CONSIDERATION OF MA’ĀLĀT IN THE DETERMINATION OF ISLAMIC RULINGS ON CRISPR-Cas9 TECHNOLOGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22452/Keywords:
CRISPR-Cas9, human genome editing, fiqh al-ma’ālāt, active legal filter, maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, collective ijtihadAbstract
CRISPR-Cas9 technology signifies a groundbreaking advancement in human genome editing, providing substantial therapeutic benefits while presenting intricate ethical, biological, and intergenerational risks. In modern Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), it is essential to assess potential outcomes, as Shariah rulings must be meticulously aligned with the core principles of legal certainty (yaqīn) and the prevention of harm (dar’ al-mafāsid). Rather than serving as a passive balancing exercise of competing benefits and detriments, this study positions the principle of al-ma’ālāt (consideration of legal outcomes) as an active legal filter and screening mechanism within juristic deliberations. Employing a qualitative textual methodology, the manuscript delineates a systematic analytical procedure that assesses empirical clinical outcomes, differentiates non-heritable somatic cell modifications from inheritable germline alterations, and comprehensively evaluates prospective therapeutic advantages (maṣlaḥah) against both immediate and long-term genetic risks (mafsadah). Guided by the traditional legal maxim “dar’ al-mafsadah muqaddam ‘ala jalb al-maṣlaḥah” (rejecting harm takes precedence over pursuing benefit), this framework incorporates an iterative feedback mechanism involving jurisprudence specialists and scientific experts to continually reevaluate emerging empirical data, off-target mutations, and unresolved clinical risks before making legal determinations. Ultimately, the study proposes that operationalizing al-ma’ālāt as an active screening mechanism through collective ijtihad (ijtihād jamāʿī) yields a dynamic, forward-looking model of legal governance, enabling Islamic jurisprudence to provide structured, principled guidance for emerging biotechnological innovations while safeguarding the higher objectives of Shariah (maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah).
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