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Pregnancy Dilemma: Seeking Islamic Advice for a Sick Baby and High-Risk Mother

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Muftionline.co.za

Q: I am having an issue and need advise according to Quran and sunnah. My wife is 21 weeks pregnant. We had a genetic screening test on followed up with a detailed ultrasound in BC women hospital. They find that our baby has severe health issues including hydrops, systic hygroma, fluid in the lungs. Dr said that the baby will not be completing the term and has no amniotic fluid in the womb. Baby heart is abnormal but beating. Baby has many health issues doctors want to terminate the pregnancy. We decided to wait and asking Allah to do the best for us. Today we had OB appointment and she showed a concern that my wife is on a high risk to get the sickness from the baby like fluid in her lungs as well as other health issues. I like to ask that what Islam says in this situation as i am super worried about my wife and don’t want her to get the sickness from or dying baby. Are we allowed to terminate the pregnancy? I know that Islam does not allow killing the baby but in our situation is there anyway because baby is really sick and my wife health is on risk though she does not has obvious signs. Doctors says that why we want to wait for her to get sick ? and the take the action. Please advise.

Bismillaah

A: It is totally haraam in Islam to terminate the life of any human being. After 120 days of pregnancy, the soul enters the foetus. Hence it is haraam to abort the child after this period. Life and death is the sole right and property of Allah Ta’ala. No person, doctor, specialist, physician, etc. has the right to deal in this or influence it. Just as taking the life of someone who is born deformed or mentally retarded is not tolerated and treated as murder, similarly aborting the child at this time is extremely deplorable and totally impermissible in the sight of Allah Ta’ala.

In the Qur’aan Shareef Allah Ta’ala explains that on the day of Qiyaamah the helpless, defenceless child who was mercilessly murdered (whether in the womb through abortion or after birth as was the custom of the pagan Arabs) will be brought before Allah Ta’ala and the parents of the child will also be brought (i.e. the parents who were the cause of the childs life being taken). The child will then complain to Allah Ta’ala saying that O Allah! For what sin was I killed? O Allah! Ask my parents why did they terminate my life and kill me? Why was I not given an opportunity to live?

وَإِذَا المَوءۥدَةُ سُئِلَت ﴿٨​﴾ بِأَىِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَت

When the infant buried alive, is questioned – For what crime was it killed;

Imagine on that day what answer will the parents guilty of such a major crime present before Allah Ta’ala and save themselves from the severe torment and punishment of Allah Ta’ala!

There are many glaring examples where the prognosis of the physicians showed that there was no hope or very little hope, whereas the reality turned out contrary to that. Hence as a believer one ought to have faith in Allah Ta’ala, obey Him and be pleased with His decree at every moment. 

And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

وقالوا يباح إسقاط الولد قبل أربعة أشهر ولو بلا إذن الزوج

قال الشامي في رد المحتار:  مطلب في حكم إسقاط الحمل  قوله ( وقالوا الخ ) قال في النهر بقي هل يباح الإسقاط بعد الحمل نعم يباح ما لم يتخلق منه شيء ولن يكون ذلك إلا بعد مائة وعشرين يوما وهذا يقتضي أنهم أرادوا بالتخليق نفخ الروح وإلا فهو غلط لأن التخليق يتحقق بالمشاهدة قبل هذه المدة كذا في الفتح وإطلاقهم يفيد عدم توقف جواز إسقاطها قبل المدة المذكورة على إذن الزوج وفي كراهة الخانية ولا أقول بالحل إذ المحرم لو كسر بيض الصيد ضمنه لأنه أصل الصيد فلما كان يؤاخذ بالجزء فلا أقل من أن يلحقها إثم هنا إذا أسقطت بغير عذر قال ابن وهبان ومن الأعذار أن ينقطع لبنها بعد ظهور الحمل وليس لأبي الصبي ما يستأجر به الظئر ويخاف هلاكه ونقل عن الذخيرة لو أرادت الإلقاء قبل مضي زمن ينفخ فيه الروح هل يباح لها ذلك أم لا اختلفوا فيه وكان الفقيه علي بن موسى يقول إنه يكره فإن الماء بعد ما وقع في الرحم مآله الحياة فيكون له حكم الحياة كما في بيضة صيد الحرم ونحوه في الظهيرية قال ابن وهبان فإباحة الإسقاط محمولة على حالة العذر أو أنها لا تأثم إثم القتل وبما في الذخيرة تبين أنهم ما أرادوا بالتحقيق إلا نفخ الروح وأن قاضيخان مسبوق بما مر من التفقه والله تعالى الموفق (رد المحتار 3/176)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

This answer was collected from MuftiOnline.co.za, where the questions have been answered by Mufti Zakaria Makada (Hafizahullah), who is currently a senior lecturer in the science of Hadith and Fiqh at Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen, Isipingo Beach, South Africa.