by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Mysore, Mar 15: Leading Islamic scholars unanimously decided at the end of the three-day All India Conference on Islamic jurisprudence here on Monday March 13 to discourage Muslims from both credit card usage and taking medical insurance policy.

Khalid Saifulla Rahmani, General Secretary of the Islamic Jurisprudence Academy (India), told reporters that the scholars gave a call against the use of credit cards because that involved payment of interest, which Islam religion prohibited.

Credit cards also encouraged consumerism, which resulted in the people resorting to life beyond their means, he observed. Because of payment of exorbitant interests, the poor were being exploited apart from the fact that not only Islam religion but also other religions prohibited payment of interest, he added.

The scholars did not object to use of ATM cards or debit cards issued by the Banks, Rahmani disclosed.

Eminent subject experts in banking took part in the deliberations with the scholars during the conference before the resolutions against the use of credit cards and medical insurance were passed. They also debated on genetic research and DNA tests.

Although, the scholars expressed themselves against medical insurance, terming it as business and not service, they were in favour of the medical insurance model of Malaysia, which is permissible under Islam. That was run on trust-banking with features of both business and services, they argued.

Travel to the US

However, the scholars did not preclude taking medical insurance in the context of travel to the US, because taking that cover amounted to obeying the law of the land, Rahmani explained.

Islamic scholars were of the opinion that abortion of the foetus is permissible within 120 days of conception, if tests prove that the foetus suffers from physical and mental abnormalities that cannot be cured. He said, carrying out tests for the sake of establishing such abnormalities is permissible. "But carrying out tests to identify the gender of the foetus is not permissible under Islam. Also abortion for the sake of gender is akin to murder in Islam", he clarified.

DNA test

Islamic scholars have also opined that DNA examination to ascertain the parenthood of a child is permissible in some cases. "If the child is a victim of natural calamity and has lost contact with the parents, such tests are permissible to establish the parenthood. It is also permissible if two women stake claim to the same baby in a hospital", Rahmani said.

However, he made it clear that Islam does not permit abuse of DNA test to disturb equilibrium in society.