Is organ donation permissible in Islam?

Organ donation is a modern medical matter without direct mention in the Quran or Sunnah, so scholars reason from general principles, chiefly the preservation of life. The Quran states that whoever saves a single life, it is as though he has saved all of humanity (5:32), and Islamic law's overarching objectives include the protection of life as one of its highest priorities. Building on this, major fiqh bodies, including the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have ruled that organ donation is permissible under specific conditions: the donation must not endanger the donor's own life or essential health if given while living, it must be given freely without coercion or sale, the recipient's need must be genuine and serious, and posthumous donation requires either the deceased's prior consent or permission from their legal heirs. Some scholars hold more restrictive views, particularly regarding cadaveric donation, out of concern for the sanctity and dignity of the deceased body, which Islam also emphasizes should not be mutilated without necessity. On balance, the majority of contemporary scholars across madhhabs permit organ donation, whether living or posthumous, when it follows medical necessity, proper consent, and the absence of commercial exploitation.

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