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Blood Transfusion and Organ Donation: what is Islam's stance?

Cloning: is it allowed in Islam?

Question: Blood Transfusion and Organ Transplant

Presently I study year twelve religious studies at Concordia College in Adelaide . As part of this course I need to keep a journal on a current social issue. An aspect of this journal is exploring these issues from the perspective of the different religions. The topic I have decided to work on is Blood Transfusions and Organ Donation. I was wondering if there was any information available on Islam's stance.

Answer

Blood transfusion is allowed in Islam and furthermore to give blood in order to save someone else's life is considered as a desirable act in Islam, and therefore one is encouraged to do so. However under Islamic teachings, blood may not be taken from an individual without his/her permission.

Organ donation for transplant in another person is also allowed in Islam, if the latter person's life is dependent upon the organ donation. For example if one's kidneys have both failed and his life is dependent upon receiving at least a single kidney from a donor, then it is allowed for a person to donate one of his/her kidneys to the other individual if this donation does not constitute harm to the donor.

Organ donation is also allowed in Islam even if the receiver's life is not in danger too.

I hope this has been helpful, and should you have any further questions; please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Question: Is cloning allowed in Islam?

Is human cloning allowed in Islam? Is it allowed to use cloning to have a baby who looks like the way you want him to do? Or is it allowed to use modern techniques to have twins or triplets?

Answer

In principle human cloning is Halaal unless it involves a process, which is Haraam according to the Shari'ah – such as one that would bring about a disturbance on the social, natural or personal etc. system, which has been created for the benefit of mankind.  Therefore implanting the husband's sperm into the womb of his wife is permissible, whereas implanting the sperm of a man into the womb of a woman who is not married to him is not allowed.  Hence if a man and a woman wanted to have/clone a baby and they were not married, then they must get married, i.e. read the marriage contract between them so that they are husband and wife before they can go ahead with the process of producing and implanting the egg and the sperm, etc.

Also Islam allows the insemination of a human being, (or an animal or plant) for the purpose of increased yield.  In the case of human being one may do so to have twins or triplets.

I hope this has been useful.

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