Periodicum biologorum, Vol. 111 No. 3, 2009.
Esej
Human life cycle and the Beginning of Life: An Islamic Perspective
Sažetak
Although the definition of the beginning of life is rather difficult, Islamic
teachings clarify that ensoulment – occurring after 40 or 120 days
from conception – is a crucial point. However, Islam confers respect and
protection earlier to this point. The human life cycle is depicted in the Holy
Qur'an demonstrating that human life is a continuum. Along this cycle,
certain hallmark points deserve consideration as they have been referred to
in the Holy Qur'an. These include: birth, the age of viability, ensoulment
and quickening, implantation, and fertilization with genetic uniqueness.
Considering basic human rights as decreed in Islam, there is an escalation in
gaining these rights from fertilization up to delivery. Although this escalation
clarifies the absence of full human rights of a developing fetus till being
viable and born alive, it does not negate one basic right, »the right to life«,
i.e. to be protected as a potential human being with eventual full human
rights. As shown here, the close matching between Qur'an, the word of Allah,
and science, the deeds of Allah, poses no major conflicts in defining the
start of human life. The consensus is that from the moment a zygote is
formed, it deserves a unanimously recognized degree of respect. The occurrence
of ensoulment after 40 days should not be taken as a prelude to justify
unaccepted tampering with on a man-to-be developing zygote.
Ključne riječi
Islam; Qur'an; human life; start of life; birth; viability; implatation; fertilization; genetic uniqueness
Hrčak ID:
43416
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.9.2009.
Posjeta: 31.295 *