Human Reproductive Cloning: Theological and Ethical Implications by Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain 

Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain (Al Mahdi Institute)

Since the widely publicised announcement of the birth of the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, human reproductive cloning became a theoretic possibility that received a great deal of attention in both religious and secular settings. Reproductive cloning, which is the creation of a genetically identical human being, could potentially be used by infertile couples or by parents who have lost a child and want to have another child with the same genetics. However, most governmental and human rights organisations oppose cloning, contending that it is a violation of human dignity and integrity at both the individual and societal level.

From a religious perspective, these ethical and societal considerations are secondary to the theological problems raised by human reproductive cloning. It is only possible to move onto the ethical issues once the theological questions have been resolved. Is reproductive cloning ‘playing God’ and does it violate the creatorship of God? Furthermore, does the cloned individual have the same status conferred to human beings in the Qurʾan as the ones who were fashioned by God? This paper delves into the nature and meaning of God as the creator in the Qurʾan considering the nuances in the Qurʾanic descriptions of God. It also discusses the nature of the human soul and the notion of the soul as pure consciousness.