Singapore: It is permissible for Muslims to consume lab-grown meat if the cells are from animals whose cells are halal and the final raw material does not contain non-halal ingredients, i.e. halal. .
Singapore’s Mufti Dr Naziruddin Mohd Nasir said the decision was an example of how fatwa research must evolve to keep pace with modern technology and social change.
He was speaking on Friday, February 2, to kick off a two-day conference on fatwa in modern society.
In Islam, a fatwa is a religious code to guide the Muslim community on various aspects of religious life and is a formal interpretation of Islamic law by a qualified religious scholar known as a mufti.
Islamic Affairs Minister Masagos Zulkifli told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting that the issue of lab-grown meat has been studied by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) since 2022, and the fatwa read: Stated. This decision by MUIS will be issued “shortly”.
“We can be one of the first countries in the world to actually lead in this field, not only in producing cultured meat, but in ensuring that the meat consumed by Muslims is halal,” he said. added.
A fatwa was then issued.
MUIS said in a Feb. 3 media release that “novel foods that can be produced in a more environmentally sustainable way compared to traditional agriculture and aquaculture offer practical and practical options that contribute to environmental sustainability. We will provide a method.”
It added that the religious guidelines were drawn up after Singapore approved the sale of cultured meat products here in 2020, which raised questions about whether consumption by Muslims was acceptable.
“There is a global momentum for alternative and sustainable food solutions. Although currently still in the development stage, new foods will eventually emerge, so there is a need to move quickly on the permissibility of consuming such foods. There is a need to have a clear religious position at this stage,” MUIS said. Said.
The conference, held at the PARKROYAL on Beach Road Hotel, was attended by approximately 400 guests, including international religious leaders, ambassadors, local faith leaders and community leaders. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat also attended.
Dr. Naziruddin, in his speech to open the conference, said religious authorities should be allowed to adjust their rulings in response to technological developments and social changes.
“Rather than harboring exclusivist views that limit who and what we cooperate with, we strive for an Islam that seeks to preserve and protect all human life and ensure all forms of well-being. We can certainly strive to do so,” said a top Singaporean Islamic leader.
One such development is the development of alternative food sources. Singapore is the first country in the world to approve the sale of artificial meat.
Dr. Naziruddin said that while some argue that there is no need for such food sources and that the Muslim community should continue to enjoy “real” food such as real meat, the MUIS fatwa committee said He said that he had carefully considered whether the meat used was appropriate. Consumption by Muslims is permitted.
Until now, there has been no Islamic ruling here on whether Muslims can consume meat grown in a lab.