Islamic and Biomedical Paradigms Harmonized: Reimagining Healthcare Delivery through Ḥifẓ al-Dīn
Aasim Padela, MD, MSc, FACEP, Medical College of Wisconsin, Initiative on Islam and Medicine
This plenary engages the biomedical and Islamic paradigms of healthcare delivery, examining how their distinct epistemologies, moral frameworks, and institutional logics intersect, diverge, and can be harmonized. While biomedical systems are rooted in Enlightenment naturalism and prioritize empirical science, Islamic approaches to health and healing are grounded in metaphysical understandings of the human being, divine purpose, and moral accountability. The talk explores multiple registers of engagement—clinical ethics, patient experiences, and system design—highlighting how Islamic commitments challenge and enrich dominant biomedical models.
Central to this exploration is the Islamic moral imperative of ḥifẓ al-dīn (preservation of religion), which offers a multidimensional framework for healthcare system design. Beyond Sharīʿah compliance, the talk argues for the development of a theology and philosophy of care that affirms worship, virtue, and spiritual healing as integral to health. Such a framework would inform policies that accommodate religious observances, support faith-based healing modalities, and cultivate care environments that nurture religious identity and practice.
Ultimately, the presentation contends that healthcare systems organized around the preservation of religion—rather than merely the preservation of life—offer a more holistic and humane model of care. These systems reflect Islamic understandings of human flourishing and provide a compelling alternative to secular biomedical paradigms, especially in Muslim-majority contexts seeking to align healthcare delivery with Islamic values.
Central to this exploration is the Islamic moral imperative of ḥifẓ al-dīn (preservation of religion), which offers a multidimensional framework for healthcare system design. Beyond Sharīʿah compliance, the talk argues for the development of a theology and philosophy of care that affirms worship, virtue, and spiritual healing as integral to health. Such a framework would inform policies that accommodate religious observances, support faith-based healing modalities, and cultivate care environments that nurture religious identity and practice.
Ultimately, the presentation contends that healthcare systems organized around the preservation of religion—rather than merely the preservation of life—offer a more holistic and humane model of care. These systems reflect Islamic understandings of human flourishing and provide a compelling alternative to secular biomedical paradigms, especially in Muslim-majority contexts seeking to align healthcare delivery with Islamic values.