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 another incentive. The blood donated will be stored in blood banks to be frequently used for transfusion purposes. There’s no end to the benefits of donating blood for those who need it. It turns out that donating blood doesn’t just benefit recipients. There are health benefits for donors, too, on top of the benefits that come from helping others. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O you who believe! Consciously revere Allah and seek towards Him the means and strive hard in His way, so that you may succeed..” (Surah Al-Ma`idah 5:35)
Donating blood is believed to be a safe way of saving one’s life. Further, regular blood donation also gives a tremendous advantage for the donator in terms of health and reward. There is a great demand for blood each day in most places in the world. Since no factory can produce blood, the only way to fulfil the demand is through generous blood donation. Allah says:
وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
“And (do) not weaken and (do) not grieve and you (will be) [the] superior, if you are believers.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:139)
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 that does not exist in the era of the Prophet. Thus, there is no verse in Qur’an or Hadith saying blood donation as halal or haram. However, analyzing the purpose of blood donation to save one’s life; is permissible. Besides saving one’s life, donating blood also has tremendous benefits you can ever think of. Allah says:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ وَخُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا
“Allah wishes to lighten for you and was created the mankind weak.” (Surah An-Nisa` 4:28)
The main benefit of blood donation is 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 a donation in advance according to the needs. To put it simply, without blood donation, there will be people who undoubtedly will die. With the main purpose of blood donation as a lifesaver, it is hard to see it as anything but a good deed. Allah encourages us to save a life and helps other people. Allah says:
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
“And when plotted against you those who disbelieved that they restrain you or kill you or drive you out. And they were planning and Allah (too) was planning. And Allah is (the) Best (of) the Planners.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:30)
If you are looking for a way to save one’s life without having to put your own life in line, blood donations are 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.
Donating blood has benefits for your emotional and physical health:
- Raise awareness to help other
- Detection of certain disease
- Balances the blood flow
- Good deed with reward
- Almost no side effects
- Saving life
- Spread kindness
- Strengthen iman
- A form of charity
- Reduces calories
- Balance iron level
- Short physical exam
- Help maintain body health
- Alternative to medical treatment
- It does not harm both patient and donor
Kindness 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. Helping others is important in Islam. Through blood donation, you can raise awareness that helping others does not necessarily cost you money. Allah says:
مَن جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا وَمَن جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“Whoever came with a good deed, then for him (is) ten (times) the like of it. And whoever came with an evil deed then not he will be recompensed except the like of it, and they will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:160).
Islam is a religion of mercy. It caters to all the problems faced by humanity, acknowledges the needs of people, and gives dispensations and concessions whenever needed. Consistent charity including blood donation strengthens iman because both acts have the purpose of helping others. Allah says:
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ
“Is (the) reward for the good but good?” (Surah Ar-Rahman 55:60)
Therefore, whoever donates his blood to save the lives of people, indeed, gets a good reward for that if he does so for the sake of Allah. 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.
