Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamalaikum,

Quran illustrates: "…And if any one sustains life, it would be as if he sustained the life of all mankind…"

Can you please tell me the islamic point of organ donation:

1.If the patient is alive, can some organs which can not harm the individual can be transplanted like one kidney?

2.If the patient is dead, can the organs be transplanted?

3.If the patient is brain dead with beating heart, can we transplant heart to someone who is really in need of a heart?

4.What is the islamic definition of death?

Wassalam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Organ Donations

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Holy Quran and Sunnah are silent on the issue of donating organs, as these transplants were obviously made available only after the advancements of technology and modern medicine, which were obviously not available at the time the Quran was being revealed. The scholars in Islam have debated on this issue in light of the principles of the Quran and Sunnah, and the majority of them are of the opinion that there is no harm if one donates his body organs after his death to another so that some other believer may benefit from them after his/her death; provided some conditions are met.

1. One cannot be forced to donate his body parts.
2. One may donate his body parts of his own free will.
3. One should not sell or get any material benefit for donating his body parts.

Their argument or ‘daleel’ is that one’s body parts are only needed as long as one is alive, and are absolutely no use to the person once he/she dies. Thus if these parts can benefit some loved one, there is no harm in donating them.

A few scholars though, have voiced their opinion saying that it is categorically forbidden to donate one’s body parts to another. Their ‘daleel’ or argument is that man is not the inherent owner of his own body, as the body was only give to man as a trust from Allah Subhanah, Who is the Real Owner of everything. Therefore it is not permissible to distribute something which does not belong to man in the first place.

The majority of the contemporary scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that if one does it of his own free will, and does not demand or get any material benefit from it, there is no harm in donating one’s body parts to a loved one after his/her death. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Question: If the patient is alive, can some organs which can not harm the individual can be transplanted like one kidney?

Provided the person does so of his own will and is not materially compensated for donating his organs, the majority of the scholars are of the opinion that there is no harm in such a donation.

Your Question: If the patient is dead, can the organs be transplanted?

Provided the consent and approval from the deceased was taken regarding the donation of his organs before his death, and the heirs of the deceased do not demand and are not materially compensated….there is no harm.

Your Question: ….If the patient is brain dead with beating heart, can we transplant heart to someone who is really in need of a heart?

To intentionally ‘pull’ the life-support system of one who is medically declared as ‘brain-dead’ is an issue the scholars and jurists in Islam have differed upon….and Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Question: What is the islamic definition of death?

The ‘Islamic’ definition of death would be when the soul is taken out of the body by the Angel of Death appointed by the Lord Creator.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan