Islamonweb

Article Reviewed:
Muhsin, S. M., Abdul Jalil, Mohd. N., Al-Akiti, M. A., Duriat, F., Ahmad, M. F., & Chin, A. H. B. (2024). Synthetic Human Embryos, Embryo Models and Embryo-like Structures in Islam. Theology and Science, 22(4), 790–815. https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2024.2399902

The development of synthetic human embryos which are structures created from stem cells without using sperm, eggs, or fertilization has made a breakthrough in both developmental biology and reproductive science. This has raised deep ethical, legal, and spiritual questions and concerns. For the global Muslim population of over 1.9 billion, these technological advancements provoke essential reflections on human identity, lineage, divine creation, and fate which is the core concerns within Islamic theology and jurisprudence.

This topic demands urgent attention. While research on synthetic embryos progresses around the world, Muslim scholars, healthcare professionals, and lawmakers are in need of clear understanding in addressing these new realities that classical Islamic law never anticipated. This challenge calls for ijtihad. The outcomes of this effort will contribute not just for scholarly debates, but affecting medical practices, legal definitions of family and lineage, and everyday ethical decisions in clinics and homes.

Explanation of terms:

• Synthetic Human Embryos: Lab-created cellular structures that mimic early human embryos, derived from reprogrammed stem cells rather than fertilization.
• In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG): The process of creating sperm or eggs from stem cells in a lab-raising questions about “lab-grown parenthood” and lineage clarity.
• Chimeric Embryos: Organisms or tissues containing cells from two or more genetically distinct individuals (or species), challenging notions of biological unity and identity.
• CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats): A gene-editing technology enabling precise DNA modifications, used in embryos to prevent disease or enhance traits. This raise concerns about “playing God” and altering creation (taghyir khalq Allah).
• iPSCs (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells): Adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic-like state, avoiding the need for natural embryos but creating ethical questions about cellular “reversion” and potentiality.

SUMMARY

 This article examines the bioethical implications of Synthetic Human Embryos, Embryo Models and Embryo-like structures from a Sunni Islamic perspective. The key finding for the application of synthetic human embryos could be classified into two: the reproductive and non-reproductive applications. The former violates not just the Islamic principles, protection of progeny (Hifz al-Nasl), as it is considered similar to human cloning, but also protection of religion and dignity (Hifz al-Din wa Hifz al-Ird. However, the latter application like tissue/organs replacement, as a laboratory model and testing platform seems to align with Shariah objectives.

This study evaluates the Islamic bioethics through the concept of Maqasid al-Shariah and Islamic legal maxims, which are: Qaṣd (intention), Yaqin (certainty), Ḍarar (injury), Ḍarurah (necessity), and Urf (local customs). Then, the article moves to the discussion of human embryology in Islam which highlights the ensoulment that take place at 120 days after fertilization; and the controversial issues of the synthetic human embryos, which summarised into the control of Allah’s divine creatorship, the prohibition of altering His creation, the violation of sanctity of human procreation and dignity, and disruption to the lineage.

Then, the discussion brings back to the use of synthetic human embryos for reproductive applications. The researchers unveil the five reasons for its usage: infertility treatment, posthumous reproduction, germline editing for disease prevention and enhancement, and Chimeric Synthetic Embryos from stem cells. The two applications for non-reproductive uses are to generate immunocompatible tissues/organs, modelling development and testing platforms, which are deemed permissible for now.

 PRESENTATION STYLES

The article has clear hierarchical organization which starts with introduction, distinguishing synthetic human embryos, the Islamic ethical perspectives, the reproductive application and non-reproductive application. Additionally, the researchers structured this article within the Islamic legal and ethical framework which draws on Maqasid al-Shariah, Islamic legal maxims and opinions from Sunni Jurists.

The style of presenting ideas in this article is expository. For example, the researchers begin by highlighting the gap “which were not explicitly addressed by earlier scholars”, then, they analyse the two reasons for primary infertility: “the inability to produce functional sperm/eggs and the absence of a functional womb”. It also relies on fact of Sunni jurists’ conditions for this treatment and evidences from verses of Quran and Hadith. Next, the explanation progress thorugh the lens of Maqasid al-Shari’ah: Hifz al-Nafs and Hifz al-Nasl[i].

This article also uses a lot of comparative styles when the researchers compare between synthetic human embryos and embryo-like[ii], synthetic human embryos and human cloning[iii], synthetic human embryos and Gametogenesis (IVG)[iv], germline gene editing with CRISPR technology by conventional IVF and by induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)[v], opinion for transgender marriage between Sunni scholars and Shia clerics[vi]. The main comparison could be seen in Table 1 where the study summarises the application of synthetic human embryos and its compliance with the objectives of Islamic Law[vii].

Furthermore, this study uses question-answer format which helps structured the ideas and improve clarity of the discussion. It can be seen throughout the discussion. To illustrate, the researchers present three questions:

“(i) Can the stem cell donor be considered a father, mother, or sibling? (ii) Without having two parents of the opposite sex in the form of a father and mother, who is this individual, and to which lineage does he/she belong? (iii) Can multiple clones born from synthetic embryos be considered siblings if they do not have a father and mother in the first place?” [viii]

These questions are then followed by answer in a paragraph. The writing in this article also uses bullet points style when discussing the seven controversial issues pertaining to synthetic human embryos[ix]. The last part of article discusses the application of synthetic human embryos in a case-based format where it is divided into specific sections for infertility treatment, posthumous reproduction, genome editing, organ/tissue generation and laboratory research[x]. In these sections, the researchers explain the scenarios like the married couple that considering synthetic embryos, then applies the Islamic legal principles, and ends with the outcomes or conflicts that will happen.

