TODAY-Feb 3
It will soon be permissible, or halal, for Muslims to consume lab-cultivated meat if the cells are from animals that are also halal, and the final ingredients do not contain any non-halal components. Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, the Mufti of Singapore, said that this decision is an example of how fatwa research has to evolve with modern technology and social change. He was giving a speech on Friday (Feb 2) to launch a two-day conference on fatwa in contemporary societies. In Islam, fatwas are religious rulings to guide the Muslim community on the various aspects of religious life and are formal interpretations of Islamic law by a qualified religious scholar known as a mufti. Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that the issue of lab-cultivated meat had been studied by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) since 2022, and that the fatwa for this decision by Muis will be issued “soon”. “We can be one of the first countries in the world to actually lead in this field, not only producing cultivated meat, but in also ensuring it is halal for Muslims to consume,” he added. In his speech to launch the conference, Dr Nazirudin said that the religious authorities should allow for adjustments to its rulings as technological developments and social changes take place.“We could certainly work towards an Islam that seeks to preserve and protect all human life, and secure all forms of well-being, instead of holding an exclusivist view that limits who and what we work with,” Singapore’s top Islamic leader said. One such development is that of alternative food sources. Singapore is the first country in the world to approve the sale of lab-grown meat. Read more at: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/muslims-will-be-allowed-eat-lab-grown-meat-if-its-halal-animal-cells-free-non-halal-ingredients-mufti-2355441
