D.

Wirawan
Biotechnology of Cloning in view of (Sharia) Islam
Introduction
Human being is a gods most perfect creation, given the reasonable
mind, intellectual and ambition that can be used by human to develop
its potential to live in this world. With the mind, intellectual and the
ambition, they always wanted to develop and improve the quality of
human

life.

One

of

the

most

sophisticated

example

of

great

development in this world is the development of technology. Where the

main benefit that we will get from this kind of technology is to help and
improve the quality of human life in order to be more comfortable, more
enjoyable and satisfying.
Technological developments on biotechnology, especially in the field of
cloning has been developed with great success, for example dolly the
sheep as the first cloned mammal in 1998 in Scotland. In this paper, I
want to explore the technology of cloning from the perspective of
Sharia Islam. There are many article and work regarding the discussion
of technology of cloning from the perspective of law and ethics, but few
from the religion perspective, especially in Sharia Islam. The main
reason is because I am originally from Indonesia, one of many country
which its law influenced by the perspective of Islam. The instruction
which regulate Muslim people everyday activity of life is called Sharia
(Islamic law).
Islam has always been at the viewpoint where the human being are
entitled and even obliged to improve and increase the knowledge in any
field, including technology and science fields. There is a hadith from
Prophet Muhammad, who ordered the people of Muslim to get treated
when they got sick (nowadays when we sick we should go to the
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doctor), and also to learn and study how to cure or find cures for all
disease. This statement, however, in terms of learning and increasing
the knowledge in this regard, there are things that are less aligned with
the teaching of the religion, which is prohibited in Sharia Islam. This
topic, technology of cloning, has presented an ethical and religious
problem and been debated contentiously and broadly in all sectors of
human society.
Reproductive Cloning and Therapeutic Cloning
Cloning can be defined as the asexual production of genetically identical
organism or cell lines. It is a technique to produce a genetically identical
copy of an organism by substitute the nucleus of an unfertilized ovum
with the nucleus of a body cell from the organism1. Cloning itself has
many branch of programs, but the very popular are reproductive
cloning and the therapeutic cloning.
In reproductive cloning, once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable
stage, it is implanted in a female uterus for pregnancy. Usually the
cloned embryo should grow up for 14 days before it can be implanted
into the womb to grow until birth. However, in therapeutic cloning, the
process of the cloning is the same, but the purpose is only to acquire
the stem cells. The cloned embryos only allowed to grow for a few days,
it is not allowed to live beyond 4-5 days.
In 1997, there was a product of a successful cloning of the sheep called
dolly, created by the team at the Roslin Institute, which originally born
on July 1996. This event created the worlds attention and triggered a
great debate among scientists, ethicist and politicians in the world. The
first reaction came from the circles of the scientific, Dr. Hiroshi
Nakajima, Director General of the World Health Organization, stated that
1 L.R. Sanchez-Sweatman, Reproductive cloning and human health: an ethical, international, and
nursing perspective, 2000, p. 29.

the use of cloning for the replication of human beings, ethically

unacceptable2. Even that Bill Clinton, former of president of the United
States of America, was quoted as saying, There is virtually unanimous
consensus in the scientific and medical communities that attempting to
use cloning techniques to actually clone a human being is untested and
unsafe and morally unacceptable3.
Is reproductive cloning morally and ethically unacceptable? What is the
benefit and disadvantage if in the near future scientist can successful to
develop or produce a human/reproductive cloning? Mostly people agree
that human cloning is against God, where creating a human being from
a clone is to break the laws of nature. The possibility for creating the
mass production of human beings. We cannot really imagine that there
will be the prospect of mother-daughter or father-son twins or maybe
the production of a replacement for a dead son4. The most frightening
role is that with this kind of technology, there is even a possibility that
man can be a role for playing God.
This is the normal process of how human being is born:

Copyright reserved to: Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin

And this is the cloning process of how human cloning being produce:
2 Frey & Wellman, A Companion to Applied Ethics, Malden, 2003, p. 384-85

3 Ibid.
4 Amy Logston, The Ethics of Human Cloning, 1999, p. 13
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Copyright reserved to: Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin

There is a say that with the technology of reproductive cloning, it will

helps the infertile couple to have children. With this kind of technology,
will the result of the cloning can be categorized as their child? I can
answer this question easily, the baby will not originally their children,
but one of themselves in an early step of baby stage.
An activist of social people gave argument that human cloning will
affect to the parental system, because the result of the cloning
particularly in human cloned will change the shape of the family
structure. They also opined that human cloning will lead and definitely a
violation to human dignity.
Even from the successful creator of Dolly the cloned sheep, Sir Ian
Wilmut, an English embryologist and chair of the Scottish Centre for
Regenerative Medicine5, opposed to human cloning and stated that: we
think it would be ethically unacceptable and certainly would not want to
be involved in that project6.

