A fetus can, accord ing to some accounts, inherit, and killing a fetus of more than 120 days is an act punishable by god and muslim law. Having discussed the purely legalistic aspects of abortion, from both a secular and islamic perspective, it is also important to recognize the ontheground reality of why women seek abortions to begin with and in particular, why muslim women undergo abortion. Pdf abortion and islam the question of abortion seen from. Definitions of abortion mortality produced by the population research institute note. The abortion argument in islam theology religion essay. Just the fact that the child will be deformed or that it will not live for a long time after his birth does not ever justify the termination of the pregnancy. Fatawa how does islam deal with abortion in cases of rape. Islam does not have a central authoritative structure of religious interpretation, and no single school or theology characterizes islamic thought. Islam and the abortion debate is islam prolife, prochoice, or both, depending on the circumstances. Islam is considerably liberal concerning abortion, which is dependent on i the threat of harm to mothers, ii the status of the pregnancy. This chapter begins by discussing some of the essential islamic teachings about god and humanity, which form the basis for an islamic. Islam and abortion ids bulletin institute of development studies. Many islamic citation needed thinkers recognize exceptions to this rule for certain circumstances. To understand this point of view, we need to understand the basic framework for such jurisprudence.
As one of every four people in the world is of the muslim religion, it is important to. Each of you is constituted in your mothers womb for. I consider my religion to be the defining aspect of my life. Drawing upon references from the islamic tradition, discuss the ethics of abortion. Difference between sunni and shia muslim views on abortion. Religious scholars discussing islam and abortion note that religion gets confused with culture, but education, exposure and understanding of ones religion is liberating. Few muslims choose to remain childfree by choice, but many prefer to plan their families through the use of contraception.
Medical opinion nowadays defines abortion as the expulsion of conceptus prior to viability, defined as 20 weeks of pregnancy or a fetus weighing 500 grams or. Abortion islams approach to the issue of birth control and abortion is very balanced. This paper provides an overview of legal, religious, medical and social factors that serve to support or hinder womens access to safe abortion services. Muslims constitute a considerable amount of world population. Although in islam there are debates about the nature of jihad and legitimacy of carrying out attacks in the name of allah, there is not that much of a debate about whether muslims ought to practice abortion. Shias believe that the first khlifa successer of the prophet should have been ali, whereas sunnis believe that abu bakr should be the first, while ali the fourth. Islam and the abortion debate yaqeen institute for islamic.
Pdf the debate over abortion is still controversial as ever. The reason offered for the prohibition against abortions is. Controversies and considerations regarding the termination. Muslims views on abortion are shaped by the hadith as well as by the opinions of legal and religious scholars and commentators. Islam, adopted in 1990 by the organization of the islamic conference, which stipulates that every human being if persecuted, has the right to seek asylum in another country. From abortion to islamthe changing function of law in europes.
Is islam prolife, prochoice, or both, depending on the circumstances. Ensoulment and the prohibition of abortion in islam. Abortion, islam, and the 1994 cairo population conference. Most early muslim scholars found abortion to be permissible if done within the first 90120 days after conception, but abortion is universally condemned thereafter unless to save the mothers life.
In order to explore an islamic perspective on these issues, it is necessary to have a broader grasp of some of the fundamentals of islam. Many orthodox jews oppose abortion, except when it is necessary to save a womans life or, according to some, the womans health. The second part focuses on the legal aspects of abortion in different islamic states, dealing with the need to supply solutions to women who for different reasons wish to abort and at the same time enact laws that would not contradict islamic principles. An islamic research institution dedicated to dismantling doubts and nurturing conviction by addressing relevant topics affecting todays society.
Abortion rules image abortion is haram in islam, in whatever stage of pregnancy the woman is in. This chapter begins by discussing some of the essential islamic teachings about god and humanity, which form the basis for an islamic approach to. Abortion mortality is a subset of maternal mortality. Abortion in islamic countrieslegal and religious aspects. In islam, the fetus is believed to become a living soul after four months of gestation, and abortion after. Law, ethics and medicine therapeutic abortion in islam. Islam, major world religion that emphasizes monotheism, the unity of god allah in arabic, and muhammad as his final messenger in a series of revelations. Qaadhi mujahidul islam in his book family planning and abortion has stated abortion within the period of the foetus being less than 120 days is permissible due some excruciation situations, such as. In islam, the fetus is believed to become a living soul after four months of gestation, and abortion after that point is generally viewed as impermissible. Islam allows abortion to save the life of the mother because it sees this as the lesser of two evils and there is a general principle in sharia muslim law of choosing the lesser of two evils. Marriage is encouraged, and raising children is one of the main purposes of marriage in islam. Sep 03, 2015 muslims views on abortion are shaped by the hadith as well as by the opinions of legal and religious scholars and commentators. The official website of the office of his eminence al.
