Organ transplantation and donation

Nothing specific found in the writings on transplant of organs or regarding time of death

"We have your letter of September 13, 1968, making inquiry about instructions which may apply to organ transplants such as the heart or kidney.

"On 18 September, 1968, we wrote to the National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina as follows:

'We have not come across anything specific in the writings on transplants of hearts and other organs or regarding the time of death, and the Universal House of Justice does not wish to make any statements on these points at this time.'"

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, September 23, 1968, in Lights of Guidance, no. 983)

Organ donation not forbidden and a noble thing to do

"In reply to your letter of October 1st inquiring about organ transplants and Bahá'ís acting as donors for parts of the body, we refer you first of all to our letter of March 3rd 1967 in which we quoted to you a passage from one of the beloved Guardian's letters on this subject.

"We are also able to give you the following from a letter of the beloved Guardian by his secretary: 'There is nothing in the teachings which would forbid a Bahá'í to bequeath his eyes to another person or for a hospital; on the contrary it seems a noble thing to do.' This passage is from a letter dated September 6th 1946.

"The House of Justice does not wish at the present time to go beyond the elucidation contained in the above statements."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, October 16, 1969, in Lights of Guidance, no. 984)