Methodological and Discursive Considerations for Islamic Bioethics Research and Writing

Abstract

The past two decades have witnessed a substantial interest in Islamic bioethics research and writing. As more papers are published and a greater number of conferences are held, it is important to reflect on the concepts and concerns that frame the emerging discourse and its nascent academic literature. Accordingly, this paper begins by reflecting on the term Islamic bioethics and the motivations that spur Islamic bioethical deliberation. In so doing, it calls for paying attention to the normative and methodological implications of uniting the disparate discourses represented by the conjunctive term. To further assist consumers in distinguishing various types of Islamic bioethics research and writing, three general categories of scholarly work—Islamic bioethics, Muslim bioethics, and applied Islamic bioethics—are introduced. Next, the paper outlines several lacunae in the extant academic Islamic bioethics literature that emerge from an incomplete engagement with the foundations, elements, and nature of contemporary bioethics discourse. Finally, in order to advance the field and better engage with contemporary bioethical questions, the paper closes by underscoring the need for Islamic bioethics research and writing to become multidisciplinary and involve multilevel ethical analysis.