| Author | Topic |
AminahStar
USA
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 Topic initiated on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 9:52 AM 
Blood Transfusions
As salam alikum,
Can someone please tell me what the Islamic view of blood transfusions is? |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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 Posted - Monday, September 15, 2003 - 4:51 PM 
First of all, I would like to tell you that Blood transfusion is an issue not discussed by the Shari’ah. In other words, we do not have any positive or negative judgment in the Shari’ah on Blood Transfusion. Thus, the matter must be seen in the light of ‘the spirit of other directives of the Shari’ah and our innate guidance.
I feel Shari’ah as well as our innate guidance give a great deal of value to human life. The law of God has many provisions which are solely meant to secure and safeguard the human life. Our love for people also compel us to help others in times of misery and troubles.
Seeing the issue in this perspective, I have a positive opinion regarding blood transfusion. I am however open to argument in this regard.
Edited by - jhangeer hanif on September 16 2003 12:36:21 |
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Amatullahi
USA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 10:18 AM
Is this one of the instances where ijtihad is allowed?
Yahoogroup |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 12:34 PM
| Yes, we need to do ijtihad wherever we do not find direct guidance in the fundamental sources of Islam namely the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. |
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AminahStar
USA
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Posted - Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 4:34 PM
For arguments sake:
Allah forbids us from eating certain things, one of those things is blood.
A person goes to a hospital and cannot feed himself through his mouth. The doctors give him an IV so he can be fed.
If you were to have a blood transfusion, some one elses blood would go through your body through an IV in the same way as the above case.
Can we call this eating blood? |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 3:52 PM
Of course, this is not like eating blood. There is a world of difference between devouring blood and having it through the IV.
The former is certainly an act of volition and the person is enjoying eating the abominable thing. But the latter is an act compelled by the compelling circumstances.
We must appreciate that the Islam is a religion of ease. It does not aim at making things difficult for people. If they cannot offer the Sala’h while standing, they should sit down and offer the Sala’h; if they do not find water or a meager amount is only available for drinking, they should perform Tayamum instead of performing Wudu; if they are ill during the month of Ramadan, they should postpone the fasts to the time when they are healthy et cetera. Keeping this aspect of Islam in perspective, even if the act as described by you is equivalent to eating blood, it would be permissible. I however do think that this is equivalent to devouring blood. |
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AminahStar
USA
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Posted - Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 4:40 PM
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latequeen
INDIA
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Posted - Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 10:02 AM
Just recently I thought about this matter-blood transfusion. Alhamdulillah question in my mind has been written here.
Web search |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 5:28 PM
Peace
We know from the Qura'n that saving one life is like saving the whole humanity.
As my other dr. colleagues will agree, we do not offer blood transfusion untill we really think that it is vital for the person's body system to carry on functioning normally; for life to continue securely.
However screening before transfusion/storing screened blood for so is essential for the purpose to be met and Islamic teachings also stress on "purity" and consumption of pure things.Therefore one should balance the risks of transfusing unscreened or doubtfully screened blood for deadly viruses like HIV(Aids) against not transfusin' at all.
Besides, our muslim brothers and sisters should come forward to donate their , very hopefully, pure blood as well, to avoid the need of transfusing blood to their relatives from professional donors at the time of emergency.
If we do not consider transfusing blood as forbidden, then I understand that donating blood would be viewed similarly.
However my opinion is open to comments and corrections in the light of ijtihad by respectable scholars.
SSaleem |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 8:49 PM
Your opinion is correct, I believe.
Taking precautionary measures to avoid loss of human life should not be objected to. The Muslim scholars have always obligated the Muslims to abide by the traffic rules to secure their own lives and also of the other travelers. I think donating blood should be seen in the same perspective. I would however stress the fact that Allah has proscribed only eating the blood poured forth.
I do not understand why this question arose? Because the Holy Qur’an has held it forbidden to eat the blood poured forth (Surah 6: 145).
