Issues of Islãmic Morality

The Islamic code of law is intended as a guidance for righteous conduct. It wants to ensure that a person can live a full life without loosing sight of the hereafter and emphasises the individual's social obligation. However, it cannot do away with the need for individuals and society to wrestle with their conscience in the face of new situations or difficult challenges.

As society develops, new issues may arise which need resolving. Muslims are encouraged to find answers to such problems which are in accordance with the general moral principles of Islam, but sometimes there are no clear yes and no answers, and the particular circumstances will have to be taken into account each time a decision is made. Where such issues are addressed during coursework, the student is asked to attempt to discuss these issues from an Islamic perspective and to apply the basic principles of Islam to the problem raised in the question.

On the question of suicide or euthanasia, for example, Islam's respect for life and the recognition that human life is ultimately owned by Allah who created it, means that no human being has the right to end one's own life or that of another. In the case of abortion, however, there are situations where the life of the mother has to be put before the life of the child. To protect an already established life if put at risk by a developing life whose survival is still questionable, Islam permits abortion under certain medical conditions.