A review of the discussions on cultivated meat from the Islamic perspective
Mohammad Naqib Hamdan,
Rufaihah Abdul Jalil,
Mohd Anuar Ramli,
Nasiibah Ramli,
Mohd Nor Adzhar Ibrahim,
Muhamad Firdaus Ab Rahman,
Hussein ‘Azeemi Abdullah Thaidi,
Nur Najwa Hanani Abd Rahman
Affiliations
Mohammad Naqib Hamdan
Academy of Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Skudai, 81310, Malaysia; Centre of Research for Fiqh Science and Technology, Ibn Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Skudai, 81310, Malaysia; Corresponding author. Academy of Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Skudai, 81310, Malaysia.
Rufaihah Abdul Jalil
School of Applied Science, Temasek Polytechnic, 21 Tampines Ave 1, 529757, Singapore; Stem Cell Core Lab Laboratory, Healthy Longevity Translational Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Mohd Anuar Ramli
Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nasiibah Ramli
Academy of Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Skudai, 81310, Malaysia
Mohd Nor Adzhar Ibrahim
Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia
Muhamad Firdaus Ab Rahman
Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia
Hussein ‘Azeemi Abdullah Thaidi
Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia
Nur Najwa Hanani Abd Rahman
Academy of Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Skudai, 81310, Malaysia
Since the introduction of the cultivated meat burger in 2013, numerous discussions have transpired between researchers and consumers, manifesting in various forms such as academic publications, opinions on personal websites and interactions on social platforms. For Muslim consumers, a primary concern revolves around the halal status of cultivated meat, given the pivotal role of adhering to a halal diet as a divine obligation in their lives. Therefore, this article seeks to systematically review the existing literature on cultivated meat from an Islamic perspective as articulated by Muslim scholars, whether these perspectives are issued by an established fatwa organisation or representations of personal views. The sources incorporated into this analysis span from academic publications, newspaper articles, fatwa bodies, personal websites and interviews. Employing thematic analysis, five principal themes were discerned within the discourse among Muslim scholars regarding cultivated meat: (i) the ontological status of cultivated meat, (ii) the status and source of stem cells used in the cultivation process, (iii) the theological implications of cultivated meat production on altering God's creation, (iv) foundational principles for halal cultivated meat production, and (v) the contemporary necessity of cultivated meat from the perspective of al-maqasid al-shariah. It is duly recommended that international fatwa organisations such as the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) engage in discussions and deliberations on this matter of growing significance within the food industry. The fatwas and resolutions issued by IIFA are frequently cited as the most recognised authority in many Islamic countries.