Abortion after the implantation of the fertilized ovum in the womb is absolutely forbidden and is considered a crime against the law of god, and the fetus. Family planning and islamic jurisprudence azizah y. Abortion, ethics, islam, life right, foetus, ensoulment, science, hadith. Abortion literally means the deliberate termination of human. Fatawa how does islam deal with abortion in cases of.
In islam, it is forbidden haram to abort the fetus and if this is done, it would result in the diyah blood moneyransom tr. Deliberate termination of a human fetus in a surgical, chemical or by any other artificial method is intrinsically an unlawful act in islam and its doer will be held liable both in here and in the. Jun 30, 2016 abortion is among the most widely discussed concepts of medical ethics. And what implications does the answer to this question have for current political discourse. Whoever allah guides none can misguide, and whoever he allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. In the book of genesis, god said to both adam and eve, be fruitful and increase in numbers, fill the earth and subdue it. Muslims strive to build a strong family and community bonds, and they welcome children as a gift from allah. Islam, christianity and judaism view procreation as an integral part of marriage. Islamic scholars vary in their opinions about contraception, but only the most conservative scholars prohibit birth control in all instances. Sep 07, 2009 islam allows abortion to save the life of the mother because it sees this as the lesser of two evils and there is a general principle in sharia muslim law of choosing the lesser of two evils. And what implications does the answer to this question has for current political discourse. Right from the time of conception abortion is haram. Abortion from an islamic ethical point of view international journal.
I am a muslim woman and i chose to have an abortionpart i. Abortion in islam free download as powerpoint presentation. Therefore, it is not permissible for the mother to consent to the abortion just as it is not permissible for the. Some have used this basic position to argue that islam does not permit contraception or abortion.
It has been the premier institute to represent islam and the international flagship for islamic legal research. If the doctor was to perform it through an operation or by injecting some medication into the woman and through this act of his, the child was. Apr 27, 2019 abortion is frowned upon during the early weeks, and it is considered a sin if done without just cause, but most islamic jurists permit it. You can view samples of our professional work here. There is no explicit reference to abortion in the quran, and classical jurisprudence and modernday religious scholarship highlight the diversity of islamic thought on this subject. Since the wellknown ethical theories have emerged from western world, the position of islamic ethics regarding main issues of medical ethics has been overlooked. Policies and practice in the middle east and north africa this paper provides an overview of legal, religious, medical and social factors that serve to support. Family planning, contraception, and abortion in islam. Controversies and considerations regarding the termination of. Children are a gift of god, the decoration of life, says the koran. As the literal word of god, the quran makes known the will of god, to which humans must. While islam permits preventing pregnancy for valid reasons, it does not allow doing violence to it once it occurs.
This is not an example of the work produced by our essay writing service. Virtually all scholars consider allowances for the mothers health, and most allow for at least some forms of birth control when it is a mutual decision by husband and wife. Abortion 6 shariah 7 islamic law 8 miscellaneous information. Europe, followed by a comparable exploration in part ii of the. I have read several of your books and i highly respect your opinion. By definition, then, maternal mortality must be equal than or greater to abortion mortality.
I would like to know your opinion on the permissibility of abortions in islam. It fulfills its historic and civil role by keeping contemporary muslim in touch with religious principles, clarifying the right way, removing doubts concerning religious and worldly. Jun 16, 2018 sheikh yusuf alqaradawi states in his wellknown book, the lawful and the prohibited in islam. It is estimated that globally 50 million unborn babies are killed annually, resulting in the deaths of 200,000 pregnant women and the suffering of millions. Part i analyzes the evolution of legal arrangements pertaining to islamic practices across western. Halaqah presentation on the topic abortion in islam. The discussions are based entirely on the holy quran, sunna, and the formal legal rulings propounded by the jurists of the four major sunni schools of islamic law.
The literature on islam and abortion owes a great deal to articles written for the 1970 conference on islam and family planning sponsored in rabat, morocco, by the international planned parenthood federation under the direction of dr. Abortion in islamic ethics, and how it is perceived in turkey. Introduction abortion literally means the deliberate termination of human pregnancy, the natural expulsion of a foetus from the womb before birth. Islamic teachings on abortion islam values the traditional family and encourages procreation. Regulation of islambased practices the muslim population in western europe originated from different parts of the globe, primarily as labor migration or asylum seekers during the second part of the twentieth century. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Pdf abortion in islamic countries legal and religious aspects. Nov 27, 2017 islam and the abortion debate is islam prolife, prochoice, or both, depending on the circumstances. This paper provides an overview of legal, religious, medical and social factors that serve to support or hinder womens access to safe abortion services in the 21 predominantly muslim countries of the middle east and north africa mena region. Ensoulment and the prohibition of abortion in islam arif abdul hussain almahdi institute, birmingham uk arif abdul hussain almahdi institute, birmingham uk abstract this article identi. The diversity of discourses and practices leila hessini we are grateful to the editor of reproductive health matters for permission to reproduce one section of this article and to reed boland who produced the table of abortion laws.
