The Significance of Human Organ Donation and Transplant Surgery According to Maqāṣid Sharīʿah
Authors
Muhammad Haqim Hussin Bin Mohd Roslan
Faculty of Syariah & Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) (Malaysia)
Article Information
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2025-10-02
Accepted: 2025-10-10
Published: 2025-11-05
Abstract
Organ failure is incurable; once an organ is damaged, nothing can be done to reverse the process. Without new organ substitutions, patients have to go through a painful death, as the failure of an organ to operate in the human body leads to various illnesses. Furthermore, the number of patients who need organ transplants is mounting year by year. Although over 30 years have passed since its first organ transplant, the total number of transplants conducted in Malaysia is still disappointingly low. This paper is essential to prove a strong basis concerning the ruling of organ donation or transplant in Islam by reviewing its acceptability through the principle of Maqāṣid Sharīʿah. This paper is qualitative, and the data collection process is done through content analysis. The data sources are the collections of data from the holy Quran, Sunnah, Islamic legal maxims, classical books (turāth), contemporary legal books, article journals, and other document references. Thus, this study seeks to determine the permissibility of organ donation and transplant to another person according to Maqāṣid Sharīʿah.
Keywords
Organ donation, transplantation, Maqāṣid Sharīʿah, hifz al-nafs
Downloads
References
1. Abbasi, M., Kiani, M., Ahmadi, M., & Salehi, B. (2018). Knowledge and Ethical Issues in Organ Transplantation and Organ Donation: Perspectives from Iranian Health Personnel. Annals of transplantation, 23, 292–299. https://doi.org/10.12659/AOT.908615. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
2. Abd al-Majid al-Najjar. (2008). Maqāşid al-Shariah bi Ab'adin Jadīdah (Beirut: Dar al-Gharb al- Islāmī. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
3. Al-Ali, Ali. (2011). Jurisprudential Issues in Human Organ Transplantation. A Series of Contemporary Jurisprudential Research, issue no. 4. Gombak: IUM Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
4. Al-Ghazali, A. H. (1997/1418H). al-Mustasfa min Ilm al-Usul. tahq. al-Ashqar, Muhammad Sulayman. Bayrut: Al-Risalah. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
5. Alias, Muhammad Nazir & Samsudin, Muhammad & Omar, Anwar & Ahmad, Irdha. (2018). Maqasid Syariah Sebagai Sandaran Hukum Menurut Mazhab Syafie. ASEAN Comparative Education Research Journal on Islam and Civilization (ACER-J), 2(1), 48–58. eISSN: 2600-769X. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
6. Al-Najjār, Abd al-Majīd. (2008). Maqāṣid al-Sharīᶜah Bi Abād Jadīdah (2nd ed.). Beirut: Dār al-Gharb al-Islāmī. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
7. Al-Quran [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
8. Al-Yūbī. (1998). Maqāsid al-Sharīah al-Islāmiyyah Wa Alāqatuhā Bi alAdillah al-Shariyyah. al-Riyāḍ: Dār al-Hijrah. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
9. Azizul Khairi Mohd Nor. (2012). Derma organ - portal myhealth. Derma Organ. http://www.myhealth.gov.my/derma-organ/. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
10. Bernama. (2023). Malaysia Antara 10 Negara Terendah Derma Organ Di Dunia. Berita Harian Online https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2023/09/1149642/malaysia-antara-10-negara-terendah-derma-organ-di-dunia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
11. Chamsi-Pasha, H., & Albar, M. A. (2017). Do not resuscitate, brain death, and organ transplantation: Islamic perspective. Avicenna journal of medicine, 7(2), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0770.203608. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
12. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). Sage. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
13. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (4th ed.). Sage. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
14. George, M. W. (2008). The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs To Know. Princeton University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
15. Hadith Nabawi [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
16. Job, K., & Antony, A. (2018). Organ Donation and Transplantation: “Life after Death”. InTech. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76962. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
17. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. (2011). Pemindahan organ dari Perspektif Islam (1st ed.). Unit Perkhidmatan Transplan, Bahagian Perkembangan Perubatan, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
18. Khoo, L. S., & Ballesté, C. (2024). A 25-year scoping review of the organ donation system in Malaysia: past, present, and future. Clinical transplantation and research, 38(3), 163–187. https://doi.org/10.4285/ctr.24.0020. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
19. Khoo, L. S., & Ballesté, C. (2024). A 25-year scoping review of the organ donation system in Malaysia: Past, present, and future. Clinical Transplantation and Research, 38(3), 163–187. https://doi.org/10.4285/ctr.24.0020 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
20. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. (2007). Organ Transplant In Islam: The Fiqh of Organ Transplant And Its Application In Singapore. Office of the Mufti Strategic Unit, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. https://www.muis.gov.sg/-/media/Files/OOM/Resources/Muis-kidney-book-ENG.ashx . [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
