Since the tragic events of September 11, Islam has been under extreme criticism and scrutiny from conservative Christians, politicians, and ordinary people both Muslim and non-Muslim alike, more than any other era of its history. During this process, the core teachings of Islam have been the focus of lengthy discussions both in the print and broadcast media - mainly tainted with offensive metaphors. Most dishearteningly, its critics have repetitively branded Islam as primitive, anti-development, and out-of-touch with modern living. Muslims, on the other hand, recognize Islam as a comprehensive religion that covers all facets of human life; a religion that, while the West was enveloped in its Dark Ages, laid the foundation for scientific thought and paved the way for the scientific developments we see in the world today.
Muslim intellectuals and scholars, in addition to advocates of Islam, have for the most part focused on refuting the recent barrage of criticism by explaining the basic teachings of the religion and Islam’s contributions to Western civilizations. Although this forms a very important steppingstone for attaining a higher level of understanding of the Islamic faith, Muslims seem to be stuck on the historical rhetoric rather than dealing with contemporary social issues in science and technology that are in much need of their attention. The participation of Muslims in the controversies centering on the impact of life science technologies on human lives, morals and values remains negligible.
Islam and Bioethics
International Islamic University Malaysia
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