CRITICAL REVIEW

This article has effectively bridge between Islamic jurisprudence, bioethics and developmental biology. This interdisciplinary explanation can be seen throughout the whole explanation. In Table 1, the researchers have provided a clear structured Maqasid al-Shariah framework to evaluate each synthetic embryos application. This study engages directly to some Islamic references like Quranic verse, Hadith, the opinions of scholars like Ibn Hajar al-Haytami[xi], and some opinions from contemporary scholars. Additionally, this study also has a clear ethical framework used, which are the Islamic legal maxim: harm, necessity, dignity and public interest. This is a well-written article but the explanation is quite challenging for beginner or someone that is not from the field. Having a graph chart or some illustration could really help improve the understanding.

When discussing whether this synthetic embryo violate the sanctity of human procreation, this article highlights the counter arguments of Allah’s creation in pair that there occurs in Quran “in the cases of Adam and Hawwa and the miraculous birth of Prophet Isa without a father” but in these sanctioned miracles it doesn’t disrupt the lineage[xii]. The author notices an inconsistency in the moral status of embryos between reproductive and non-reproductive application. How could the same entity hold a high moral status as having a potential of being a person and also like a cluster of cells or research tool when discussing the non-reproductive application? Examples of the high moral status mentioned: “designer babies”, “whether the child born of a synthetic embryo is a sibling or offspring of the cell donor”[xiii], “that could result in an intersex or hermaphroditic child”, and “the lineage of the perspective child born from a synthetic chimeric human embryo is contentious and will be questionable”[xiv]. However, for non-reproductive application it has lower moral concern due to the future uncertainty that it can fully generate like the natural embryo. In the author’s opinion, in the Chimeric Synthetic Embryos section the discussion could elaborate more on the reproductive pathways for intersex couples according to opinions of Islamic scholars or school as the researchers state that this method will lead to many problematic issues.

CONCLUSION

The article "Synthetic Human Embryos, Embryo Models and Embryo-like Structures in Islam" is an important read in the area of Islamic bioethics. The researchers have done a great job of applying key Islamic ideas like Maqasid al-Shariah and Qawa’id Fiqhiyyah to this groundbreaking science. They remind us that in Islam, science and faith aren’t enemies but they actually go hand in hand and need to be carefully balanced.

This article treats synthetic embryos differently depending on how they’re used, not what they actually are. For things like having children, there are serious concerns about lineage, family ties, and the sacredness of life. Yet, when it comes to research or growing organs, the article seems much more flexible as it is not proven yet to be able to generate like natural embryos. This raises a question from an Islamic law point of view. Is it okay to see the same thing as a potential human in one situation, but just a science experiment in another, just based on what we want to do with it? The article points out this question about whether synthetic embryos count as people and if it’s okay to destroy them.

From a Fiqh perspective, the article’s main point is how it ties this new science to the bigger goals of Islamic law. It covers interesting topics like having children after someone’s passed away, genetic enhancements, and mixing human and animal embryos, which helps show how Islamic principles can handle high-tech issues.

The article doesn’t claim to have all the answers, and no one really can yet since this science is so new. Instead, it plays an important role by asking the right questions in an Islamic context. It calls on scholars, scientists, ethicists, and policymakers to start talking and work together on guidelines that make sense. As this technology moves out of labs and closer to real use, this conversation needs to shift from theory to real rules. This article in overall has lays down a good starting point but leaves plenty to figure out. It shows that Islamic bioethics can keep up with science, yet there’s a need for clearer moral thinking, and closer teamwork with scientists. The way forward isn’t about fearing or blindly accepting new technology but using ijtihad, the careful and ongoing effort in Islamic law, to make sure we respect both ethical values and spiritual beliefs as science moves forward.

About the author:

Nazratul Huda is a postgraduate student in the Department of Fiqh and Usul al-Fiqh at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), where she also completed a BA in Arabic Language and Literature. Her academic interests center on contemporary Islamic thought, with a focus on bridging the classical Islamic jurisprudence and its application to modern challenges. 

Reference:

[i] Muhsin, S. M., Abdul Jalil, Mohd. N., Al-Akiti, M. A., Duriat, F., Ahmad, M. F., & Chin, A. H. B. (2024). Synthetic Human Embryos, Embryo Models and Embryo-like Structures in Islam. Theology and Science, 22(4), 790–815. https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2024.2399902

[ii] Ibid, pp 1.

[iii] Ibid, pp 2.

[iv] Ibid, pp 13.

[v] Ibid, pp 16-17.

[vi] Ibid, pp 19.

[vii] Ibid, pp 4-5.

[viii] Ibid, pp 12.

[ix] Ibid, pp 10-13.

[x] Ibid, pp 13-20.

[xi] Ibid, pp 15.

[xii] Ibid, pp 12.

[xiii] Ibid, pp 14.

[xiv] Ibid, pp 18.