Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(215): ”Conditions that Permit Kidney Donation”

Date Added : 05-10-2015

Resolution No.(215), (5/2015) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

”Conditions that Permit Kidney Donation”

Date: 21/Ramadan/1436 AH, corresponding to 8/7/2015 AD.

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

The Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies reviewed, on its 7th session held on the above date, the questions concerning the permissibility of kidney donation.

After thorough study and deliberation, the Board decided the following:

Kidney donation is permissible so long as the Sharia conditions stipulated in this regard are met. Not only that, but the Board believes that a person who does so with the intention of doing good to a patient will receive a reward from Allah, The Almighty. Allah Says in this regard {what means}: “and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” {Al-Mai`dah/32}.

The Sharia conditions in this regard are:

First: The donor should have complete capacity, with making sure of his willingness to do so and that he isn`t being used; particularly if that person is a woman.

Second: It has been medically proven that the kidney transplant is a success and useful to the patient, and that the donor`s health won`t be jeopardized, because the Sharia maxim states: “Harm shouldn`t be eliminated with a reciprocal harm.” Therefore, specialized expert doctors must be sure with certainty about the success of this procedure in every case.

Third: There should be no material benefit behind this donation, and this should be ascertained through the medical, legal, and supervisory bodies. They have the right to confine the donation in accordance with the degree of kinship that they see fit. This depends on the facts that they arrive at, and what they see fit for making benefit and warding off harm.

Fourth: All other treatments and medical procedures have been tested. And Allah Knows Best.

 

The Iftaa` Board

The Grand Mufti of Jordan/ Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh/ Chairman

Vice-Chairman of the Iftaa` Board/Prof. Ahmad Hilayel

Dr. Hail Abdulhafeez/ Member        Sheilh Sa`id Hijjawi/ Member

Dr. Yahia Al-Botoush/ Member        Dr. Mohammad Khair Al-Esa/ Member

Dr. Wasif Al-Bakri/ Member                         Prof. Mohammad Al-Qodat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member   Dr. Mohammad Al-Zo`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

I bought an apartment, and I am saving money to pay the remaining balance of its price — is zakāh obligatory on this money?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh is obligatory on all saved/hoarded wealth. Once the total wealth reaches the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah— equivalent to the value of 85 grams of pure 24-karat gold) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has elapsed over it, zakāh becomes obligatory at a rate of (2.5%) — even if the wealth is earmarked for basic future needs, and even if the wealth's owner is in debt. Debt does not prevent the obligation of zakāh, nor is it deducted when calculating the zakāh due, based on the general and unrestricted wording of all the Qur'anic verses commanding zakāh, which draw no distinction between someone in debt and anyone else.
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik, from the books of the Shāfi‘ī school: "If someone possesses exactly the niṣāb, and owes an equivalent amount in debt, zakāh remains obligatory on what is in his possession, and the debt does not prevent this obligation" — meaning, the obligation of zakāh on what is presently in his possession.
The ḥawl (annual cycle) recognized for zakāh, as well as for the other sharī‘ah obligations that Allah, the Exalted, has imposed upon Muslims, is the Hijrī (lunar) year. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on performing the Duha (forenoon) prayer before its time has begun, because I go to school early in the morning?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Duha (forenoon) prayer is not valid if performed before its time has begun. Its time starts when the sun has risen to a noticeable height, that is, approximately fifteen minutes after sunrise, and it ends when the sun reaches its zenith (zawāl), shortly before the Dhuhr (noon) prayer. It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (Vol.1/p.455): “Its time is from the rising of the sun [to a spear’s height] until the zenith.”
Accordingly, the Duha prayer is not valid if offered before the sun has risen, and its time remains open until just before Dhuhr. It may be performed at any time at school, during the break between classes or during recess. And Allah Almighty knows best.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible to offer condolences to a non-Muslim?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible to offer condolences (Ta'ziyah) to a non-Muslim upon the death of their relatives. This constitutes a form of benevolent treatment (Birr) that we have been commanded to observe. Allah Almighty states {what means}: "Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes—from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly." (Surah Al-Mumtahinah, 60:8). And Allah Almighty knows best.