Q1) Is meat that is created in a lab and is synthetic meat halal?
Q2) Is meat that is created from steam cells halal
Answer
Assalāmuʿalaykum Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh
In principle, if the stem cells are extracted from an animal slaughtered in line with the Islāmic guidelines of slaughtering, it will be Ḥalāl for consumption, provided that:
- All other ingredients found therein are also Ḥalāl for consumption.
- There exists no cross-contamination with anything which is Ḥarām to consume.
The same ruling applies to lab-created/synthetic meat which is produced from cell lines of their original animals.
Since these types of meat are still developing, one should exercise caution.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
That which is Ḥalāl is clear, and that which is Ḥarām is clear, however, between that (Ḥalāl and Ḥarām) are matters that are doubtful (not clear); many of the people do not know whether it is (clearly) Ḥalāl or Ḥarām. Whoever leaves out (that which is doubtful) to protect his religion and his honor, then he will be safe, and whoever falls into something from them (doubtful things), then he soon will have fallen into Ḥarām. [Sunan Al-Tirmidhī]
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best
Wassalaam,
Ismail Moosa (Mufti)