A scientific session at Egypt's 11th International Conference on Islamic Jurisprudence examined philosophical and behavioral trends the scholars argue challenge contemporary family structures. The conference, held under the theme "Globalization of Values, Intellectual Currents and Family Identity Challenges," was chaired by Abbas Shoman, secretary general of Egypt's Council of Senior Scholars.
Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Sawy, a lecturer in Islamic doctrine and philosophy at New Damietta's Faculty of Islamic and Arab Studies, presented research on post-humanism. He described the movement as seeking to transcend biological and natural human limits through technology, including genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and brain-computer interfaces, while redefining concepts such as the human body, freedom, family, parenthood, and sexual identity.
Dr. Najah Othman Abu Al-Ein Ismail, a professor of Islamic law at Damietta University's Faculty of Law, presented separate research on what he termed non-traditional sexual practices and their effect on family structures. He argued that Islamic law regulates sexual and family relations through specific rules and objectives designed to ensure family stability, and that contemporary ideological and cultural shifts have produced behaviors that fall outside frameworks established by religious law.
Sheikh Ahmed Rabee Ahmed Al-Sayed Al-Azhari, an Al-Azhar scholar and imam with Egypt's Ministry of Endowments, characterized the family as the primary institution for raising humans religiously, emotionally, ethically, and intellectually. He stated that family corruption threatens society's identity and foundational values, and called for protective measures including curriculum reform and awareness campaigns on sexual education with medical, religious and ethical dimensions.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Ahmed Al-Atiewy, a lecturer in Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University's Faculty of Sharia and Law in Tanta, presented research on what he called digital atheism. He argued that atheist groups exploit online environments to spread atheistic ideas and deviant beliefs, resulting in the corruption of young people's thinking and the collapse of families and communities.