5 http://www.shawprize.org/en/shaw.php?tmp=3&twoid=49&threeid=56&fourid=72&fiveid=14

6 Ibid

What we can achieved from Cloning

Technology of reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning, can give the benefit especially
in the medical area. Below is several benefit from the technology of cloning:
1. With the technology of cloning, will give the chance to infertile couple to have
children;
2. Organ of the human from the result of the cloned, can be selectively used for
replacement of damage human organ;
3. The cells can be cloned and regenerated to replace damage tissue in the human
body, such as nerve and muscle tissue. However, with this kind of probability,
therefore in the future, it would be possible to have a market for buying and selling
embryos and cloned cells;
4. Technology of cloning allows medical scientists to generate and destroy cells in
human body. Therefor it may be possible with the method of this technology, we
has the chance to cure cancer. In addition, there is an optimism that someday, we
can delay the aging process using the technology of cloning;
5. Technology of cloning also expected by the scientist to cure hereditary diseases7.
And below is the several negative effect from the result of cloning according to George
Annas (a practice medical lawyer from university of Boston):
1. Human cloning will destroy the human civilization;
2. Human as the object of the cloning experiment;
3. The product of the human cloning is possible to be produce anytime by abusive
people. This condition will lead to negative impact on human values held by human
cloning.
4. It is mostly possible that the production of human cloning will only using from the
seed/cells/DNA from certain privileges. It will be impossible to create human
cloning from a normal or weak seed/cells/DNA. For example cloning from the
seed/DNA of Einstein, Beethoven or other great figures. This kind of condition will
lead to a feeling of domination by the product of human cloning, and it mostly
possible that they may have the chance to rule and dominate the original human
being8.
7 Abraham, Hukum Kloning Dalam Perspektif Agama Islam, January 2011, p. 3-4.
8 Muchamad Sholakhuddin, Kloning Dalam Syaria Islam, 2010.

There are many other negative effects coming from the human cloning, such as in ethical
concerns that (i) physical harms: said that before Dolly was created, the procedure and the
experiment took 277 attempts before it was succeed. From this experience, imagine what
would be if that procedure was human cloning, there would be 277 of human embryos will
be destroyed just for the experiments; (ii) from the psychological harms which stated in
National Bioethics Advisory Commission 1997: there is a worriedness that human cloning
will violate uniqueness and dignity. The genetic twins, product of the human cloned who
is identical to older living donor person, may be viewed as less than unique. The genetic
twins know that there is another living person who already lived his/her life. This will lead
the genetic twins to not having desire and willingness to live his/her life as usual or normal
human being9.
Given the advantage and the negative effects of the human cloning, is there any scientist
who currently creating or trying to cloned humans? I believe the answer is yes, but
according to the current law and critique comes from many country, the scientist will be
very discreet about the research and activity of human cloning. The first creation of human
clone was in 1998, it was called hybrid human clone, created by Advanced Cell
Technology. The process of this project stated in the BBC news a nucleus was taken from
a mans leg cell and inserted into a cows egg from which the nucleus had been removed,
and the hybrid cell was cultured, and developed into an embryo. However the embryo then
destroyed when it was reached 12 days, before normally implant into the female human
body on the fourteenth day10.
In 2004, there was a Korean scientist at Seoul University as the first researchers who made
public of its research about human cloning. The information as stated in the New York
Times news, They removed the nucleus from 242 donated eggs and fused somatic cells
with the eggs to yield 30 cloned embryos11. In 2006, there was an evidence proving that
9 World Health Organization, 1997.
10 BBC News, "Details of hybrid clone revealed". June 1999.

11 Kolata, Gina, Scientist Create Human Embryos through Cloning New York Times, February 2004.

the research and experiment of the human cloning from this Korean scientist was
fabricated12.
There were other scientists, in 2008, Dr. Samuel Wood and Andrew French announced that
they successfully created the first five mature human embryos 13. In 2011, scientist at the
New York Stem Cell Foundation succeeded in generating embryonic stem cell lines 14. In
2013, team scientists of Shoukhrat Mitalipov who succeeded in cloning adult cells15.
Islamic Perspective
From above benefits and negative effects also with the example of development of human
cloning, what is the reaction comes from the Islamic perspective about the human cloning?
Abdul Aziz bin Baz, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia stated in the Al-Muslimun
newspaper that there is no truth to human cloning, and one is not permitted to carry it
out16. Moreover in Egypt, there is a regulation that will executed anyone who involved
themselves in the research or activity related to the human cloning scientific procedures.
All of these critiques is because the people of Muslim believe that Islam controls their
actions in both spiritual and daily activity of life. Islam is defined as submission to the will
of God (Allah), to obey his commands and avoid what He prohibited. Quran and hadith

