By blood donorship we do much better for Islam than by years of pretty speeches on greatness and verity of our faith!
Mufti Said Ismagilov
Due to civil activist Tetiana Yevloieva, the founder of the Muslim initiative "Become a donor!", the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre met once again the medical team of transfusiologists of Kyiv Blood Centre.
This is a second Donor Day, organized in 2016, and as usual not only Muslims but also the followers of other religions took part in the donorship — free blood donation for saving others people. This time the fighters of the elite operations unit of Police “Kyiv” also joined the Action.
— Well, these are, probably, high words, but during the last few years, everything, made by these guys, deserves the highest praise. Nobody forces, nobody prompts — but they take up arms voluntarily, defend our country and donate the blood on voluntary lines for those in need. It means that they are guided by their heart, not by order — sais regimental commander Vitalii Satarenko.
According to the commander, it is not the first action of donorship, which the fighters took part in. When they learned from the press secretary of the regiment, Amina Okuieva and Social networks about Blood Donor Day at the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre, they volunteered, even more, they insisted on their participation:
— This is not our first action. From time to time, the boys ask to arrange something like that, and here you give such a good opportunity. What did push us? Each of us, who has already been at the war zone or who is there now, knows the value of shed blood. We face it almost every day... keeping of blood and treatment of wounded soldiers – these are what we can do especially for Ukraine, when we are not in the ATO zone. Almost all the soldiers, who come to the Islamic cultural Centre for donating the blood today, will go to the ATO zone in a few days.
We’d like to mention that a page "Become a donor!" was created on the social network Facebook in order to inform many people about the opportunity to make a respect deed. And, from early April, the organizers have been publishing there the motivational materials and advices on how to prepare for a blood donorship. In addition, they made few banners that announced the promotion of free blood donation; call "Become a donor!" was backed with ayat of Koran.
Published booklet is a memo for donor (it was designed by Tetiana Yevloieva and Mariia Zakharchenko) that was highly appreciated by the specialists of Kyiv Blood Centre. It contains detailed information about the following: in what cases do some people need the donated blood? Who can be a donor? What are the contraindications? How to prepare for blood donation? What food and drinks are allowed and what are not before and after that procedure? And all information was illustrated with such interesting drawings that you couldn’t simply pass by that little book!
In the booklet introduction to potential blood donors, Mufti of Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine "Umma", Said Ismagilov, explains the issues of donorship in terms of Shariah and encourages the fellow believers at least once in their lifetime donate their blood to someone who needs it.
Sheikh Said cites examples when people ask the imams of RAMU "Umma" to find blood donors only among Muslims for themselves or their relatives, as the believers, who do not violate the rules of Lord in the Highest, are medically perfect donors.
Mufti sais that Muslims must be the first, who come to relieve:
— Our Umma should set the examples of humanity, justice and self-help in this life — it is said in the introduction to the memo for blood donors. — By saving human life through blood donorship, we will do to Islam more than the years of good speeches about the greatness and truth of our faith!
So it is not surprising that, long before the beginning of the action, people had been coming to the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre (Dehtyarivska st., 25). In total, there were for about hundred people that wanted to help a neighbor. Unfortunately, not all those comers were able to realize a good intention: some of them, as it turned out, kept to the diet in wrong way, some others recently had made a tattoo or piercing. Another 14 men were upset because the doctor didn’t allow them to donate blood because of some contraindications. However, the 40 blood donors, who were selected after close medical examination and blood tests, enriched the reserves of Kyiv Blood Centre on 17 liters 350 milliliters of life-giving liquid!
It should be mentioned that, even out of actions, Kyiv Muslims seek to help the sick and wounded people with their blood: during 23-24 of March more than 70 followers of Islam came to patient care institution Ohmatdit. More information are on "Alraid."
The next blood donor action will be held at the Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre in September.