[Q 143] Islamic Jurisprudence on Abortion

Question

What are the rulings on child abortion?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

There is a legal verdict concerning abortion from Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمه الله aswell as other ulama and this matter is mentioned in the books of Islamic Jurisprudence.

It is not permitted to have an abortion performed without a shar’i (Islamic legal) reason, it is impermissible and a sin. If an abortion has been performed after the pregnancy has reached 4 months then this is tantamount to murder because it has been mentioned in a hadith that when the fetus reaches 120 days of development in the womb the soul is placed inside it. Thus the child is a living human being and if abortion is performed against the child the person is in fact murdering the child.

If the child is aborted before 4 months although this is not the sin of murder but it will fall within the sphere of sin and it will not be permitted without a valid reason.

If there is a shar’i necessity then permission may be granted prior to 4 months. As for what will be considered a valid reason falling in the scope of a shar’i necessity then each individual case must be presented to a Mufti. If the Mufti grants permission only then can an abortion be performed.

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated by: Ibrar Shafi

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