A unit of blood. Picture: Wikimedia Commons

A Muslim in Bihar, India, chose humanity over religious customs when he broke his Ramadaan fast to donate blood to an eight-year-old Hindu thalassemic boy and saved his life.

Jawed Alam on Tuesday donated blood to Rajesh Kumar in Gopalganj district, a district health official said. 

The boy was rushed to the emergency of Sadar hospital by his father. The patient complained of uneasiness and weakness, and required immediate blood transfusion.

There was no blood matching Rajesh's blood group available in the blood bank. They said it would take at least two-to-three days to arrange it. 

The boy's condition deteriorated quickly. His father had travelled some 200 km from the Kuchaikote area and was fast losing hope as he waited in the corridors of the blood bank.

It was then that a hospital sweeper and cleaner, informed Anwar Hussain, a member of District Blood Donor Team (DBDT) about the child.

Hussain requested his friend Jawed Alam, an active member of DBDT to rush to Sadar hospital.

"When my friend Anwar requested me to donate blood to a seriously ill thalassemia patient, I politely informed him that I was observing Ramzan fast.

"But he convinced me to arrive and consulted doctors. At first even the doctors refused my offer as I was fasting," Jawed said. 

"They agreed only after I took their advise, broke my fast and consumed fruit juice and some solids," the young Muslim man in his 30s said.

He said: "My religion teaches me to help a fellow human first, so I broke my fast and donated blood to save little Rajesh. Islam preaches that humanity is bigger than everything." 

Thalassemia is a blood disorder and a thalassemic patient needs blood transfusion after every three-to-four weeks.