In 2025, food tech has officially gone mainstream — and one question keeps popping up across Muslim communities worldwide:
“Is lab-grown meat halal or haram?”
Whether it’s out of religious duty, ethical awareness, or simple curiosity, more Muslims are paying attention to what they eat — and how it’s made. Lab-grown meat, also called cultivated or cell-based meat, has become one of the most discussed food innovations this year. But does it align with Islamic dietary laws?
Let’s break this down in plain terms, so you can make your own informed choice.
🔍 What Exactly Is Lab-Grown Meat?
Instead of slaughtering an animal, scientists now take a small sample of animal cells (usually muscle tissue) and grow them in a controlled lab environment. The result? Real meat — without the farm, the slaughter, or the environmental damage.
It looks, cooks, and tastes like traditional meat because it is meat — just grown differently.
Sounds futuristic? Maybe. But it’s already being served in restaurants in Singapore, the US, and the UAE. In fact, 2025 is the year lab-grown meat went public in many Muslim-majority countries.
🕌 So… Is It Halal?
✅ The Short Answer:
Yes, lab-grown meat can be halal — but only if certain Islamic conditions are met.
And that’s not just opinion — it’s backed by recent rulings from respected Islamic scholars.
In May 2025, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) released a statement confirming that cultivated meat is halal under strict guidelines (source).
📜 What Conditions Make It Halal?
According to Islamic scholars and halal certification bodies, the following conditions must be met:
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The original animal (used for the cells) must be halal — e.g., cow, chicken, lamb.
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That animal must be slaughtered according to Islamic law.
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The growth medium (what feeds the cells) must not include haram substances, like blood or serum from animals not slaughtered Islamically.
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The final product must be free of alcohol, pork, or impure contaminants.
If these conditions are respected, lab-grown meat is considered tayyib (pure) and halal.
⚠️ But Be Cautious…
Just because something is “cultivated” doesn’t automatically make it halal.
Some companies use fetal bovine serum (FBS) as a growth medium — which is usually derived from unborn calves and often not slaughtered in a halal way. Unless they switch to plant-based or halal-certified alternatives, the meat would not qualify as halal.
This is why transparency matters. If the producer doesn’t share exactly how their meat is made, it’s better to be cautious.
🧠 What Do Muslim Scholars Say?
The IIFA fatwa, issued in Doha in 2025, offers the clearest stance so far. They said:
“Cultivated meat is permissible under Islamic law, if the source cells and the cultivation method are both halal and free from impurities.”
– International Islamic Fiqh Academy (source)
This view is also supported by scholars from Singapore’s MUIS, Indonesia’s MUI, and scholars in the UAE and UK.
However, other scholars urge caution and recommend waiting until more products are halal-certified.
🌍 Where Can You Buy Halal Cultivated Meat?
As of 2025:
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✅ Halal-certified cultivated meat is available in pilot programs in the UAE and Singapore.
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🇺🇸 In the US and Europe, halal versions are still in development.
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Always look for a visible halal certification logo or documentation from the company.
If you’re unsure, contact the producer directly — many now have transparency policies in place.
💬 Final Thoughts: Should You Try It?
If you’re committed to eating halal but curious about sustainability, lab-grown meat might be a good option — as long as you verify the source.
We’re entering a new era where Islamic ethics and food technology must work together. Halal doesn’t mean resisting innovation — it means preserving purity while embracing progress.
