Praise be to
Allah.
We have already
discussed stem cells and the permissibility of using them for medical
treatment if their source is permissible. See the answer to question no.
108125.
With regard to
the use of these cells in the production of synthetic meat, to sum up what
we have found out about it, a group of Dutch scientists at the University of
Maastricht has been able to produce meat in the lab from stem cells taken
from the muscles of cattle, which they turned into strips of muscle tissue
that could be mixed together, using synthetic fat cells, to turn it into a
product that could be eaten. But what has been produced up till now is small
quantities that are not commercially viable.
We do not think
that we should be hasty in issuing a ruling concerning such meat, until we
know the source of the stem cells from which it is made and the nature of
substances that are added in the manufacturing process, as well as the
impact that it will have on human health. This issue should be examined by
respectable academic bodies such as the Islamic Fiqh Council, which
previously examined the issues of cloning and use of stem cells.
And Allah knows
best.