The Saturday Story
by Amira Daoud
The chilling wind blew one Saturday afternoon in January; a patient was wheeled into the operation room at Loyola Hospital in Maywood.
The patient’s liver began failing days earlier that then affected his kidneys, and the patient’s medical condition was deteriorating rapidly. The much-needed surgery was one of the most difficult and time consuming: a liver transplant.
 Around Fajr time, the family was informed that a liver was found through the Illinois Donor Registration list. The surgery began upon the arrival of the donated liver; more than eight hours later, the surgeons informed the family that the operation was a success.
That patient was my uncle.
Allah creates the human body and it is He who heals. Relatives, friends, neighbors, our Imams and many in our community were making dua’a and praying to Allah to grant him a healthy recovery, and AlhamduliAllah, our prayers were answered.
The liver transplant could not have been carried out without the generosity of the person who donated the liver. Organ donation saves lives.
Many Muslim scholars of the most prestigious academies are unanimous in declaring that organ donation is an act of merit, and in certain circumstances can be an obligation. A Fatwa was issued in February 1988 by the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Paragraph six of the fatwa states:
“It is permissible to transplant an organ from a dead person to a living person whose life or basic essential functions depend on that organ, subject to the condition that permission be given by the deceased before his death, or by his heirs after his death, or by the authorities in charge of the Muslims if the identity of the deceased is unknown or he has no heirs.”
Muslims are asked to be generous, to donate money, time, good deeds, prayers and dua’a for others. But what is more precious than the donation to save someone's life? Imagine the amount of dua’a you could receive after you leave this world from signing your name on one line.
As for my uncle, he is slowly recovering. He is thankful to Allah for bestowing His mercy and compassion upon him. He recently returned to regular prayers at the Mosque Foundation and is enjoying every moment with the family, especially his grandchildren and, of course, me, his favorite niece. 
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