21. Malaysian Medical Council. (2006). Guideline Of The Malaysian Medical Council: Organ Transplantation. https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/auto%20download%20images/589d78f57c97f.pdf. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
22. Muhammad ibn Ismail Abu Abdullah al-Bukhari. (1422 H). Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2. Dar al-Tawq al-Najaat. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
23. Musa, Z. M., & Supaat, D. I. (Eds.). (2018). Isu-Isu Semasa Islam Dan Sains. Penerbit USIM. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
24. n.a. (2015). Pemindahan organ orang mati diharuskan. Berita Harian Online.https://www.bharian.com.my/bhplus-old/2015/09/79093/pemindahan-organ-orang-mati-diharuskan [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
25. National Kidney Foundation Malaysia. (2020). Organ transplantation from Islamic perspective. National Kidney Foundation Malaysia. https://nkf.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Organ-Transplantation-from-Islamic-Perspective.pdf . [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
26. Oliver, Karla. (2023). Overview of Organ Donation. Mexican Journal of Medical Research ICSA. 11. 55-63. https://doi.org/10.29057/mjmr.v11i21.10007. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
27. Padela, A. I., & Auda, J. (2020). The Moral Status of Organ Donation and Transplantation Within Islamic Law: The Fiqh Council of North America's Position. Transplantation direct, 6(3), 536. https://doi.org/10.1097/TXD.0000000000000980. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
28. Rady, M. Y., & Verheijde, J. L. (2009). Islam and end-of-life organ donation. Asking the right questions. Saudi medical journal, 30(7), 882–886. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
29. Rady, Mohamed Y., and Joseph L. Verheijde. (2014). The Moral Code In Islam And Organ Donation In Western Countries: Reinterpreting Religious Scriptures To Meet Utilitarian Medical Objectives. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine. 9: 1–9. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
30. Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health. (2023). Awareness of Organ Donation and Number of Transplants Increase Hopes in Türkiye. https://www.saglik.gov.tr/EN-100708/awareness-of-organ-donation-and-number-of-transplants-increase-hopes-in-turkiye.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
31. S. M. Saifuddeen, C. L. Wei, A. H. Ibrahim, and N. A. M. Khotib.(2013). Islamic Ethical Framework To Tackle Scientific and Technological Dilemmas. Journal of Dharma, , 38(4),373-386, ISSN: 0253-722238. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
32. Sahid, M.M. (2018). Muzakkirah Fi Maqasid Syariah (1st ed.) pp.30. Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai Negeri Sembilan: Penerbit USIM. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
33. Saifuddeen, Shaikh & Wei, C.L. & Ibrahim, Abdul Halim & Mhd Khotib, Nor Aina. (2013). Islamic ethical framework to tackle scientific and technological dilemmas. Journal of Dharma. 38. 373-386. https://dialogue.um.edu.my/WoS/9.pdf. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
34. Sakarwala, A. S., Aniqa Dejwani, Mohammed Faris Razi Moinuddin, Dr. Waleed Ahmad, & Humam Furqan. (2025). Bridging Ethics, religion, and Policy: Transforming Organ Donation in South Asia. INNOVAPATH, 1(3), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.63501/aczjpq11 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
35. Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. (2025). Programs statistics. Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. https://www.scot.gov.sa/en/reports-and-statistics/programs-statistics?utm_source=chatgpt.com [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
36. Sayyed Mohamed Muhsin, Nur Hasya binti Zulkifli, and Nur Syazana binti Zawawi. (2024). "Malaysian Muslim Perspective vis-à-vis Organ Donation: A Maqasid-Based Field Study," TAFHIM IKIM Journal of Islam and the Contemporary World. 17, no. 2,35-56. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
37. Transplantation Unit KKM. (2012). Frequently Asked Questions: Islam and Organ Donation . Ministry of Health Malaysia. https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/auto%20download%20images/589d7aae027dc.pdf. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
38. Tuty Haryanti. (2024). Malaysia Kini Di Ambang Krisis Penyakit Buah Pinggang. Berita Harian Online. https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2024/03/1223441/malaysia-kini-di-ambang-krisis-penyakit-buah-pinggang. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
39. Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri. (2019). Bayan Linnas Series 176: Organ And Tissue Donation (Updated Version). Pejabat Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan. https://www.muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/bayan-linnas/3314-bayan-linnas-series-176-organ-and-tissue-donation. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Metrics
Views & Downloads
Similar Articles
- Conflict of Law in the Safeguarding of Malaysian Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Way Forward
- Alternative Dispute Resolution in India: A Brief Overview Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. - William E. Gladstone
- The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Rights: Balancing Access and Repatriation
- An Evaluation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' Significance and Application in Nigeria
- The Role of International Law in Shaping National Immigration Policies.