Is blood transfusion permissible?

Answer

Blood is najis. It is najaasat-e-ghaleezah (heavy impurity). It is haraam to use filth for any purpose whatsoever. It is not permissible to use blood for medical treatment. However, according to the Shariah, if no halaal remedy/ medicine is available, then treatment with a haraam remedy will be permissible, not incumbent.

When there is a dire need and no halaal medicine is available, then it will be permissible to use a haraam remedy, including blood, if available. However, the permissibility of using filth and haraam in times of dire need does not justify nor permits saving haraam substances for future use. For example, during starvation, if a person is on the verge of death, it will be permissible for him to eat just sufficient pork to save him from perishing. But this permissibility does not condone establishment of pork 'banks'. Pork may not be kept in freezers in anticipation of some future calamity when the pork can be used on account of dire necessity (Dhuroorah). Blood banks are not permissible and so too is blood donation not permissible. It is just like donating urine and faeces and storing the filth in faeces and urine banks. Faeces banks are already a reality. Read the article appearing on this page. Both faeces and urine are used for medical treatment. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Allah has not created cure for my Ummah in substances which have been made haraam for them."