FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2001

ISLAMIC INSTITUTE SUPPORTS EMBRYONIC STEM-CELL RESEARCH AND RELEASES POLL SHOWING MUSLIM AMERICAN SUPPORT

(Washington, DC) A majority of Muslim Americans support embryonic stem-cell research
according to a new poll conducted by the Islamic Institute. The Washington-based
Islamic advocacy group also announced its support for the research based on recommendations
of a panel of Islamic scholars, scientists, and medical doctors (please see press
release below.)

According to the Islamic Institute's poll of 629 individuals, 62% (394) stated
their overall support for research on human embryos. 73% (457) stated that it
is acceptable to use embryos that have already been donated from in-vitro fertilization
procedures, while 61% (383) stated their support for using embryos to be donated
in the future.

49% (312) of the respondents feel it is acceptable to produce embryos specifically
for stem-cell research purposes, and 69% (433) believe the federal government
should fund embryonic stem-cell research. However, when asked if they accept
President Bush's plan to fund limited stem-cell research on existing stem-cell
lines, 68% (425) agreed, reflecting a national trend to accept the President's
position as an acceptable middle ground.

44% (275) of the respondents stated that they have often followed the news regarding
stem-cell research, while 53% (335) stated they followed the news occasionally.
All figures are based on responses to a list of 10 questions submitted by the
Islamic Institute to members of the community and does not necessarily constitute
a scientific statistical sample.

The Islamic Institute released the following statement on its position on stem-cell
research:

“Research on embryonic stem cells is one of the most promising, yet controversial
issues of our time. It offers the promise of treating Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's,
spinal cord injuries, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and so many
other fatal diseases. At the same time, due to the nature of this research,
there are unprecedented areas of abuse and misuse that must be taken into consideration.
Stem-cell research raises serious questions and challenges of ethics, theology,
and philosophy, which the Muslim American community has to address.

In an effort to formulate a policy position on embryonic stem-cell research,
and to ensure Muslim American participation in the debate of this ethical and
scientific issue, the Islamic Institute convened a panel of experts, in cooperation
with the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA, North American council of Islamic
jurisprudence), the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences (GSISS), and
the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). The panel, consisting
of medical doctors, scientists, and Islamic scholars, deliberated all aspects
of this topic at length, in order to develop an Islamic perspective on stem-cell
research.

The panel included:
· Dr. Taha J. Al-Alawani, President, Fiqh Council of North America
· Dr. Jamal Barzinji, Vice President, International Institute of Islamic Thought
· Dr. Eltigani A. Hamid, Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences
· Dr. Hisham Altalib, Director, International Institute of Islamic Thought
· Dr. Jamil Fayez, Professor Emeritus, Wake Forest University Medical School,
infertility and reproductive endocrinology specialist.
· Mutahhar Fauzia, M.D., OB/GYN, infertility specialist
· Mohammad Jaghlit, M.D.

Though this issue is hard and extremely emotional, our opinion is based on all
available scientific facts at this time, as well as full adherence to Islamic
teachings.

Muslims have utterly and vehemently rejected human cloning experimentation that
“contradicts Islamic legislation and is prohibited in all its forms because it
contradicts with Islam.” (See edict of the Mufti of Egypt on ArabicNews.com)
Nevertheless, virtually all Muslim scholars see in-vitro fertilization (IVF)
as a compassionate and humane scientific procedure to help infertile couples
bear children. This procedure involves stimulating a woman's ovaries, removing
the eggs, and fertilizing them by sperm cells from the husband in the laboratory.
Days-old fertilized eggs (embryos) are implanted in the woman's uterus for normal
pregnancy. IVF, Islamic scholars emphasize, has to be performed under strict
guidelines, not the least of which is that the fertilization has to be of a sperm
and an egg of a properly married couple.

Scientists assure us that it is inevitable and also desirable to produce several
embryos to give the woman a better chance of getting pregnant. The “spare” embryos
that result from IVF procedures are either frozen or destroyed. Scientists have
discovered that the stem cells of these embryos have the potential to develop
and differentiate into any of the 200-plus kinds of cells in the human body.

The Islamic Institute supports stem-cell research on these spare embryos from
in-vitro fertilization. Under the Islamic principle of the “purposes and higher
causes of the shariiah (Islamic law)”, we believe it is a societal obligation
to perform research on these extra embryos instead of discarding them. Thousands
of embryos that would be otherwise discarded every year in fertility clinics
could potentially be used for research. None of the Islamic scholars in the
panel, or the ones we subsequently consulted, felt the opinion was in anyway
contradictory to Islamic principles. Additionally, we strongly feel that there
should be strict guidelines and proper procedures to ensure there is no potential
abuse. These guidelines should include the full informed consent of the donor
couple.

Finally, this opinion is based on available scientific information presented
and discussed at the panel, and further consultations with specialists. It is
an Islamic opinion subject to further enhancements in the case of scientific
developments unknown to us at this time."