Lab-grown meat is a rising trend among those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
For Muslims looking to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, however, a big question is whether or not it is halal.
So – is it?
The short answer, according to some Muslim scholars, is yes, but it depends.
Farhan Siddiqi, a graduate of Makkah’s Umm Al Qura University and the imam of Dar Al Hijra Islamic centre in the US state of Virginia, said that lab-grown meat can be halal if certain conditions are met.
“Lab-cultivated meat can be halal if the cell being cultivated is from the cow [or other animal] that has been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law,” he told The National.
For meat to be considered halal, it must meet a variety of requirements that include ensuring humane slaughter, the draining of all blood and the good health of the animal before it is killed.
[CEO of Just Meats Josh] Tetrick, recognising the importance of not excluding the world’s two billion Muslims, consulted with three Muslim scholars whose views coincided with Imam Siddiqi: cultivated meat is halal as long as the cells are harvested in a way that complies with Islamic standards.
