Assalamu alaikum
I have found some questions and answers to do with aborting the fetus etc.
Islam Questions & Answers
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Question Reference Number:: 42321
Title: Ruling on aborting a pregnancy in the early stages
What is the ruling on aborting a pregnancy in the early months (1-3) before the soul is breathed into the foetus?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The Council of Senior Scholars issued the following statement:
1 – It is not permissible to abort a pregnancy at any stage unless there is a legitimate reason, and within very precise limits.
2 – If the pregnancy is in the first stage, which is a period of forty days, and aborting it serves a legitimate purpose or will ward off harm, then it is permissible to abort it. But aborting it at this stage for fear of the difficulty of raising children or of being unable to bear the costs of maintaining and educating them, or for fear for their future or because the couple feel that they have enough children – this is not permissible.
3 – It is not permissible to abort a pregnancy when it is an ‘alaqah (clot) or mudghah (chewed lump of flesh) (which are the second and third periods of forty days each) until a trustworthy medical committee has decided that continuing the pregnancy poses a threat to the mother's wellbeing, in that there is the fear that she will die if the pregnancy continues. It is permissible to abort it once all means of warding off that danger have been exhausted.
4 – After the third stage, and after four months have passed, it is not permissible to abort the pregnancy unless a group of trustworthy medical specialists decide that keeping the foetus in his mother's womb will cause her death, and that should only be done after all means of keeping the foetus alive have been exhausted. A concession is made allowing abortion in this case so as to ward off the greater of two evils and to serve the greater of two interests.
Al-Fataawa al-Jaami'ah, 3/1056 (
www.islam-qa.com)
Islam Questions & Answers
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Question Reference Number:: 1978
Title: Ruling on aborting a deformed fetus
Question:
If a fetus is found to have some defects (at about 4.5 months of pregrancy), one which includes anencephaly:no brain, and the doctors strongly suggest an abortion since the longest an anencephalic born baby survived was 21 days and since most of such pregnancies end up in miscarriages at a later and riskier stage of pregnancies, or still born baby. what is a muslim couple to do? especially since consulting two knowledgeable islamic scholars each came up with a different solution ie one suggesting abortion the other one suggesting continuing with pregnancy. The couple had to make a decision the soonest possible. what do the laws of islam say? Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If the fetus has reached the age of four months, then the soul has already been breathed into it, so deliberately aborting it would be regarded as killing a soul - which is a very grave major sin. The doctors' opinion that it is malformed is no excuse at all. If it is miscarried or stillborn, or it is born alive and dies shortly thereafter, the parents will be rewarded for bearing the calamity of their loss, and if it lives and has some kind of disability, they will be rewarded for their patience in taking care of it. Everything that happens to the believer is good for him, but wilfully destroying a soul is nothing but evil and sin. We must also take into consideration the errors that may occur in doctors' reports, and that fact that the condition of the fetus may change and improve.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (
www.islam-qa.com)
Islam Questions & Answers
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Question Reference Number:: 12118
Title: Abortion of physically deformed foetus
Is it permissible to abort the foetus after medical tests have shown that it is physically deformed?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There are many causes of deformity of the foetus, many of which could be avoided; one could protect oneself from them or reduce their effects. Islam and medicine both urge people to avoid the causes of disease and to protect themselves against it as much as possible. The teachings of Islam urge us to protect our health and to protect the foetus from many diseases which are caused by ignoring the teachings of Islam and falling into sin such as zinaa (unlawful sexual relationships), drinking alcohol, smoking, and taking drugs. Modern medicine also warns mothers of the imminent danger of taking some medications, or being exposed to x-rays or gamma rays, especially in the early days of pregnancy.
If it is proven in a definitive fashion, beyond any doubt, by a trustworthy medical committee, that the foetus is deformed, and that this deformity cannot be treated by the specialists, then in my view it is permissible to abort it, in view of the difficulties it would face in life and the hardship this would present to the parents, and the burdens and responsibilities of care it would place on the society. These considerations and others prompted the Islamic Fiqh Committee of the Muslim World League in its 12th conference held in Makkah on 15 Rajab 1410 AH (10/2/1990 CE), to issue the statement that “it is permissible to abort a foetus which is deformed in the manner mentioned above, with the consent of the parents and within the first 120 days from the beginning of the pregnancy.”
The decision of the committee was in accordance with the fatwa of the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, no. 2484, issued on 16/7/1399 AH.
But if the soul has been breathed into the foetus and it has completed 120 days, then it is not permissible to abort it, no matter what the deformity, unless continuation of the pregnancy would put the mother's life in danger. This is because after the soul has been breathed into the foetus, it is considered to be a person who must be protected, regardless of whether it is free of disease or not, and regardless of whether there is hope of recovery or not. That is because Allaah has a reason for everything that He creates, which many people do not know, and He knows best what is right for His creation, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves), All Aware (of everything).
[al-Mulk 67:14]
In the birth of these deformed children there is a lesson for those who are of sound health, and it teaches us of the power of Allaah Who shows His creation the manifestations of His might and the wonders that He has created. Killing and aborting them is a purely materialistic view which pays no attention to matters of religion and morals. Perhaps the existence of these deformities will make people more humble and submissive towards their Lord, and make them bear them with patience, seeking a great reward from Him.
Physical deformity is something that Allaah has decreed for some of His slaves. Whoever bears that with patience will attain victory. This is something that happens and has always happened throughout history, but unfortunately studies indicate that the rate of physical deformity is increasing, as the result of pollution of the environment and the increase of harmful rays in the atmosphere, which was previously unknown.
It is by the mercy of Allaah that many deformed foetuses are miscarried or die before they are born.
The Muslim woman and the Muslim family must bear with patience whatever happens to them, and seek the reward for that with Allaah. And Allaah knows best.
From Ahkaam al-Janeen fi'l-Fiqh al-Islami, by ‘Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem Ghaanim (
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I hope this is of some help
Masalaam :sister: