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:

Assalaamalaikum,

There are four questions that I would like to ask.

1. Is organ donation after death allowed in Islam? As I understand it is allowed if the organ is of help to other Muslim bretheren in need. Is this true?
2. In that light, could you please let me know of any Muslim organisations (medical or otherwise) which accept registration for organ donation.
3. The Glorious Quran itself says that It was sent down in Ramadaan. The conflict in my mind is that if it was sent down at one time in Ramadaan then how come each Surah is either Makki or Medinih? This shows it was sent down at different times.
4. Contraception and Abortion. I use a contraceptive loop. Unfortunately a few years ago, I conceived with it inside and the doctors prescribed an immediate Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) which I underwent. Now a few years later , I feel I may have done things differently. God knows Best. Is there a kaffara or so one can give to show repentance?

Thank you in advance for your answers .

Regards

(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:

Was the whole quran revealed in ramadan

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.

Q-1: Is organ donation after death allowed in Islam? As I understand it is allowed if the organ is of help to other Muslim bretheren in need. Is this true?

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 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 forbidden to donate one’s body parts to another. Their ‘daleel’ is that man is not the inherent owner of his own body, as the body was only given 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 scholars however 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.

Q-2: In that light, could you please let me know of any Muslim organisations (medical or otherwise) which accept registration for organ donation.

Beloved Sister, we are not aware of any such organization.

Q-3: The Glorious Quran itself says that It was sent down in Ramadaan. The conflict in my mind is that if it was sent down at one time in Ramadaan then how come each Surah is either Makki or Medinih? This shows it was sent down at different times.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 185:

185 Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 97 Surah Al-Qadr verse 1:

1                    We (Allah) have indeed revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Power.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 32:

32 Those who reject Faith say: "Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him (the Prophet (saws)) all at once?" Thus (is it revealed) that We may strengthen thy heart thereby and We have rehearsed it to thee (O Prophet (saws)) in slow well-arranged stages gradually.

In light of the above absolutely clear Verses of the Quran and various authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the jurists in Islam have given two opinions:

Opinion-1: That the Lord Most High started the Revelation of the Glorious Quran in the Night of Qadr which is in the month of Ramadan and its revelation was completed in gradual stages over a period of 23 years.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 85 Surah Al-Buruj verses 21-22:

21 Nay this is a Glorious Qur'an

22 (Inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved (Al-Lauh al-Mahfoodh)

Opinion-2: The Glorious Quran is a part of the Original Book or Text called the ‘Al-Lauh al-Mahfoodh’ which is with Allah Subhanah. Some scholars have opined that the Lord Most High released the Glorious Quran from the ‘Al-Lauh al-Mahfoodh’ on the Night of Qadr in the blessed month of Ramadan, and revealed it to the Prophet Mohamed (saws) gradually over a period of 23 years.

In light of the guidance of the Glorious Quran, both opinions are possible and acceptable. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Q-4: Contraception and Abortion. I use a contraceptive loop . Unfortunately a few years ago, I conceived with it inside and the doctors prescribed an immediate Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) which I underwent. Now a few years later , I feel I may have done things differently. God knows Best. Is there a kaffara or so one can give to show repentance?

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, the term ‘Medical Termination of Pregnancy’ is but another name for the evil crime and sin for intentional ‘abortion’.......which undoubtedly is an abomination and grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 140:

Most surely they became losers, who, in their folly and ignorance killed their own children; and made unlawful what Allah had provided them as sustenance, falsely ascribing prohibitions to Allah. Surely, they went astray and were not at all rightly guided.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 151 (part):

You should not kill your children for fear of poverty; for We provide sustenance for you and will provide sustenance for them also.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 31:

Do not kill your children for fear of want; for it is We Who provide for them, and for you as well. Indeed, their killing is a heinous crime!

The heinous act of intentionally killing one’s unborn child or abortion is akin to the crime of murder in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, and abortion is thus absolutely forbidden and impermissible in Islam. If one performs or is an accomplice in the heinous crime of abortion, they will be held severely accountable for their sin of intentional murder of an innocent soul in the Just and Supreme Court of The Majestic Lord on an Inevitable Day.

Your Question: Is there a kaffara or so one can give to show repentance?

As heinous and as serious the crime of abortion is in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, the ‘kaffarah’ or atonement for the crime is that one turn back to their Lord in ‘Taubah’ and sincerely seek forgiveness for their sin; it is expected that they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

The conditions or ways to seek sincere Taubah or Repentance from the Merciful Lord are:

1. One is aware that one has sinned, and feels sorry and ashamed at their sin.
2. Makes a solemn covenant and promise with Allah that they will not repeat the sin again.
3. Turns to Allah and seeks forgiveness, before one meets with their appointment of death.
4. Is a believer and does righteous good deeds thereafter.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:

(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy! Surely, Allah forgives all sins. He indeed is the All Forgiving, All Merciful. Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you; for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 135-136:

Allah likes such good people very much, who, if ever they commit a base deed or wrong their own soul by the commission of a sin, remember Allah instantly, and ask for forgiveness from Him for their shortcomings. For who, but Allah, can forgive sins? (And Allah loves those) who do not knowingly persist in the wrongs they did. These will be rewarded with forgiveness from Allah, and with Gardens beneath which canals flow, and they will reside therein forever! How excellent is the reward of those who do good deeds!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verses 63-71:

The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth. When the ignorant people behave insolently towards them, they say, “Peace to you”; (And those) who pass their nights in prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord and pray, “O our Lord, save us from the torment of Hell, for its torment is killing! It is an evil abode, and an evil resting place”. (And those) who, when they spend are neither extravagant, nor miserly, but keep the golden mean between the two extremes. (And those) who do not invoke any god but Allah Alone, nor kill a soul unjustly, which Allah has forbidden, nor commit adultery… He who does this shall be punished for his sin, and his torment shall be doubled on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall abide in a state of ignominy; EXCEPT THE ONE WHO MAY HAVE REPENTED (AFTER THOSE SINS), AND HAVE BELIEVED AND DONE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS. For then, Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds, and He is very Forgiving and Merciful. In fact, one who repents and does righteous deeds, returns to Allah as one rightly should!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54:

When those come to you who believe in Our Signs, say: "Peace be on you! Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy. Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct), Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2357 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin."

There is nothing one can do or give as ‘kaffarah’ to atone for committing the heinous abomination of ‘abortion’ except sincere ‘Taubah’ and repentance; if one is indeed sincere in their ‘taubah’, it is expected that they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

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