This essay assesses Yassar Mustafa's paper, Islam and the Four Principles of Medical Ethics, which looks at how Beauchamp and Childress's four-principles approach (beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and autonomy) fits with Islamic medical ethics. Mustafa integrates Islamic jurisprudence (usūl al-fiqh), higher objectives of Islamic law (maqāṣid al-sharī'a), and legal maxims (qawā'id fiqhiyya) to argue that beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice align with Islamic teachings. However, autonomy is more nuanced due to Islam's emphasis on communal welfare. This commentary broadens the topic by examining fundamental themes in Islamic bioethics, such as patient-physician interactions, gender concerns, informed consent, and end-of-life care. The article's strengths include a complete theoretical foundation, allusions to the Qur'an and Hadith, and an emphasis on cultural sensitivity in healthcare. However, limitations include a lack of varied Islamic viewpoints, little consideration of growing medical concerns, and insufficient emphasis on gender and reproductive ethics. This commentary suggests broadening discussions on ethical quandaries such as euthanasia, genetic engineering, and organ donation, as well as including case studies of Muslim patients navigating medical ethics in secular healthcare systems. Mustafa's work is a significant contribution to Islamic bioethics, offering vital insights for clinicians and researchers seeking culturally sensitive medical practices.

Keywords: Islamic Medical Ethics, Four-Principle Approach, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy, Usūl Al-Fiqh, Maqāṣid Al-Sharī‘A, Justice, Cultural Sensitivity, Bioethics.

Mustafa, Y. (2013). Islam and the four principles of medical ethics. Journal of Medical Ethics, Online First.

Beauchamp, T.L., & Childress, J.F. (1979). Principles of biomedical ethics. Oxford University Press.

Kamali, M.H. (2002). Principles of Islamic jurisprudence. The Islamic Texts Society.

Sachedina, A. (2009). Islamic biomedical ethics: Principles and application. Oxford University Press.

Engelhardt, H.T. (1986). The foundations of bioethics. Oxford University Press.

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This commentary received no grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing Interests Statement:

The authors declare that they have no competing interests related to this commentary.

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The authors declare that they consented to the publication of this commentary.