In light of his study, Prof. Fischer shared some conclusive reflections, recalling that the Islamic and Middle Eastern debate on pregnancy and the status of the embryo is old, complex and rich, that the importance of this debate is not just limited to religious scholars, but also extends to medical, health, political and social scientists and philosophers and that the development of tendencies from many sides aims to unify Islamic stand points.

Further, the second lecture by Dr Bjoern Bentlage, Senior Researcher at Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, focused on “Paternity, Islamic Bioethics and the Body Politic”, shedding light on the increasing social implications from the development of Islamic bioethics as a specialised field. By referring to major case studies, especially in the context of Egypt, Dr Bentlage could argue that different strands of Islamic bioethics, namely the formulation of ethical norms by trained experts, the implementation of such norms in state and society, as well the study of these processes and discussions, have begun to align on a common trajectory towards the social and political, as ethical matters become more and more enmeshed in issues and strategies shaping the form and structures of societies. Similarly, the third lecture on “Mapping the field of Islamic Bioethics” emphasized the crucial implications of this field at the societal level, which arise in particular from technological developments in intensive care medicine, such as artificial ventilation and organ transplantation. After introducing the current debates in Islamic bioethics around abortion, genetics, end of life and global health, Dr Hadil Lababidi, lecturer for Islamic Biomedical Ethics at the University of Zurich and author of the book “Rūḥ and Nafs: From Lifebreath to Selfhood” (Rūḥ und Nafs: Vom Lebenshauch zur Selbstheit, 2023), focused on the two specific examples of abortion and artificial nutrition and hydration. Through these concrete examples, integrated with reference to specific cases and with practical questions, Dr Lababidi discussed the necessity to establish an approach that includes a feminist view, while considering the numerous benefits from scientific exchanges between medical practitioners, academic and religious scholars worldwide. As in all previous lectures, the insights presented stimulated an animated discussion in the Q&A time and in the conclusive networking dinner, which also tackled the more sensitive questions on gender identity.

Conclusive Lecture and Reflections

This rich, varied, and thought-provoking colloquium ended at the premises of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Egypt with a lecture that highlighted the interconnection of all topics extensively discussed during the previous lectures, while opening up new questions for debate.  On this occasion, Fatma Soliman, Deputy Director of the DAAD Regional Office Cairo, recalled the singularity of this event, where the discussion of highly controversial topics resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas, from which knowledge evolves. Then, in the final lecture “Equity, Justice and Climate Change”, Dr Anna M. Gade at University of Wisconsin – Madison, discussed intersections of environmental and biomedical ethics, focusing on the role of Islamic ethics in public health challenges like climate change. She highlighted her work on Muslim environmentalism and emphasised the need for practical ethics in addressing global health issues. The lecture covered various topics, including climate change, infectious diseases, land use, and resource security, highlighting Islamic perspectives and ethical considerations. The discussion emphasised the importance of ethical pluralism and Islamic ethics’ potential contribution to global environmental conversations, which she further clarified in face-to face conversations with the numerous participants wanting to interact with her during the networking dinner. This cheerful conclusive time, with numerous people from an impressively various background moving around the tables of the German Embassy’s garden and engaging in animated discussions, represented a celebration of the conclusion of a unique series, which could stimulate exchange, bridge people and create knowledge, in line with the larger scope of enhancing, not only economic and political cooperation, but also cultural, academic, educational and scientific exchange, as H.E. Ambassador Frank Hartmann highlighted in his speech concluding this successful colloquium.