Title of Fatwa: Donating Organs to non-Muslims
Date of Reply: 24/Jun/2002
Topic Of Fatwa: Medicine
Country Applied: Egypt
Question of Fatwa: As-Salamu `Alaykum Waramatullah Wabarakatuh. Dear Muslim scholars, is it permissible for a Muslim to donate an organ to a non-Muslim in order to rescue his life?
Name of Mufti: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
** Content of Reply**
Wa `Alaykum As-Salamu Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, thanks for having confidence in us and we hope our efforts meet your expectations.
As regards donating organs or blood to a non-Muslim, we would like to quote for you the following Fatwa issued by the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi on this issue; it reads:
“Donating an organ is like giving charity in terms of its being permissible for a Muslim or a non-Muslim. However, it is not permissible to donate an organ to a non-Muslim combatant who wages war against Muslims and a person who wages attack on Islam. By the same token, it is not permissible to donate it to an apostate as he is no more than a traitor to his religion and his people and thus deserves killing.
However, if there is a Muslim and a non-Muslim and both are in need of organ or blood donation, the Muslim must be given priority for Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: “The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another.” (At-Tawbah: 71)
Here we are to make it crystal clear that a practicing Muslim takes preference to a deviant sinful one who makes use of the divine gifts given to him to disobey Allah and harm his fellow brothers.
Also, we are to notify that if the person concerned is a relative or a neighbor, he takes great preference due to the ties of kinship or the relation of neighborhood. Allah Almighty says: “But kindred by blood have prior rights against each other in the Book of Allah.” (Al-Anfal: 75)
It is also noteworthy that a person can donate his/her organs to a certain person, or to an establishment such as a bank specified for that purpose.”
Brother, if you are still in need of more information, don’t hesitate to contact us. Do keep in touch. May Allah guide us all to the straight path!
Allah Almighty knows best.
