Faith

Imagine one of your kidneys has stopped working. You’re currently using a dialysis machine to stay alive. Your only hope of a normal life is to have a kidney transplant.

Five painful years pass then one night you get a phone call saying a suitable donor has been found.

However, while on dialysis you regularly visit your local Imam (Islamic religious Leader) to get his views.

He advises you that if a kidney becomes available you should not accept it, citing it’s against Islamic beliefs.

According to his interpretation of the scriptures only organs from living donors can be accepted. 

What do you do?

This was the question facing Hanif Mohammed.

Then eight years ago while at work his kidney stopped functioning. He was rushed to Oxford Radcliffe Hospital an told he needed a transplant.

For five years Hanif was using a kidney dialysis machine. one unexpected night he received a phone call. His wife answered then rushed to his bed side and told him the great news.

 Finally, a compatible donor had been found. He'd been given the chance to lead a normal life again, something he craved.

“Initially I thought I was in a dream because we were literally woken up in the middle of the night. …It’s something really strange you can’t take it in".

“It was elation after the initial shock had gone away.  I was really happy, finally it had arrived”.

Hanif now faced one of the biggest moral dilemmas of his life. For many of us our decision would be clear cut, without hesitation we would say yes to the transplant.

However, for Hanif a devout Muslim it wasn't that easy. He went in search of some answers:

“It was very difficult because this was an Imam I had gone to for advice for most of my adult life.”

“I still do trust and respect his opinions”.

The Islamic faith allows its followers to seek the opinions of other Imams. Differences of opinion may occur:

“I went to other Imams and researched and looked at what other famous ones had written overseas and they do allow it….and on that basis I went ahead”. 

Click on the link below to hear the whole interview with Hanif Mohammed on the Andrew Peach show:

Since his transplant Hanif’s health has continued to improve. He has gained black belts in several martial arts and is about to become a fully qualified instructor.

 Hanif still visits his local Imam and values his opinions.