Scientific Advancement, Human Welfare, and Islamic Ethical Caution: A Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah Analysis of the Hidden Harms of Modern Technology
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Authors:Md. Abu Bakkar1*
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Abstract
Technological innovation has transformed human life, yet equating technological novelty with human progress requires critical scrutiny. This study examined the ethical basis of Muslim scholars’ historical caution toward unrestricted technological adoption. A systematic literature review integrated with a maqāṣid al-sharīʿah (higher objectives of Islamic law) analytical framework examined Qur’anic verses, authenticated hadith, classical juristic writings by al-Ghazali and al-Shatibi, and contemporary Islamic juristic opinions, including the International Islamic Fiqh Academy’s 2025 resolution on artificial intelligence. Three case studies—Caesarean section, smartphone use, and artificial intelligence—were analyzed through the hierarchy of ḍarūriyyāt (essentials), ḥājiyyāt (needs), and taḥsīniyyāt (embellishments), alongside the preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property. The analysis indicates that Islamic ethical reasoning provides a coherent, textually grounded framework for evaluating innovation by weighing benefits and harms. Central to this framework are the maxims lā ḍarar wa lā ḍirār, prohibiting harm and its reciprocation, and dar’ al-mafāsid muqaddam ʿalā jalb al-maṣāliḥ, prioritizing the prevention of harm over the attainment of benefit. The analysis also identifies conceptual parallels with contemporary risk-based governance frameworks adopted by the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. The study concludes that Islamic scholarly caution is better understood as qualified, principle-based acceptance than as reflexive rejection of technological innovation. It contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue on emerging technology governance by highlighting the ethical resources available within Islamic bioethics and technology ethics.
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