Production and Consumption of Genetically Modified Food: An Islamic Perspective

The chemical composition of the genetic material or DNA (deoxyribo nucleic acid) of all living organisms is similar, and different organisms use the similar coding sequences of nucleotides, monomers of DNA, to synthesize proteins. These compositional and functional similarities of DNA have made it possible to transfer gene(s) from one organism to another, as well as to introduce into a given organism phenotypes that do not naturally occur in that organism. The products of such modification (genetic modification) are often directly or indirectly linked to human health; they include drugs and vaccines used in therapeutic and preventive medicine; modified or wild types of genes used in the treatment of hereditary disorders; and genetically modified (GM) food and food products for human consumption. This paper reviews the possible and observed impact of GM food and food products on human health from an Islamic perspective, and discusses two major issues. The first relates to the existence of scientific evidence that the consumption of GM food products resulting from manipulative processes that are contrary to or interfere with the processes of genetic change as they occur in nature (e.g. natural breeding or natural hybridisation) can change the natural balance or homeostasis in human physiology and metabolism. The second relates to the priority given to the principle of balance and equilibrium in Islam’s teachings about Allah’s creation; with regard to this second issue, the paper raises concerns as to the necessity as well as the permissible boundaries of GM in the Islamic framework.