Fatwa ID: 06740

 

Answered by: Maulana Ousman Haye

 

Question:

 

Is it permissible to store the baby’s cord blood for future use?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Cord blood banking is a process of collecting potentially life-saving stem cells from the umbilical cord and placenta and storing them for future use.

 

The medical rationale presented is similar to the rationale for blood donation in which contemporary Fuqahaa have permitted blood donation due to the following two juridical maxims:

 

الضرورات تبيح المحظورات

“Necessity legalizes prohibitions”

 

الشئ اذا ثبت، ثبت بلوازمه

“When something is established, it is established with its inherent properties”

 

The general medical need for the contents of the umbilical cord is understood and hence the general donation of the umbilical cord is permissible.

 

In the specific case of a certain child, if presently, there is a medical need to preserve the umbilical cord for the child, then only will it be permissible. If there is no specific need right now, then the reason for its permissibility ضرورت is not established and it will not be permissible. Future sickness is موهوم   (presumption) and a leeway cannot be granted for that.

 

Therefore, if there is a confirmed necessity for doing this, then one is permitted to do so. However, if one is doing this without there being a known necessity and just out of presumption, then one is not permitted to do so. 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Ousman Haye

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

قاعدة: (الضرورات تبيح المحظورات)

(كتاب الوجيز في إيضاح قواعد الفقه الكلية، ص٢٣٤، مؤسسة الرسالة العالمية)

 

الشيء إذا ثبت، ثبت بلوازمه

(جد الممتار على رد المختار، ج٢، ص٤٢٥)