Cloni̇ng and stem cells i̇n Islamic Law

The people have looked for a remedy for the disease coming to existence for them and animals they have starting from existence of humanity. However, they have been involved in medical science to maintain their life better or spend longer life (deathlessness). The researches have been made on stem cell and cloning processes upon the development of medical science. Thus, biotechnological researches concerning human life and generation and environment population have come to existence. Those researches have concomitantly brought forward the bioethics discussions. The discussions with reference to those developments have started in the Islamic world upon bringing forward of the bioethics discussions. The stem cell studies and cloning studies carried-out using human embryo have caused different opinions in the Islamic world. The structures that adapt it and transform into lots of cells are called stem cell. The stem cell is separated into two including embryonic and adult cells. The embryonic stem cells are obtained by the internal cell mass in the blastocyst structure from four to five-day embryo. The adult stem cells are obtained by the tissues such as placenta, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, heart, brain, kidney, liver, pancreas, lung, skin, eye, chest, ovarium, prostate, and testicles. The stem cells play a significant role in the healing of damaged tissues. The cloning, which means obtaining new branches from the same stem and consist from the clone word, is a new living creature acquiring process by putting the body cell and DNA into the enucleated oocyte and providing development of it to divide and develop with the help of electric shock. It is carried-out in two means including nucleus transplantation and embryo separation. The cloning is made for the purpose of animal breeding, increasing the production in husbandry and using in humans' treatments. The thought of having a life of the embryo as a living creature has caused lots of discussions as a result of obtaining the stem cell and clone from the embryo and whether they gain aliveness. The states have wanted to account for this topic with the laws and regulations in their own laws, however, they could not create definition since the topic has been new. Different opinions come to existence whether using the embryo starting from the insemination moment and holding on the wall of the womb (fourth days or one hundred twenty days in advance after the insemination). Islam is a religion, which permits and encourages humans to research and make new inventions. It is stated in the relevant verse and hadiths regarding this topic that learning science of some part of the society has the characteristics of fardh. But, humans are wanted to keep away from the behaviors that shall damage their honor and dignity by reminding that humans are an honorable living creature.