http://www.arabnews.com/?page=5§ion=0&article=99094&d=5&m=8&y=2007
Monday, 30, July, 2007 (15, Rajab, 1428)
Learning the Results of Forbidden Research
Adil Salahi, Arab News
Q. As doctors we have to study a wide range of areas and the results of
research carried out in different countries. Research in gynaecology, sexology
and human reproduction is mostly done in non-Muslim countries where experiments
are carried out on volunteers. This often involves asking unmarried couples to
copulate under controlled conditions. Such research is rarely found in Muslim
countries where it is practically impossible to find married couples who will
volunteer to go through such experiments. Thus the research involves sinful
practices, including the use of prostitutes. Since it is a rule that what is
forbidden for us, Muslims, is also forbidden for others, what is the position
of medical students who have to study such research and its results? Should
they abandon this area of their studies because the research involves
committing grave sins?
Z. Bakr
A. What God has forbidden in His final message to mankind, i.e. Islam, is
forbidden to all people. We cannot consider a sinful practice to be permissible
to people who do not believe in Islam. While we understand that they will not
abide by Islamic rules, we cannot condone their actions. However, we are not
forbidden to learn the results of their actions and benefit by such study. Take
the example of Britain where a couple of years ago public houses and other
drinking places have been allowed to open 24 hours a day. A survey has been
carried out recently about the effects of such relaxation of restrictions on
opening hours. One of the results shown by the study was that violent crime,
and crime in general, have significantly increased. Are we allowed to study the
results of such a survey? To say that we are not is bound to have negative
effects on us, society in general, and the demand for reinstating the
restrictions. Studying these results may give us information that could be very
useful in formulating public health policies.
Another example is provided by a study carried out by the UN, which
proved that male circumcision reduces the chances of contracting HIV/AIDS by 60
percent. When we learn the results of this survey, the least benefit we gain is
to strengthen our conviction that whatever Islam legislates is beneficial to
mankind.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: "Wisdom is the object a believer
always searches for. Wherever he finds it, he has the strongest claim to it."
Wisdom in this Hadith includes sound knowledge, because no wisdom can be gained
on the basis of flawed or incomplete knowledge. When we study the research done
by others, we are only benefiting by their work. We are not encouraging sinful
practices. We are gaining knowledge that we cannot otherwise achieve. Since our
intention is to learn and apply our learning to what is of benefit to people in
general, God will judge us on the basis of our intentions.
Let me give you a different example. A student of literature, in any
language, reads novels, plays and poetry. Any of these forms of literature may
include descriptions of situations that are forbidden in Islam, such as
adultery, theft, murder, etc. Often a novel succeeds on the strength of its
characterization, i.e. drawing the characters with in-depth analysis of their
feelings and the motives of their actions. Thus a writer may have to delve into
the deeper feelings of the thief, murderer or adulterer. A famous novel that
involves sketching such feelings is Crime and Punishment. Can anyone say that
reading this novel is forbidden? To say so requires citing strong evidence in
support. To argue so without evidence is to express a personal opinion, which
may be valid, but the opposite opinion may be equally valid. In other words, if
a scholar says that it should not be read because it could encourage committing
such crimes, another scholar may find it conducive to reducing such crimes
because it gives a clear message that crime is of no benefit to anyone.
The same applies to studying the results of the research cited by the
reader. If we were to ignore it, we will be deprived of knowledge that can be
of immense benefit to our society.
Moreover, medical ethics developed over the centuries. When Islamic
civilization flourished, it added to these in the light of Islamic teachings.
One of the rules adopted by Muslim doctors over the centuries, and endorsed by
Islamic scholars, is that doctors should treat patients without discrimination
on any basis, not even that of how they contracted the disease or received the
injury. In other words, if an AIDS patient comes to you for treatment, you do
not need to know how he contracted the disease before agreeing to treat him.
You administer the treatment and help him in anyway you can, even though you
are certain that he got the disease through homosexuality.
Umrah for the People of Makkah
Q. When I want to do the Umrah, while I am living in Makkah, do I have to
go to the mosque at Taneem to start my Umrah, or could I start from home?
(Name and address withheld)
A. If a person staying in Makkah wishes to do the Umrah, that person
should go to the nearest point outside the Haram area, which is known as
Taneem, and start the ihraam there. But this is done by people coming from
outside the Hil area, for whom travel is a problem. They try to take the
opportunity of their presence in Makkah to do the Umrah repeatedly. While this
is acceptable, it is not particularly recommended. They should do like the
people of Makkah, who do not go out of the Haram area to start the Umrah. In
fact the people of Makkah do not do the Umrah except on their return from
travel away from Makkah. What they can and should do is to offer the tawaf as
frequently as possible.
This is the right way. If you analyze the Umrah, it consists of four
duties, an intention, ihraam, tawaf and sa'ie. Thus, the last two are the basic
ones in performing the Umrah. The sa'ie is never offered voluntarily. It is a
duty of both the Umrah and the pilgrimage. Hence, residents in Makkah should
not go out of it in order to start a voluntary Umrah. In the time it takes them
to do it, they can perform at least three tawafs depending on how crowded the
place is. Therefore, my advice to this lady is to do the tawaf voluntarily as
often as possible, and not to do the Umrah, which is not recommended for the
people of Makkah.
Facing Fire in Prayer
Q. On one occasion, there was a power cut in the mosque just before a
congregational prayer. Someone placed a candle in front, but the imam, who was
not from our village, refused to start the prayer until the candle was removed.
He explained that it was not permissible, but he failed to provide evidence.
Could you please explain whether he was right.
Mahfuzoor Rahman
A. The imam was right in removing the candle, although the prayer would
not have been invalid if the candle remained in front of you. The ruling is
that facing a fire, of any sort, in prayer is reprehensible, or makrooh. This
is due to the fact that some groups of idolaters used to worship fire and
always prayed facing it. Therefore, it is reprehensible to place a fire in
front of us when we pray, so as to leave no chance of apparent similarity
between our prayer and what idolaters did. This applies not only to fire, but
to any aspect of idolatrous worship. It is also reprehensible to offer any
prayer at the point of sunrise, sunset and when the sun is at the highest point
in the sky. This is due to the fact that some idolater groups worshipped the
sun, and prayed at these points in time. Islam is keen that our prayer should
not resemble any idolatrous practice.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
