I went to fetch firewood, and carrying it caused her to miscarry
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Fatwa No. ( 20297 )
Q: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, with abundant peace. After that: I have a mother who is advanced in age, having passed sixty years. More than thirty years ago, in our time, there were no hospitals or transportation. She used to do most of the heavy work, such as herding, farming, and fetching firewood from places both near and far, in addition to housework and raising the children. In one of those years, Allah decreed that she became pregnant. Before the birth, she went to fetch firewood from places relatively far from the home. While attempting to carry the firewood on
her back, she could not manage, so she placed her knees gently on her belly to help her get up with the firewood, and she carried it. While descending from a relatively high place, her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground, and the firewood tumbled. She tried to hold it and secure it with her back so it would not roll away. The pregnant woman at that time was trying to secure the household’s needs of firewood, water, and other things before her birth so that they would be available during the delivery. That night, after Maghrib, she felt the pains of labor (contractions). There were guests in the house, so she prepared dinner and coffee for them, while she was in pain and hiding her voice so the guests would not hear her. At that time, the houses were small and the rooms were very close together; they might have heard her if she cried out. Her husband asked her not to show her voice. After dinner, the guests slept, and she continued to be in pain, hiding her voice, turning from side to side, and on her belly and back. When she felt the contractions, she pressed her belly against the ground from the intensity of the pain so that her voice of pain would not be heard. She remained in this state until the Adhan for Fajr prayer, and the child was born dead, complete at nine months. Blood was coming from its mouth and its nose, and she says: “Allah knows how sad I was about it.” My question, O honorable Shaykh: Does a sin attach to her? She says: “Allah knows that I did not intend to bring it out dead or to get rid of it, but the will of Allah is above everything, so I ask
you to issue a fatwa to me on this matter.
A: It is obligatory for this woman to pay the expiation for accidental killing, because she caused the death of her fetus by mistake. The expiation for accidental killing is freeing a believing slave. If she does not find one or cannot afford it, then she must fast two consecutive months, sixty days, as an expiation for her action and to clear her conscience. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Q: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, with abundant peace. After that: I have a mother who is advanced in age, having passed sixty years. More than thirty years ago, in our time, there were no hospitals or transportation. She used to do most of the heavy work, such as herding, farming, and fetching firewood from places both near and far, in addition to housework and raising the children. In one of those years, Allah decreed that she became pregnant. Before the birth, she went to fetch firewood from places relatively far from the home. While attempting to carry the firewood on
her back, she could not manage, so she placed her knees gently on her belly to help her get up with the firewood, and she carried it. While descending from a relatively high place, her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground, and the firewood tumbled. She tried to hold it and secure it with her back so it would not roll away. The pregnant woman at that time was trying to secure the household’s needs of firewood, water, and other things before her birth so that they would be available during the delivery. That night, after Maghrib, she felt the pains of labor (contractions). There were guests in the house, so she prepared dinner and coffee for them, while she was in pain and hiding her voice so the guests would not hear her. At that time, the houses were small and the rooms were very close together; they might have heard her if she cried out. Her husband asked her not to show her voice. After dinner, the guests slept, and she continued to be in pain, hiding her voice, turning from side to side, and on her belly and back. When she felt the contractions, she pressed her belly against the ground from the intensity of the pain so that her voice of pain would not be heard. She remained in this state until the Adhan for Fajr prayer, and the child was born dead, complete at nine months. Blood was coming from its mouth and its nose, and she says: “Allah knows how sad I was about it.” My question, O honorable Shaykh: Does a sin attach to her? She says: “Allah knows that I did not intend to bring it out dead or to get rid of it, but the will of Allah is above everything, so I ask
you to issue a fatwa to me on this matter.
A: It is obligatory for this woman to pay the expiation for accidental killing, because she caused the death of her fetus by mistake. The expiation for accidental killing is freeing a believing slave. If she does not find one or cannot afford it, then she must fast two consecutive months, sixty days, as an expiation for her action and to clear her conscience. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.