Religious Grounds in Judaism and Islam for Performing Autopsies

Abstract

This article examines the challenge post mortem examinations imply for religious beliefs with respect to how the human body shouldbe treated. The debate practices of this type have sparked among believers of both faiths is used as an example to show how the roleof medicine is regarded in Jewish and Islamic law (Halakhah and Sharia) and the respective provisions concerning death and burialrituals. The efforts of both religions to integrate the positive aspects of autopsies, while limiting their use and extension to certainspecific circumstances, are analyzed as well. In doing so, the objective is to demonstrate that medical ethics should take into accountissues such as the patient’s religious beliefs. The authors also attempt to show that religions are dynamic systems capable of adaptingto the changes in contemporary societies.