European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE LEGALITY OR OTHERWISE OF ORGAN DONATION: AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Hamidu Ardo and Abubakar Ibrahim Adamu*

ABSTRACT

Organ transplantation has been transformed from an experimental procedure at Western academic centers to an
increasingly common procedure in private and public hospitals throughout the world. Attendant with
advancements in organ harvesting, preservation, and transplantation come moral issues. Islam is a holistic religion
that takes into account social affairs of man as well as spiritual ones. Islam has a long history of ethics literature
including the subgenre of medical ethics. The issue of organ donation in Islam has been debated for decades, with
most religious authorities sanctioning both living organ donation and cadaveric organ donation. However, disquiet
among the Islamic community on the compatibility of organ donation with their faith remains, especially in
relation to brain dead donation. This remains a topical, controversial, and challenging component of organ
donation at both local and international levels. In this research, I will explore Islamic viewpoints both for and
against organ donation, in the context of both living-donor, cadaveric, and brain dead donors. Historical
considerations are discussed as to why Muslim thinkers were late to consider contemporary medical issues such as
organ donation. Islam respects life and values the needs of the living over the dead, thus allowing organ donation
to be considered in certain circumstances. The Islamic viewpoint, both Shiite and Sunni, is examined in relation to
organ donation and its various sources. The advantages and disadvantages of brain dead and cadaveric donation is
reviewed with technical and ethical considerations. The Islamic concept of brain death, donation to non-Muslims,
and organ trade are also discusse.

Keywords: Legality, Otherwise, Organ, Donation, Islamic.