12 Kennedy Donald, Responding to Fraud, 2006

13 French AJ, Development of Human Cloned Blastocysts Following Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
With Adult Fibroblasts, 2008, p. 485

14 Noggle S, Human Oocytes Reprogram Somatic Cells to a Pluripotent State, 2011, p. 70

15 Chung YG, Human Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Using Adult Cells, 2014

16 Awdatullay, Riyad Cloning within the Balance of Islam, Amman: Dar Asamah Publications,
2003.
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(saying and actions of the Prophet Muhammad) is the primary source of the law in Islam
law17.
There is a quote in the Quran explaining that the new creation of human life exist only
after the some stage of embryonic development, not in the time of fertilization:
Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay). Then We placed him as a drop
(Nutfa) in a place of rest firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into a clot that clings
(alaqa). Then out of that We made a chewed lump (mudgha). Then We made out of
that lump bones and clothed the boned with flesh. Then out of that We developed
another creature. So blessed be God the best to create 18.
This verse explained that the human is prohibited to make any activity related to creation
of life of the human being. From the beginning of life until the moment of death,
everything is an act of God. All forms of such similar actions is considered as an act of
against the way of Islam.
Does the cloning mean creating, so that can be defined as challenging the belief that God is
the only Creator? Practically, cloning does not mean as creating like the Gods do, but it is
only how the scientist make a good use of the knowledge and implemented the process
using the help of the technology. Conversely, Ghaly stated in his article that: human
cloning is contrary to the normal course of human reproduction as known since the dawn
of humanity19.
Knowing that the human cloning is prohibited in many perspective especially in Shariah
Islam, is it still possible to develop the technology of cloning? In Islam, the term in
17 Hossam E. Fadel, Developments In Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Cloning: Islamic Ethical
Positions, A Review, 2010, p. 129.

18 Glorious Quran, Yusuf Ali, tr., ch. 17, verse 70.

19 Mohammed Ghaly, Human Cloning through the Eyes of Muslim Scholars, March 2010, p.
23.
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acquiring of knowledge is like a form of worship. Doing research in the way of Islam, must
always be accordance to the broad ethical base set forth in the Quran and the sunnah
Rassul. Regarding to the development of the technology of cloning, Muslim scientists and
religious scholars from the whole Muslim world held two large scale conference in 1997.
The first conference was held in Casablanca. Morocco (14 17 June 1997) and the second
conference was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (27 june 3 July 1997). The Casablanca
conference was attended by 83 (eighty-three) persons, which in this conference discussed
about the issue of cloning not only from religios perspectives but also from the biomedical,
philosophical, social, psychological, and legas perspectives 20. The Jeddah conference was
attended by 24 (twenty-four) persons, which in this conference discussed about the issue of
cloning from a religious perspective and the others from a scientific viewpoint21.
In both conference, the result of the discussion regarding the technology of cloning is
stated that:
1. Cloning does not bring into question any matter of Islamic belief. Allah is the
Creator of the universe but He has established the system of cause-and-effect in this
world. Just as a person sowing a plant seed is not the creator of the plant, so the
cloning technician is not the creator of the resulting organ or animal;
2. Islam would not oppose the use of cloning to produce healthy body parts or organs
needed to heal sick individuals. Cloning specific human parts such as heart and
kidneys, for the purpose of treatment is permitted, recommended;
3. It is false to say that cloning is an attempt to intervene in the Divine Creation.
Researchers have not invented new laws, but have rather discovered new ways of
relating to the development of organisms, just as they discovered the process for invitro fertilization and organ transplantation. We must emerge from the dark ages to
which science is an anathema;
4. Human beings can actively engage in furthering the overall well estate of humanity
by intervening in the works of nature, including the early stages of embryonic
development to improve human health;
5. Islam is not against technological advancement that benefits humanity, it prohibits
only those negative elements that lead to negative consequences. Cloning for the
20 Dr. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study, 2003. P. 247

21 Ibid.
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treatment of illnesses is beneficial and does not contravene Islamic principles.

Human cloning is prohibited. It can lead to disfigurations and monstrosities22.
The discussion on these two conference was focused on the issue of cloning from the
perspective of sharia Islam.

