Abortion in Islam - allowed under what circumstances?

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whitemuslimah

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Somebody close half way through her pregnancy had a scan and found out there's a 90% chance the baby might be disabled and have learning difficulties etc. and 10% chance it'll be born healthy. She is not thinking of abortion but some family members are eager to advise so, reasoning it'll mess up her life because she'll be attached to that child all life as chances are it won't be able to do nothing for itself.

On the other hand miracles happen, and the disability might not be as severe as seems at this stage. Is abortion allowed under those circumstances or no?
 
This is the closest I could find on IslamQA:

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.
 
:sl:
Killing The Disabled: A Concept of Darwinism Not Islam

^^ to expand on this line I will need to quote from works by Br. Harun Yahya which will cause him to be insulted and abused.

instead I will ask you to take a look at Surat Al-Ma’idah Ayat number 32

:w:
 
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I can not imagine how it must feel to hear that from a doctor. As previously stated it would not be accepted in Islam...the baby is still okay even if it has some disabilities...you grow to love children with disabilities so much and you love them beyond everything else...I know someone who has a sister who has down syndrome and she makes everyone so happy we all love that little girl so much and couldn't possibly see her not here with us...Allah knows best and when something like this happens he is testing the parents...Allah knows what we can handle and our limits, Allah never gives us more then we can handle....I wish her all the best and InshAllah her baby will be fine!!!

Jazak Allah Khair
 
This is but a personal opinion .might be of some help.

I dont know but i feel life is more precious than anything else. just put yourself in the babies condition and think ;if you had some disability and some of your well wishers cruelly killed you , isnt it too bad how would you feel. isnt life irreplacable.

I hope i am clear that i wanted to say that life is too precious.
 
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There have been a few posts pertaining to the Islamic permissibility of abortion. I'm going to try a different approach.

whitemuslimah said:
Somebody close half way through her pregnancy had a scan and found out there's a 90% chance the baby might be disabled and have learning difficulties etc. and 10% chance it'll be born healthy. She is not thinking of abortion but some family members are eager to advise so, reasoning it'll mess up her life because she'll be attached to that child all life as chances are it won't be able to do nothing for itself.
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I don't think they've really considered the effect that would have on the mother. She's the one who conceived and carried the child, after all. A mother's bond is not to be severed lightly - and the reasoning is so that the mother could have an easier life? What would that do to her, in the long run?
 
^Point. I'm going to try yet another approach.

I believe that whatever problems the baby has it is due to the will of Allah. If there was no method of testing a child for disabilities the mother would go on to give birth anyway.

Whether that baby survives or not is again Allah's will. Allah has promised us that every suffering relieves us from some of our sins. The pain of childbirth is bad enough. Then a woman who knowing her child has disabilities, carries it and then gives birth to it and in some cases doesnt expect the baby to survive may just have gained Paradise for all her suffering. This could be what Allah chose for a woman to purge her of her sins. Allahu alim.

No one knows except Allah. But we should remember Allah's promise and no one should suggest taking an innocent life to make the parents' life easier -esp. if there is no danger to the mother's life. Astaghfirullah.

oh and to add............

a lady who i know already had two daughters when she aborted the next baby in similar circumstances. it was a boy. she went on to have healthy girl.
after that she had a healthy baby boy. he died before he started walking by choking on a pen top. SubhanAllah. If Allah has chosen to give a child, however it is, we should accept it as His will because He KNOWS what is best for us.
 
Just wanted to update that she carried out the baby and it was born at 29 weeks by csection, very small but breathing on her own and doctors are amazed how well she's doing. what dua can do a human mind can't comprehend. jazakallah if anyone said dua for the baby, please, keep praying.
 
That's wonderful, white muslima! Thanks for sharing :)

I pray that this small person will grow and develop to the best of his/her ability and lead a healthy, fulfilled and joyful life!
I pray that her mother is delighted with the decision she took, and that her child will be a wonderful blessing to her.
 
whitemuslimah said:
Just wanted to update that she carried out the baby and it was born at 29 weeks by csection, very small but breathing on her own and doctors are amazed how well she's doing. what dua can do a human mind can't comprehend. jazakallah if anyone said dua for the baby, please, keep praying.
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Allahs Peace and blessings on mother and child. I worked with people with varying degrees of LD and can honestly say that I never met anyone who deserved to live any less than an able bodied person. Allah has blessed the mother with a baby, Allah knows best:sl:
 
TKTony said:
Allahs Peace and blessings on mother and child. I worked with people with varying degrees of LD and can honestly say that I never met anyone who deserved to live any less than an able bodied person. Allah has blessed the mother with a baby, Allah knows best:sl:
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Amen to that, TK.

I have worked with adults with LD for the last 13 years, and I agree with your post whole-heartedly. :)
Slowly, slowly, the attitude and understanding of our society towards people with LD seems to be changing too.

Peace
 
glo said:
Amen to that, TK.

I have worked with adults with LD for the last 13 years, and I agree with your post whole-heartedly. :)
Slowly, slowly, the attitude and understanding of our society towards people with LD seems to be changing too.

Peace
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Yes Glo I think your right, started off with social inclusion and closing down of big hidden hospital wards. Dont you feel that working in this field has enriched our life and I think that God blessed us when guiding us into this work. Peace Glo
 
TKTony said:
Dont you feel that working in this field has enriched our life and I think that God blessed us when guiding us into this work. Peace Glo
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Yes, I do.

I spend much of my time writing reports and battling for funding/suitable housing/aids and adaptations for our service users, and there never seems to be enough resources to meet the needs.
I must admit that I get tired and weary of battling ... imsad

Your post has reminded me that it is a battle worth persevering with, and that every single case is worth the effort!

Thank you for your encouraging words, TK. You cannot know just how much they mean to me.

God bless you.
 
Glad to hear that Glo, I know there is so much to the job that is not what attracted you there, but battling for rights and individuals autonomy over their affairs is surely a high calling. If you dont do it then who can say what will happen to the service users, as you know the trick is to be prepred and second guess every reply from every person in every avenue you explore. I drew enormous driving power from some elderly ladies during my time in community that were living with sons and daughters well into their forties that were so reliant and mentally demanding, these people are like powerhouses they refuse to give in no matter how hard it gets. If it gets draining for you Glo just think of these people and draw strength from them. You are welcome to pm me for a good old moan if you ever need to. God sees what your doing, Peace and blessings to you
 
^
You sound like you have been there yourself!

You are right, Tony.
It is many of the carers and parents I admire the most!
I remember an elderly couple (they were Jehovah's Witnesses), who - after raising their own five children - proceeded to adopt three young women with varying degrees of LD.

A few years back they started to struggle with caring for the daughter with the most severe disabilities (and some challenging behaviours), and had to agree for her to move into a care home. It was a very hard decision for them to make!
In the last year the husband (by then in his 80s) passed away; his wife is suffering with ill health herself now; the remaining adopted daughters had to be taken into care - one of which died of cancer only in December.

This couple dedicated their entire life for the care of those three adopted daughters!
In all the years I worked with them I never heard them express any complaint or regret.
They didn't close the file at 4.30 pm, went home, moaned about work for a bit and then relaxed for the rest of the evening ... :-[

So really, I have no cause to complain at all ...
(But I will may just take you up on your offer one of these days, and pm you if I need to. Thank you)

Peace
 

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