What is Organ Transplantation?

Organ transplant is a process of transferring organs from one body to another for the purpose of replacing the recipients damaged organ. It is considered as the mode of treatment for serious and life threatening diseases which has been proven to be successful and should be continued. SINI www.mst.org.my Most of the organ and tissue donations occur after the donor has died, but there are some organs and tissues that can be donated while the donor is alive. The organs that can be transplant including hearts, kidneys, eyes, livers, lungs, pancreases, and tissues. The most common transplanted organ around the world would be kidneys followed by liver and hearts. Kidneys and livers may be transplanted by living donor whereas transplantation by a cadaverous (deceased) donor are needed if a patients needs a heart transplant, a double lungs transplant, a pancreas transplant or a cornea transplant. A patient must be brain dead to be a donor. Brain death is an irreversible loss of brain and brainstem function and is considered as legal death. In order to declare a patient brain dead, a neurologist or neurosurgeon must perform neurological exams 6 hours apart that demonstrate a complete absence of brain function. The process of organs transplant involves a sterile surgical operation undertaken by a skilled team of surgeons.

Benefits of organ transplant 1. Potential in saving lives By organ transplantation, we have the chance to save any patients that are in need of organ transplant and give them a second chance to live. 2. Helps grieving families Donors families often find that donation helps them in dealing with their lost. It makes something positive come out of something tragic and it means that their love ones doesnt die in vain. 3. Better quality of live The life of the patient or the organs receiver will be improve to be better as they can return to live a regular life just like before. 4. Cost effective In the case of kidney transplant, the surgery is less expensive in the long run than continuing medical care.

Disadvantages of organ transplant 1. Possibility of organ failure after transplantation process completed A recipient may have a possibility in having organ failure due to their body sees the transplanted organs as foreign object and automaticly rejected by their immune system.This is considered as one of the major challenges to organ transplantation. It may happen if the patient doesnt take preventive steps. 2. Side effect of the surgery There are some possible side effect that can occur due to organ transplant surgery. These includes blood cloth, wound infection, and bleeding.

Organ transplant in Islamic perspectives Contemporary Islamic scholars and fatwa institutions have found that taking an organ from a dead body and transplanting it on a person is permissible depending on various reasons. In

Malysia, the first muzakarah (conference) of the Fatwa commitee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Mlaysia held on 23rd-24th June 1970 has discussed heart and eye transplants. They have decided that eye and heart transplants from a dead person to a living person is permissible in Islam based on several conditions.SINI www.e-fatwa.gov.my Whereas The President of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, Dr. Yusof Al-Qardawi permitted organ transplant from a person to a person provided it is in a form of donation. It will be considered as doing charity for others. Eventhough organ transplant is permitted, the donation of reproductive organs even after the death of the person is not permitted as it continues to carry genetic codes while the transplantation of a dead persons organ is permitted only after the death of the brains stem when return to life becomes no longer possible. It was narrated that during the battles of Badr and Uhud in A.D. 624 and 625 respectively, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) himself reattached the detached eye of Qatada ibn Noman, and the several hands of Muawith ibn Afra and Habib ibn Yusof.SINI www.mst.org.my These are the necessary conditions for organ transplantation from a dead body to a living person to be permissible: 1. 2. Organ transplant must be a vital necessary. The doctors and surgeons must have a strong belief that the surgery will be a success and the patient will be recover with this treatment. 3. The donor must have permitted organ donation before he or she died or the family member should have their consent to approve the process of transplantation.

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The death of the donor must be confirmed. There should not be any buying and selling of the organ. Organ donation must not harm the donors health (if it is a living donor) and it must be proved by medical report which have been stated in these Quranic versus: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves (an-Nisa, 4:29) make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction (al-Baqarah 2:195) These Quranic versus can be related to the fact that organ transplantation must not harm donor, donor must not be forced into it and must not be deceived for the operation.SINI www.questionsonislam.com