Islam s approach to the issue of birth control and abortion is very balanced. I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to address you on issues of family planning from an islamic jurisprudential point of view. Many churches in their opposition to abortion and contraception focus on the immorality of abortion as a primary means of birth control or for personal or social convenience. Stories of muslim women who had abortions about islam. Islam is considerably liberal concerning abortion, which is dependent on i the threat of harm to mothers, ii the status of the pregnancy before or after ensoulment on the 120th day of gestation, and iii the presence of foetal anomalies that are incompatible with life. Research suggests that abortion was socially acceptable and broadly available within the ottoman empire and in egypt up until the 19th century, for example. The diyah is the responsibility of the person who was in charge of carrying out the abortion. In islam, abortion is not permitted except in limited circumstances where its certain benefit to the mother outweighs the harm of ending the fetuss life or potential life. Last week, i took a pregnancy test because i suspected that i might be pregnant. Islam and the abortion debate the muslim obstetrician. In case of rape the woman should use the morning after pill or ru486 immediately after the sexual assault in order to prevent the possible implantation of a fertilized ovum. The general consensus is that abortion is haram, forbidden. Every society in history which has been strong and.
In contrast to judeochristian traditions, islam does not teach that procreation is the finalend of marriage. Islams approach to the issue of birth control and abortion is very balanced. In islam, the fetus is believed to become a living soul after 120 days gestation, and abortion after that point is viewed as impermissible. Islam by way of legal means should make way for the utilization of laws conflictmanagement capabilities, by institutionalizing dialogue and compromisebuilding measures in regulating the role of islam in the european public sphere.
As is the case with judaism and christianity, however, islam clearly values procreation within marriage, and fertility is highly prized. Slide 22 bioethics in islam abortion there is a difference of opinion among muslim scholars concerning abortion during the embryonic stage of the conception, that is, when the embryo is less than four months old and not a fully functional human being. In the some dire situation of absolute necessity, abortion may become permissible provided the foetus is less than 120 days. In judaism, views on abortion draw primarily upon the legal and ethical teachings of the hebrew bible, the talmud, the casebycase decisions of responsa, and other rabbinic literature.
Naureen shameen asks what the new antipathy to family planning by some of the muslim majority countries means for the. Islamic scholars generally share the same concerns while not frowning upon contraceptives. And if it does, what conditions apply, watch and share this illustrated answer. If the doctor was to perform it through an operation or by injecting some medication into the woman and through this act of his, the child. I am an active member of my community, particularly in the area of womens education and empowerment. The abortion argument in islam takes its status in a specific religious setting shaped by the divinely exposed teachings of the religion. Maternal mortality includes abortion related deaths. Dar alifta al misriyyah is considered among the pioneering foundations for fatwa in the islamic world. Induced abortion for social reasons is spreading all over the world.
Reform efforts, including progressive interpretations of islam, have resulted in laws allowing for early abortion on request in two countries. Turkish republic is the only muslim country ruled with secular democracy and one of the three. Muslim jurists have agreed unanimously that after the fetus is completely formed and has been given a soul, abortion is haram. This law approved therapeutic abortion before 16 weeks of gestation under limited circumstances, including medical conditions related to fetal and maternal health. In islam, and most religions, abortion is forbidden. This study first conducted a detailed and systematic analysis of islams position towards abortion through examining the most authoritative biblical texts i. Islam is considerably liberal concerning abortion, which is dependent on i the threat of harm to mothers, ii the status of the pregnancy before or after ensoulment on the 120 th day of gestation, and iii the presence of foetal anomalies that are incompatible with life.
I am a muslim woman and i chose to have an abortion. Islam is considerably liberal concerning abortion, which is dependent on i the threat of harm to. In the name of allah, we praise him, seek his help and ask for his forgiveness. Islamic position on abortion, great diversity exists across muslim countries in terms of pregnancy termination practices and policies. It allows women to prevent pregnancy but forbids them to terminate it. Abortion means a deliberate removal or deliberate action to cause the expulsion of a fetus from the womb of a human female, at the request of or through the agency of the mother, so as in fact to result in the death of the fetus. Islam allows abortion to save the life of the mother because it sees this as the lesser of two evils and there is a general principle in sharia muslim law of. This chapter considers the islamic approach to the questions of family planning, contraception, and abortion.