Ulemas against human cloning

JAKARTA: The cloning of humans is haram, or forbidden by Islamic law, because it is against the will of Allah, according to the influential Indonesian Council of Ulemas.

Chairman Hasan Basri and deputy chairman Ali Yafie made the Moslem leaders' stance on the matter clear during the council's national meeting here over the weekend.

Hasan said Friday the shariah (Islamic law) allowed people to study cloning as a scientific venture, but it should be restricted to animal and plants.

Yafie said Saturday that he believed Indonesian scientists were still incapable of cloning humans. He also promised the council would study the issue before issuing a religious edict, or fatwa, on cloning.

About 87 percent of Indonesia's 200 million population are Moslems.

"It's a bit premature to talk about it now. Besides, we need time to gather information," he said. "Discussions on cloning are not our priority now, though we do have stance on the issue and have expressed it several times.

"Human cloning is not allowed," he said.

The question of cloning humans has caused alarm in many countries. The United States is currently trying to pass a law banning human cloning, while Egypt has already refused to let scientists clone a pharaoh.

Pope John Paul II has also expressed disapproval on the cloning of humans, as has the World Health Organization. (12)