Cutting the umbilical cord of a newborn and tying it, which caused inflammation and the child’s death
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Fatwa number ( 20186 )
Q: A woman gave birth to a daughter, then cut the daughter’s umbilical cord with a razor, and then tied it, as is the custom of other Bedouin women. Two days later, when they arrived at the hospital, the doctor stated that the umbilical cord was affected by cancer due to the accumulation of bad blood and poisoning in the cord, and the girl passed away. Please note, O honorable Shaykh, that the woman did the same with the children she had given birth to before this girl, and she gave birth to another girl after this one and did the same with her as she did with the previous one, and nothing happened to her by the permission of Allah. Is she required to pay an expiation?
A : If the situation is as described, then there is no sin and no expiation on this woman for the death of her daughter; because cutting the navel, as mentioned, is what women have been accustomed to doing, so it has not been established that she caused the death of this girl, and the original state is that the conscience is clear until the contrary is proven. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: A woman gave birth to a daughter, then cut the daughter’s umbilical cord with a razor, and then tied it, as is the custom of other Bedouin women. Two days later, when they arrived at the hospital, the doctor stated that the umbilical cord was affected by cancer due to the accumulation of bad blood and poisoning in the cord, and the girl passed away. Please note, O honorable Shaykh, that the woman did the same with the children she had given birth to before this girl, and she gave birth to another girl after this one and did the same with her as she did with the previous one, and nothing happened to her by the permission of Allah. Is she required to pay an expiation?
A : If the situation is as described, then there is no sin and no expiation on this woman for the death of her daughter; because cutting the navel, as mentioned, is what women have been accustomed to doing, so it has not been established that she caused the death of this girl, and the original state is that the conscience is clear until the contrary is proven. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings 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.