The world witnesses an immense and speedy progress on the clock in the field of sciences in general and medicine in particular. No sooner did the world celebrate the Genome Project, cloning appeared. Today, the news is about stem cells. Scientists hope to overcome incurable diseases, alleviate man's pains and enhance his hopes of leading long life of good quality and free of suffering.

No sooner these hopes were revived, they were dashed on the news that the process would involve an abuse of man who was honored by Allah and taught all the names, an exploitation of man whom Allah favored to many of His creations and ordered the Angels to prostrate to him. This same man, surprisingly, turned into a commodity for sale. Moreover, experiments are conducted on this Divinely honored man without his prior consent. One of the societies working in the field of Human Rights has declared the misconduct of some of the people of weak faith whose hearts and minds are overpowered by passion for money and heaping it. The declaration is that some of the charity societies that open the door for organs donation receive several organs after the donors' death only to sell them. The profit these societies reap from a single dead body is 40.000 dollars in return for the skin, the bones, heart valves and the like.

This is not the only problem involved; there are other problems that came to the surface as a result of the introduction of military industries to this field. This kind of research is often conducted in extreme secrecy that no one knows about it. Most probably, these industries are largely based on biology and aim at eliminating the enemy. Thus, they are anti-human.

The involvement of the industrial sector in this field plays a crucial role in funding this kind of research. For each and every Dollar spent on this field, investors expect to reap thousands if not millions of dollars; hence deception and incredibility of research results.

Similarly, conducting research on man for the mere passion of knowledge and chasing the unknown without taking the necessary precautions are of the same fatal effect.

These are but some of the problems that accompany this final development that involves a lot of the concerns regarding man's dignity and lack of commitment to the international standards and measures.

Thus, following Noremberg Declaration in 1947 which aroused vast awareness of the necessity of observing human dignity and looking up to man as a creature highly ranked and greatly dignified; for Allah has blown of His Spirit into man. Allah Almighty said, "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him." Therefore, ethical restrictions had to be laid out to strictly depict the research paths. This is not intended to stand as a hindrance in the way of research. Rather, this is to set limits for the researcher to heed. Thus, man- the most honored creature- would not turn into an experiment rat and his dignity would not be violated. "We have honoured the sons of

Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation." (Al Isra': 70)

The twentieth century witnessed the establishment of the IOMS to shoulder this mission gladly and proudly. In doing so, the IOMS takes its ethical rules from the Holy Qur'an, the Prophetic Sunnah, the Sholars' consensus and the Ijtihad and present such rules to the world as a gift guiding it to the path of righteousness.

This seminar discusses a major topic: the use of human stem cells, the main source of which is fetuses. Though there are other sources of stem cells, they are not considered good sources so far. For instance, one source can be adult stem cells: "adult" here does not mean that they are different in their constitution from fetal cells. Yet, the source of the former is different; for they can be found in children and adults. Other sources of stem cells can be found in the blood of the umbilical cord, cloning, chimeras and the like. Nonetheless, the blastocyte fetuses remain to be the main and important source of obtaining stem cells.

This was accompanied by a wide controversy. Some disapproved of this source, while others approved to it. Each of these parties has its own justifications. Those who disapprove of this source deem it as a murder of the first seed of the potential man who might have become a great scholar or thinker. They also fear that man or woman would one day become sources or factories of fetuses to provide stem cells. This would result in another dilemma: the rich countries' exploitation of the poor peoples who are in dire need of a handful of dollars to make ends meet.

As for the advocates, they see that IVF surplus fertilized eggs can be a perfect source of stem cells; for they are doomed to death anyway.

If this is so, is it not better to benefit from them in saving a man's life from an incurable disease or alleviating the pain of some people who lead a miserable life. Doing so will be a practical implementation of the Holy verse, "And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." (Al Ma'idah: 32) Should not be treating a given person and rendering him of good health be considered an enhancement of the human dignity?

Anyway, the seminar puts this issue to discussion as well as many other issues that appeared on the arena with an eye to answering questions like the following ones: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the sources of stem cells?

What are the rights of the fetus in its different phases?

Is stem cell research to be viewed as a murder and a violation of man's dignity?

In the developing countries, is the priority to be given to research on stem cells or research on treatments for the diseases from which they suffer?

What is the relation between politics and the priorities of research?

Can stem cells be patented as an item of intellectual property rights and thus be treated as any chemical substance or the like?

Can all stem cell kinds be patented?

On the other hand, what are the results of using stem cells for therapeutic purposes?

These are but examples of several questions we tried and will try through this seminar to answer.

Therefore, the IOMS extended the invitation to several professors working in the field of stem cells- whether the fetal or adult- to demonstrate the latest developments of scientific research in this respect. On the other hand, we extended the invitation to a number of the Islamic Fiqh scholars and other participants to discuss the ethical prerequisites of such use, the regulations that should be respected by stem cell researchers, the role of health policy makers in setting priorities and concluding whether stem cells can be patented.

Throughout three days, we will hold discussions so as to draw some guidelines to be heeded by all of us for the sake of man and humankind.

I cannot but extend my thanks and appreciation to all of you for your concern and sincere cooperation with us to culminate this IOMS seminar with success.

I cannot leave without expressing my thankfulness and gratitude for my brothers in the IOMS executive committee headed by my beloved brother Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdullah Al Awady; for they showed support and were active participants in the seminar ever since it was a mere proposition up till now. I thank all of them praying Allah Almighty to write this in their records of good deeds. It can never slip my mind to thank my dear brother Dr. Aley Al Seif - General Secretary of the IOMS- who never spared time, guidance or participation to support the Secretariat. I thank the members of the Secretariat who stayed up late at night working so that this important work would come to existence in this manner- I pray Allah that it is a perfect manner!

Peace and Blessings of Allah be with you!

1. ( Al-Hijr: 29 )
2. ( Al-Israa: 70 )
3. ( Al-Ma'ida: 32 )