This talk explores the ethical and theological dimensions of xenotransplantation—specifically the transplantation of genetically modified pig organs into humans—through the lens of Islamic bioethics. While xenotransplantation has emerged as a potential solution to the global organ shortage crisis, its experimental nature and reliance on porcine sources raise complex questions for Muslim scholars and communities. Drawing from a chapter in a forthcoming book on Islam and organ transplantation ethics, this paper examines the permissibility, implications, and anxieties surrounding xenotransplantation within Islamic thought.

The paper also addresses deeper theological and psychological concerns, such as spiritual pollution, identity confusion, and the symbolic weight of the pig’s heart in Islamic cosmology. These anxieties are compounded by practical and legal challenges, including restrictions on blood and milk donation, lifelong immunosuppression, and the ethical implications of transgenesis and testing on brain-dead individuals. This talk contributes to the broader discourse on religion and emerging biotechnologies by offering a nuanced, historically grounded, and theologically informed perspective on one of the most controversial frontiers in modern medicine.

Dr Mansur Ali is a Senior lecturer in Islamic studies at Cardiff University where he teaches Islam and ethics, and Islam in Britain. He has multiple research interests including Hadith studies, Islamic legal theory, Muslim chaplaincy, and Islam and bioethics. Currently he is writing his book on Islam an organ donation.  In addition to his post at the University, he is also an Imam in the local mosque.