Blood donation is a voluntary act allowing one’s blood to be drawn out of the body. Most of the time, people donate blood out of charity though some others may donate blood for money or other incentive. The blood donated will be stored in blood banks to be frequently used for transfusion purpose.
Donating blood is believed to be a safe way to saving one’s life. Further, regular blood donation also gives tremendous advantage for the donator in terms of health and reward. There is a great demand of blood each day in most places in the world. Since no factory can produce blood, the only way to fulfill the demand is through generous blood donation. So, how Islam sees blood donation and what are the advantages?
Is it allowed to donate blood?
Blood donation has raised a great debate among Islamic scholars whether it is permissible (halal) or not. Donating blood is a relatively new medical treatment in which it does not exist in the era of Prophet. Thus, there is no verse in Qur’an or Hadith saying blood donation as halal or haram. However, analyzing from the purpose of blood donating to save one’s life; it is permissible. Besides saving one’s life, donating blood also has tremendous benefits you can ever think. (See also: importance of time in Islam).
Furthermore, here the information about miraculous benefits of donating blood in Islam for health and society, as follows:
- Saving life
The main benefits of blood donation are saving one’s life. Well, not all patients need blood donation of course, only those who are in the death-or-life stage needs to receive donation in advance according to the needs. To put in simple, without blood donation, there will be people who undoubtedly will die. (See also: giving gifts in Islam).
- Good deed with reward
With the main purpose of blood donation as a life saver, it is hard to see it as anything but good deed. Allah encourages us to saving a life and helps other people.
“And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, Ayath 32).
From this verse, we can conclude that donating blood which can save one’s life is nothing but good deed. In Islam, when one’s do a good deed, he will rewarded only with good things as well.
“Shall the reward of good be anything but good?” (Surah Al-Rahman, Ayath 60).
- Almost no side effects
If you are looking for a way to save one’s life without having to put your own life in line, blood donations is the answer. Donating blood has almost no side effect for the body because the marrow will produce new blood cells. You just need to eat nutritious food after donating to ensure the body has enough nutrition for new blood cells production.
- Spread kindness
Kindness is something which is quite hard to find these days. Donating blood to help one’s means you spread kindness. It is a great way to show that you can help other people with only your body.
“Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgment] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-An’am, Ayath 160).
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- Raise awareness to help other
Helping other is important in Islam. Through blood donation, you can raise awareness that helping other does not necessarily cost you money. What is bad about blood donation when you can help other people without risking your own life? (See also: importance of sacrifice in Islam).
- Strengthen iman
Islam is a religion of mercy. It caters all the problems faced by humanity, acknowledges the needs of people, and gives dispensations and concessions whenever it needed. Consistent charity including blood donation strengthen iman because both acts has the purpose of helping others.
- A form of charity
Islam encourages its people to give charity to others. Charity varies according to your ability such as money, food, clothes, and so on. But when you do not have all that, you can still help other people through blood donations. In fact, it does not cost you a thing to donate blood but it can save one’s life. (See also: Importance of charity in Islam).
- It does not harm both patient and donor
One reason why Islam permits blood donation is because it does harm both patient and donator. The blood is drawn out the body in a sterile and safe process. Blood donation does not prevent donor from living his normal life because if it puts your life at risk, donating blood will be Haram.
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- Balances the blood flow
There are many factors causes blood to moving slow and thick such as smoking, high-sugar diet, emotional stress, and much more. Such condition can put the body in dangerous condition and prone to some diseases. One way to make the blood flow better is through blood donations. This is because blood donation helps limiting the damage in the lining of blood vessel.
- Reduces calories
After each donation, the count of blood cells decreases in the body. This stimulates the bone marrow to produce new blood cells to cover the loss. Producing new blood cells burns the excessive calories as well as reduces cholesterol level in the body. (See also: women’s role in Islam Culture.)
Others ( 11-15 )
Besides those benefits, blood donation also has tremendous advantages from medical point of view as the following.
- Detection of certain disease
- Balance iron level
- Help maintain body health
- Alternative to medical treatment
- Short physical exam
Islam is a religion of mercy especially when it comes to helping others. Blood donation is indeed a new medical treatment but considering the main purpose to save one’s life; it can be considered as another way to do charity.