I see a great difference between devouring blood and having a blood transfusion. What do you think, doc? You may see/explain it in technical sense? |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Saturday, September 27, 2003 - 4:30 AM
Peace
and apologies for disappearin', as was on call for quite a few hrs which happened to b busy.
I think technically the difference lies in the fact that eating blood means taking it down into stomach, which will then get digested and a part of it will enter the circulation, the rest being excreted as waste via kidneys and bowels.
But more than this technical difference, again i understand that the question re. innate guidance comes in into this matter, as its under discussion at another forum at present re. edibles;
it sounds wild and animal like to devour blood in that sense as an edible, which most likely will inculcate beastly attitudes in humans.
Just like we train a child not even to push or kick someone as tomorrow he/she may start hitting/killing people once allowed to act agressively.
As far as specifically forbidding consumption of "blood poured forth" only is concerned, i think, that is to give us some relaxation in the use of clotted blood which does remain in certain parts of slaughtered animals despite most of the blood being drained out after the major vessels of the throat have been incised; and which many of us like to eat i.e. liver, heart, etc. But this is my personal opinion as i thought about it while reading the relevant verses a while ago.
Does anyone includin' the moderator find any sense in all this?
SSaleem |
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AminahStar
USA
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Posted - Saturday, September 27, 2003 - 7:34 AM
quote:
I do not understand why this question arose? Because the Holy Qur’an has held it forbidden to eat the blood poured forth (Surah 6: 145
I must say I am a bit offended by this comment. You know, I used to be a Christian (Alhamdulillah I have been guided to the right path now). In the denomintaion of Christianity I belonged to it was believed that blood transfusions were completely wrong whether the life of the person depended on it or not, stating a verse about eating blood from the bible.
To state that you do not understand why this question was asked was unmerited. It is quite logical that I would want an answer to this considering what I was taught before.
Edited by - aminahstar on September 27 2003 14:52:44 |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 3:33 PM
Peace
I think AminahStar's question is addressed to the moderator but i would just add something to my previous comment that from medical point of view, the muscles which contain blood within them, i.e. unslaughtered animals, contain more uric acid which is obviously harmful for health. Islam does make sense when it asks us to drain the blood off.Who than our Creator would know this better ofcourse.
Secondly, the replacement of blood constituents we get by blood transfusion when it is given as an essential requirement( as i mentioned before, its never given as a multivitamin or nutrition replacement), could not be achieved by eating or drinking blood as i stated, because of undergoing digestive procedure and losing essential constituents in that process i.e. blood cells breaking down, changing into uric acid, and so on (not going into details to avoid medical jargon) |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Monday, September 29, 2003 - 6:55 PM
| I thank you, doctor. Your explanation does make sense to me. I especially appreciate your point regarding why the words poured forth has been used by the Holy Qur'an. |
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Jhangeer Hanif
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Monday, September 29, 2003 - 7:05 PM
[/quote]
I must say I am a bit offended by this comment. You know, I used to be a Christian (Alhamdulillah I have been guided to the right path now).
To state that you do not understand why this question was asked was unmerited. It is quite logical that I would want an answer to this considering what I was taught before.
Edited by - aminahstar on September 27 2003 14:52:44
[/quote]
I must apologize for using wrong words for the question that AROSE in my mind. The Lord knows I did not intend to offend you in any sense of the word. Plus, I remember very well I had the verse of the Holy Qur'an in my mind when I raised my question. In truth, I did not have in my mind any of your question or comments.
Actually, when a person answers, he/she does get curious why this question arose in the mind of the seeker. The process is natural. Will you, AminahStar, want to deprive me of my right to ask any question that comes to my mind?
Before I hear your response to my comments written above, I would use this opportunity to apologize once again: I am sorry for putting my question in a dumb manner! |
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AminahStar
USA
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Posted - Monday, September 29, 2003 - 7:20 PM
Apology accepted. I am happy things could be cleared up. Of course you are entitled to wonder why questions arise, but your choice of words could have been a little bit better. |
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