Skip to main content
Log in

Shiite Perspective on the Moral Status of the Early Human Embryo: A Critical Review

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

According to Shiite perspective, the relative inviolability of the human embryo starts at the time of implantation and attains complete ethical status at ensoulment. Different paradigms of embryology have been influential on the understanding of Shiite jurists of the relevant Qur’anic verses. This paper provides a critical review of the process of issuing religious decrees on issues related to the early human life and concludes that Shiite jurisprudence needs to obtain consistency in its adopted account of embryology and adopt a proactive approach toward the bioethical new-emerging issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my appreciation to the reviewers of the Journal of Religion and Health for their so helpful and constructive comments.

Funding

This study has not received any funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kiarash Aramesh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Aramesh, K. Shiite Perspective on the Moral Status of the Early Human Embryo: A Critical Review. J Relig Health 57, 2182–2192 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0518-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0518-6

Keywords

Navigation