Can We Donate Blood During Fast?

Answer By Dr Zakir Naik,When a person donates blood, its some what like cupping. You know cupping means removing blood from the body to the surface either by sucking or by cupping, it is somewhat similar. As far as this is concerned there is difference of opinion among the scholars. Can you donate blood or is cupping allowed while fasting or can a person cup? There is a Hadith which is mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 2364 Where our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said “Anyone who cups and gets cupped, they break their fast.” Means a person who cups and a person who gets cupped, breaks the fast. But there is also another Hadith in Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 3 in the Book of Fasting Hadith no. 1938 where it’s mentioned that Muhammad (saws) was cupped while fasting. Now because of these 2 Hadiths there are difference of opinion in the scholars. There is one group of scholar who says that because Muhammad (saws) gave a commandment that the person who gets cupped and the person who cups, he breaks the fast, cupping is prohibited. Blood donation is prohibited while the other Hadith is an action. The first Hadith is a commandment so when a commandment and action if it clashes, the commandment has got more value. So based on this there is a group of scholars who say that blood donation is Haraam.Amongst these scholars we have Imam Ahmed Ibn Humbal, we have Shaikh bin Baz who says that cupping and blood donation is Haraam, we have the great scholar Shaikh Uthaimeen who says its Haraam, Shaikh Saleh Fauzan and Shaikh Jibreen all of these scholars say cupping is haraam. And Shaikh Jibreen says that if a person donates blood, it’s like cupping therefore its haraam but if he does it to save somebody’s life it is permissible but yet it breaks the fast and he has to make up for that fast later on. Now there is another group of scholars where Shaikh Nasiruddin Al Albani, he says that the earlier Hadith of Abu Dawud, it has been abrogated by the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari. Therefore cupping is allowed and donating blood is allowed. So second group of scholars who say donating blood is allowed and cupping is allowed while fasting and does not break the fast.. We have Shaikh Nassiruddin Albani, we have amongst the Sahabas Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, we have Hazrat Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, we have Imam Malik, we have Imam Shafi so there is another group of scholars who say that blood donating does not break the fast.So based on this there are some scholars who say its Makhrooh, some scholars say that if there is such a large difference of opinion so if it has to be done, avoid it and do it after sunset. So we have a difference of opinion as far as blood donation is concerned.But as far as the other things are concerned for example if there is just small bleeding due to any injury, that does not break the fast, there is no difference of opinion in this. Or if you take blood only for testing a few ml. of blood is removed from the body for testing, this does not break the fast. Or an injury or a cut blood comes out that does not break the fast or if it’s a nose bleed or bleeding of nose that doesn’t break the fast. Or if it’s a minor surgery where little blood flows out, it doesn’t break the fast. If excessive blood flows out in a blood surgery which is equal to blood donation than it breaks the fast. So as far as the second part is concerned about blood taking out for testing, nose bleed or minor bleeding, there is no difference of opinion all of them agree that this does not break the fast.