'Human milk bank' haram, declares fatwa panel
Published: Jan 16, 2012 11:59 AM | Updated: Jan 16, 2012 5:40 PM
The national fatwa committee opposes suggestions to set up a 'human milk bank' and has declared that such a 'bank' is haram .
The fatwa committee says when babies are fed from a 'milk bank', they will become ‘milk siblings’ and marriage between the individuals is forbidden.
The national fatwa committee opposes suggestions to set up a 'human milk bank' and has declared that such a 'bank' is haram.
Deciding this in a muzakarah (dialogue), the committee said babies who are breast-fed with the milk of a woman would cause the infants to form a “mixed lineage”, according to a Berita Harian report today.
The report adds that this would create uncertainties among Muslims as they become exposed to haram practices if they marry one another.
"After consulting experts and hearing arguments presented, the muzakarah finds that protecting one’s lineage is part of the five Islamic principles that must be upheld.
"Therefore, any action that may harm the lineage must be avoided.
"The muzakarah is of the view that the creation of a human milk bank closely relates to the rules that would render it haram because when babies are breast-fed from one or more women they will become 'milk siblings' and marriage between the individuals is forbidden," the daily quoted it as saying.
However, the committee acknowledged that the practise was still required for newborn babies who are unable to be breast-fed.
This should be done through the contribution of willing mothers whose families know each other well, says the report.
On a separate topic, the council also declared euthanasia haram unless a patient’s heart or brain has stopped functioning and relies on life support.
Deciding this in a muzakarah (dialogue), the committee said babies who are breast-fed with the milk of a woman would cause the infants to form a “mixed lineage”, according to a Berita Harian report today.
The report adds that this would create uncertainties among Muslims as they become exposed to haram practices if they marry one another.
"After consulting experts and hearing arguments presented, the muzakarah finds that protecting one’s lineage is part of the five Islamic principles that must be upheld.
"Therefore, any action that may harm the lineage must be avoided.
"The muzakarah is of the view that the creation of a human milk bank closely relates to the rules that would render it haram because when babies are breast-fed from one or more women they will become 'milk siblings' and marriage between the individuals is forbidden," the daily quoted it as saying.
However, the committee acknowledged that the practise was still required for newborn babies who are unable to be breast-fed.
This should be done through the contribution of willing mothers whose families know each other well, says the report.
On a separate topic, the council also declared euthanasia haram unless a patient’s heart or brain has stopped functioning and relies on life support.
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