The result is clear that Islam never opposed to the

development of science, moreover if the purpose is on the benefits of humanity, for curing
disease, and to heal sick individuals. However, technology cloning meant and allowed by
Islam is the therapeutic cloning, not the human cloning or reproductive cloning.
Therapeutic cloning is different with the reproductive cloning, where the reproductive
cloning has the purpose for the embryo to be develop into a full human being, therapeutic
cloning has the purpose for the resultant embryo (its stem cell would then be extracted and
encouraged) to grow into a piece of human tissue or a complete human organ for
transplant. The point is that the embryo would not be develop into a human being, but it
would be a replacement organ, or piece of nerve tissue, to later on can be useful to replace
the damage organ in the human body23. If the donor of the cells come from the patient
itself, then the result of the therapeutic cloning that is the transplanted tissue will not be
subject to rejection, as it has the same DNA as the patient24.
The Muslim World Leagues Islamic Jurisprudence Council issued a fatwa (religious
opinion) regarding the use of stem cell in therapeutic cloning, where the main point of the
fatwa is that therapeutic cloning is allowed if meets the requirements of:
1. If the donor is adult people, it is allowed if they give the permission and it does not
cause any harm on them;
2. If the donor is children, it is allowed if their guardian give the permission, and it
does not cause any harm on them;
22 Islamic Fiqh Council, Conference on cloning organized in Casablanca (Morocco) and Jeddah (Saudi
Arabia), 1997. The decision can be seen on this link:
http://www.icoi.net/khutbah/cloning_of_the_human_embryo

23 Ontario Consultant on Religious Tolerance, Therapeutic Cloning: How it is done and possible
benefits, 2000.

24 Fadel, op. cit. p. 133

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3. If it is placenta or umbilical cord blood, it is allowed if the parent give the

permission25;
Conclusion
Biotechnology in cloning sector is a topic that will have endless debate regarding whether
it is allowed of not. Human or reproductive cloning is indeed prohibited in many view,
such as ethical, social, and religious. Reproductive cloning has the benefit to help infertile
married couples to have a child, but this result will not give the child they desire. We as
human must not play God by creating life or human being by using the technology of
science. It is the one and only rights for God to give souls to human body. As stated in the
Quran verse: Allah is the Creator of all things: One, the Supreme and Irresistible
(13:16)26. In the other hands, therapeutic cloning, is a very promising field of technology in
science. It potentially holds the promise of a cure for many incurable disease like Cancer,
and to replace the damage organ. Although therapeutic is allowed in Sharia Islam,
considering its benefit that we may achieved. We must assure its safety on the procedure,
for example clinical trials that will show if the treatments are effective and safe, before it
can be implemented in the real practice of medical treatment.

25 Muslim World League, Islamic Jurisprudence Council Conference, 2003, fatwa No. 3.

26 Glorious Quran, I-rad, ch. 13, verse 16

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abraham, Hukum Kloning Dalam Perspektif Agama Islam, January 2011, p. 3-4.
Available on this link:
http://abraham4544.wordpress.com/umum/hukum-kloning-dalam-perspektif-agama-islam/
Amy Logston, The Ethics of Human Cloning, 1999, p. 13, available on this link:
http://www.shawprize.org/en/shaw.php?
tmp=3&twoid=49&threeid=56&fourid=72&fiveid=14
Awdatullay, Riyad Cloning within the Balance of Islam, Amman: Dar Asamah
Publications, 2003.
BBC News, Details of Hybrid Clone Revealed. June 1999, available on this link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/371378.stm
Chung YG, Human Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Using Adult Cells, 2014
Dr. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study, Part 1, Sarup
& Sons, 2003. P. 247
French AJ, Development of Human Cloned Blastocysts Following Somatic Cell Nuclear
Transfer With Adult Fibroblasts, 2008, p. 485
R. G. Frey & Christopher Heath Wellman, A Companion to Applied Ethics, Blackwell
Companions to Philosophy, Malden, 2003, p. 384-85
Hossam E. Fadel, Developments In Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Cloning: Islamic
Ethical Positions, A Review, 2010, p. 129.
Glorious Quran, I-rad, ch. 13, verse 16
Glorious Quran, Yusuf Ali, tr., ch. 17, verse 70.
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Islamic Fiqh Council, Conference on cloning organized in Casablanca (Morocco) and

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), 1997. The decision can be seen on this link:
http://www.icoi.net/khutbah/cloning_of_the_human_embryo
Kennedy Donald, Responding to Fraud, 2006, available on this link:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/314/5804/1353.citation
Kolata, Gina, Scientist Create Human Embryos through Cloning New York Times,
February 2004.
L.R. Sanchez-Sweatman, Reproductive cloning and human health: an ethical,
international, and nursing perspective, 2000, p. 29.
Mohammed Ghaly, Human Cloning through the Eyes of Muslim Scholars, March 2010,
p. 23.
Muchamad Sholakhuddin, Kloning Dalam Syaria Islam, 2010.
Muslim World League, Islamic Jurisprudence Council Conference, 2003, fatwa No. 3.
Noggle S, Human Oocytes Reprogram Somatic Cells to a Pluripotent State, 2011, p. 70
Ontario Consultant on Religious Tolerance, Therapeutic Cloning: How it is done and
possible benefits, 2000.

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