Islamic Perspectives on Vulnerable Groups

Abstract

The paper briefly introduces the question of human rights in Islamic tradition and examines how the tradition treats four major vulnerable groups. First, the paper shows how juridical interpretations of the timing of God´s infusion of the soul greatly influence the legal status and vulnerability of children before and after birth. Second, the paper constrasts the perspectives of the “Western” and Islamic bioethics traditions regarding a woman´s “informed consent.” Third, it shows how Islamic tradition regards disability neither as a blessing nor a curse, but rather as a morally neutral and inevitable part of the human condition. Finally, the paper looks at three main aspects related to the vulnerability of the elderly: palliative care, hospices and the dying process.