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Q&A for Muslims in the West: Medical issues (2)

Shafaqna English- Questions on Muslims issues in the West and answers from the Grand Ayatollah Sistani based on the text of the book: “A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West” by ‘Abdul Hadi As-Seyyed Muhammad Taqi Al-Hakim.

Question & Answer

Question: Is donating an organ by a living person to another living person (for example, a kidney) or by a dead person, by virtue of his will, to a living person permissible? Would the ruling be different, if it were from a Muslim to a non-Muslim or vice versa? Is the ruling confincal to certain organs to the exclusion of others?

Answer: As far as donating an organ by a living person to another person is concerned, there is no problem in it if it does not entail a serious harm to the donor. (For example, donating one kidney by a person who has another healthy kidney.)

As far as removing an organ from a deceased (as directed in his will) for the purpose of transplanting it into a living person is concerned, there is no problem in it so long as: The deceased was not a Muslim or someone who is considered a Muslim. Or the life of a Muslim depended on such transplantation.

Apart from these two cases, there is a problem in enforcing the will [of the deceased] and in allowing the removal of the organ. However, if the will had been made [by the deceased], there will be no indemnity on the person removing the organ from the dead body.

Related Question

Question 1: If an organ of an atheist is transplanted in a Muslim’s body, would it be considered religiously pure (Tahir) when it is considered, after transplantation, as part of the Muslim’s body?

Answer: An organ extracted from the body is religiously impure (Najis) irrespective of whether it came from a Muslim or a non-Muslim. And when it becomes, by rejuvenation, part of a Muslim’s body or of someone who is considered a Muslim, it becomes Tahir.

Question 2: Insulin used for treatment of diabetics is sometimes extracted from the pancreas of pigs. Can we use it?

Answer: There is no problem in injecting insulin in the muscles, veins or under the skin.

Question 3: Is it permissible to transplant the liver of pig in a human’s body?

Answer: It is permissible to transplant pig’s liver into the body of a human being. And Allah knows the best.

Question 4: Is the process of test-tube babies allowed? In the sense that the wife’s ovum and the husband’s sperm are extracted to be fertilized outside the body, and then placed in the womb [of the wife].

Answer: In principle, it is allowed.

Question 5: There are certain hereditary diseases that are transferred from parents to children and pose a danger to their lives in the future. Modern science has acquired the means of preventing some of such diseases by fertilizing the woman’s ovum in a test tube and examining the genes to eliminate the problematic ones. Then it is returned the woman’s womb. The remaining genes [i.e., ova] are destroyed. Is this religiously permissible?

Answer: In principle, there is no problem in it.

Question 6: In the process of fertilization in a lab, more than one ovum is fertilized at a time. Secured in the knowledge that implanting all fertilized ova in the mother’s womb will endanger her life. Is it permissible for us to use only one fertilized ovum and destroy the remaining ones?

Answer: It is not obligatory to implant all the fertilized ova in a test tube into the womb. Therefore, it is permissible to use one ovum and destroy the remaining ones.

Question 7: Is it permissible to engage in embellishing the face and the body [of another person]?

Answer: It is permissible, provided that one refrains from looking and touching what is Haram to look at or touch.

Source: sistani.org

www.shafaqna.com

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