is abortion ok in islam

[pumpki26]

im so sorry im new to islam and my friend who is muslim said its okay in situations before 120 days. i just want to make sure. thank you

[DocW]

Salaam and welcome to the forum. Please do not feel sorry to raise a query about an aspect of religion that you are unsure or unclear. I enclose the opinion of Al-Mawrid schoalrs on this issue.

Best regards

Waseem


Abortion
Social Issues
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi
(Tr. by Shehzad Saleem)

When one hundred and twenty days pass after the conception of a foetus, aborting it is prohibited. After this period, the killing of the foetus is actually the killing of a human being which, according to the Qur’ān, amounts to killing the whole of mankind. The Qur’ānic punishment for this is eternal Hell. However, before this time-period, abortion is allowed; but this allowance too is not absolute; there must be a legitimate excuse and a palpable reason for it. In Islamic jurisprudence, this period of one hundred and twenty days has been fixed for abortion because at the end of this period a child is bestowed with human personality. Before this time, however, he is a mere physical being devoid of complete human characteristics and lives in this state. At the end of this one hundred and twenty day period when his physical being culminates, the Almighty bestows human personality to this being. It is this act of God which the Qur’ān has called the transformation of the foetus into a new creation:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ (٢٣: ١٢-١٤)

We first created man from an essence of clay: then converted it into a drop of fluid at a secure place. Then made the drop into a clot of blood, and the clot to a lump of flesh. Then We fashioned bones in it, then clothed the bones with flesh; then transformed it into another creation. Blessed be God, the best of creators. (23:12-14)

In the beginning, when God created man from the womb of the earth, He adopted this very method. The Qur’ān says that first the physical being of man was created; after that he was given the ability to produce offspring; he was then given perfection. Two of the creatures which were produced as a result were selected and spirit was blown into them. This created Adam and Eve as human beings equipped with the abilities of cognizant speech and intellectual awareness:

بَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ (٣٢: ٧-٩)

He began creating man with clay, then made his generation grow through a despicable drop of fluid. He then perfected him and breathed His spirit into him and [in a similar manner] gave you ears and eyes and hearts: yet you are seldom thankful. (32:7-9)

The Prophet (sws) has explained that all the phases of creation of the physical being of a human being take one hundred and twenty days. After this, spirit is blown into him and the creature called the “Human Being” comes into existence. He is reported to have said:

إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ في بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ في ذلك عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذلك ثُمَّ يَكُونُ في ذلك مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذلك ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فيه الرُّوحَ

Each of you is formed in the womb of your mother for forty days; then in this same time period he becomes a clot of blood; then becoming a lump of flesh also takes the same number of days; then the angel is sent forth and he breathes the spirit into him.1

It is because of these stipulations of the Qur’ān and Hadīth that the period for abortion has been fixed for one hundred and twenty days.

(Translated from Maqāmāt by Shehzad Saleem)

[pumpki26]

Thank you Waseem,

This is very helpful information. I think it answers my question completely.

[Moonlight]

What would happen if someone hits a pregnate woman which kills the baby? Will the attacker face hell?

[shaad_lko]

What would happen if someone hits a pregnate woman which kills the baby? Will the attacker face hell?

theoretically, it is also possible that the attacker was a policeman trying to prevent a pregnant psychopath on a killing spree..

[DocW]

What would happen if someone hits a pregnate woman which kills the baby? Will the attacker face hell?

There are two separate situations deliberate and accidental murder. In Islam the punishment for both is also different. Intention of the person will determine the punishment in this world as well as the world hereafter. For example car accident where the driver of one car may not have known that the other driver was pregnant and the accident caused her to miscarry the foetus.

[Moonlight]

I'm asking because my friend was haven a baby but her abuseive husband was in his moods and hit her which killed the baby inside. And to me that murder

[Sohail123]

Assalm O Allikum
Pumpki26 dear welcome on this forum and answer of your question is abortion in Islam strictly prohibited Islam does not allow the Muslim to kill their children due to the fear of their survival of the kinds and expenditure of their daily needs because Allah has taken the all responsibilities.

Abortion is forbidden in Islam.

There is not a single statement in the Holy Book Al Qur'an or in the sayings (ahadith/sunnah) of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which allows abortion!

On the contrary, there are verses in the Holy Book Al Qur'an which are clearly against the killing of any unborn child or child, male or female, by any means, for any reason and at any stage of the pregnancy (Chapter 6, verse 151, Chapter 17, verse 31,Chapter 5, verse 31, Chapter 60,verse 12). Muslim women are described in the Al Qur'an as (amongst other things) those who "do not kill their children." (Chapter 60, verse 12)

[Ron]

Sohail123,

6:151 is referring to children already born. Here's what you can find in al-Jalalayn:

Say: ‘Come, I will recite that which your Lord has made a sacred duty for you: that (allā: [consisting of an-lā] an being explicative) you associate nothing with Him, that you be dutiful to parents, and that you do not slay your children, by burying them alive, because of poverty, destitution, that you may fear — We will provide for you and them...

Ibn Kathir says:

(Kill not your children because of poverty, We shall provide sustenance for you and for them.) After Allah commanded kindness to parents and grandparents, He next ordered kindness to children and grandchildren. Allah said, (kill not your children because of poverty,) because the idolators used to kill their children, obeying the lures of the devils. They used to bury their daughters alive for fear of shame, and sometimes kill their sons for fear of poverty..."

For 17:31 Al Jalalayn says:

And do not slay your children, by burying them alive, fearing penury, poverty. We shall provide for them and for you. Slaying them is truly a great sin.

Ibn Kathir says:

This Ayah indicates that Allah is more compassionate towards His servants than a father to his child, because He forbids killing children just as He enjoins parents to take care of their children in matters of inheritance. The people of Jahiliyyah would not allow their daughters to inherit from them, and some would even kill their daughters lest they make them more poor. Allah forbade that and said: (And kill not your children for fear of poverty.) meaning, lest they may make you poor in the future. This is why Allah mentions the children's provision first...

All the verses mentioned are related to the practice of killing children not abortion. I urge you to rethink your posts.