" Fiqh- Islamic Jurisprudence "
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Is Organ Transplantation Permissible?
Is organ transplantation permissible?
Answer:
Nowadays, scholars have different perspectives on organ transplantation.
• If it has been determined by a doctor that the organ to be transplanted will cause the donor no harm,
• If the donor or his/her family gives permission to donate the organs,
• If the organ to be transplanted will not cause the death of the donor even if the donor is in a coma or is brain dead. (for example, heart transplantation is out of the question since heart is a vital organ.)
• There should be no material benefits and no money should be accepted in return,
• If all of the conditions mentioned above met and all other treatments and solutions have been tried to no end including artificially created organs and tissue manufactured in labs using stem cell research.
In this case;
Scholars of different branches such as biology, medicine, ethics, law and religion should form a committee to reach a consensus on organ transplantation. Currently this issue has not been cleared. However;
The general perspective of scholars is that organ transplantation is not permissible
“Scholars have indicated in several ways and almost unanimously that even if it is a vital situation organ transplantation is not permissible.” (Al-Nawawi, al-Maju’l, Mugnil Muhtaj, Majmaul Anhur)
People have been ordered to take care of what Allah has entrusted them with
“And who are keepers of their pledge and their covenant,” (Surah al-Muminun, 8)
“On the Day of Judgment, a servant can’t move anywhere until those questions are not asked: Where and how did he/she spend his/her life? What did he/she do with his/her knowledge? Where did he/she earn his/her properties from and where did he/she spend them? Where did he/she wear out his/her body?” (Dharimi, Muqaddima: 18)
“O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent, and kill not one another. Lo! Allah is ever Merciful unto you.” (Surah an-Nisa, 29)
People do not have the right to harm their body which has been entrusted to them on the contrary they have been ordered to care of it. Moreover people have been forbidden to put themselves into danger, they have been asked to look for the cure and treatment for their illness.
Taking this into consideration, Islamic scholars have decided that people do not have the authority to donate their organs which have been entrusted to them as if it was a piece of property.
There have been cases where a person pronounced as brain dead comes back to life
Another issue should be known is that organ transplantation is done while a person is still alive. If a person dies his/her organs can’t be used. However there are people who come back to life after they were pronounced as brain dead. In this case organ transplantation is clearly murder.
Protecting yourself by harming others is forbidden by our religion
People are ordered to protect their lives. They are also absolutely forbidden from harming others. One can’t think that it is permissible to continue your life by harming someone else.
There are other alternative treatments besides organ transplantation
Saying that organ transplantation is permissible blogs the other alternative treatments. A treatment that seems humane prevents developing of other more humane treatments. For example in United States an artificial body has been developed to act as a cadaver.
Currently organ transplantation is commercial
One of the most important issues that should not be forgotten is that today organ transplantation is used as a means of trade. Islam can’t turn a blind eye to this inhumane practice where people’s lives are traded by small-scale organ mafias and even by some countries that are involved with organ trafficking.
Humans should not think that they would stay in this world forever
In our times organ transplantation has become a practice where people are taken apart and assembled in other people to satisfy scientific curiosity and to make people immortal which causes an inhumane scene. However a person’s only purpose is not to live forever but to win the rewards of, regardless of how long, he/she lives in this world.
(“Modern Life Through Fatwas” is used as a reference) Kaynak: http://askaquestionto.us - Is Organ Transplantation Permissible?