Assalamu alaikum,

I suppose no one will be able to actually answer this question (or maybe someone can?), but, I was wondering about clones.  Despite the fact that most religious people think cloning a bad idea, some seem determined to go ahead and carry out these experiments, the latest an afghan hound puppy.

It is my understanding that Allah causes a persons soul to enter their body in the womb (around 140 days gestation?).  My question is: would a cloned human being have a soul?  If so, how?  If not, pretty scary to think soul-less people may soon be walking around.

Please do not make this thread an endless argument for or against cloning .  Kindly start your own thread for that!  I am only interested in the aspect of the soul.  It really frightens me to think scientists may create cloned humans and I don't see how they could have a soul.  Such an evil thing...

Peace, ummziba.

Salaam ummziba,

ummziba wrote: It is my understanding that Allah causes a persons soul to enter their body in the womb (around 140 days gestation?).  My question is: would a cloned human being have a soul?  If so, how?  If not, pretty scary to think soul-less people may soon be walking around.

How can a clonad human have a soul? That is far beyond belief, but then again Allah (swt) is capable of anything.

This is an interesting subject. We have heard that there was cloning but it was never seen to be true but all talk.

I will get back to you on that subject,...

Peace

Many religious philosophies teach, for example, that human life is unique and special and should be created, determined and controlled only by their deities. Many religions believe in the existence of, and in the individuality of, a human soul. Many Christians, for example, will be concerned about whether it will be possible to clone the human soul, along with the human. If it is possible to clone the soul, what will this mean? Can a clone without a soul be destroyed and not offend moral or religious beliefs? Cloning will be divined by many as humans assuming the powers, the providence, and the jurisdiction of their deities or other spiritual powers of their supernatural universe.

Salaam,

I think we should look at it in more simpler terms.  If Allah(swt) allows us to clone a human, wouldn't He provide a soul for it?

And to the question of who is the mother/father, wouldn't it be the mother/father who originally gave the chromosomes to the person being cloned? 

From what I have researched, a clone is only indentical on the DNA level and thier is a significant difference in charcter and appearance.

Just a side note, I do not advocate cloning.

Lehua

As'Salaamu Alaikum Ya Muslimeen!

I agree with Lehua, that the duplication using the donated DNA of a human would perhaps generate the soul of course by God's command. I believe that since the soul embodies the human body I believe that the soul exist within the human body's particulars and if the cells are extracted from the human body to make clones I believe the extraction of those cells contain "reminents of a spiritual being." I believe just those reminents alone can perhaps generate a soul.  As Allah says in the Qur'an that he has created human kind when it was nothing! so it is perhaps logical to say that even minute organism within the human body themselves contain fragments of the soul. But however I do not like to look at the soul as fragments but merely an explanation of how divine the particular organism of the body are.

It is however my belief that every transient being has a soul even the planets have a soul. I doubt that my belief is alien to Islam as we see in the Qur'an that all of life (outside the human category) submits to Allah. To submit requires the ability to do through action. If the Qur'an explains that all of life including the universe (as the Qur'an calls primitive gases smoke) to "come together" and it obeys I believe that this requires a a transient being to commence in this action. It's arrogant to think that only humans have souls. because from vegatation to animals to us we all are linked through the nafs.

Salaam,

Isfarfil, you said everything has a soul, I think so too in some way. You would eat a cloned animal (like a sheep for ex.)? We are eating some vegetation man put together (of course by Allah (swt) commands). We hear a man planted some tomatoes ('cause there is a seed), and Allah gave us this to be greatful to him. And no ever we heard a man "planting" a human

Only God knows, what will happen.

Peace

Assalamu alaikum,

I like what Sister firewall says about this would only happen if Allah wills it so.  So, it would be fair to assume that if human cloning ever did happen, it would only be by the will of Allah (as all things are) and therefore the Most Merciful would provide that unfortunate clone with a soul of its own, as Sister Lehua stated.

I know some would say this is just a waste of time, but, I can't help but worry over the condition of such an unfortunately "born" creature.  It is comforting to think that Allah is the best of planners, so whatever does happen, ma'ashallah.

Hmmm...interesting stuff ! 

Peace, ummziba.

Bismillah

Let's just wait and see...

David, exactly!

We talk of clones based on its ethics more so than religious or spiritual meaning. When we discuss why humans should/should not clone as David says what is the intention? If a human is cloned we say that its unethical because it plays God. But, what if parts of a human were cloned such as an arm or leg? What if such clones could give an amputee the ability to move or have a limb? Now on the basis of soul and as I mentioned before all things in my belief has a soul. From the atom to the largest mountain, but how we interpret how that soul acts is in accordance to our understanding of the concept of soul.

As God says in the Qur'an Allah of life comes from the same elements so why not all of life containing a soul or some sort of spiritual essence? Obviously the essence of God emanates from all of life here so why not?