Abortion

Question: I had a married friend with children. While she was in her third month of pregnancy or further along, she attempted to abort her fetus because she was working and did not want the pregnancy to hinder her job. She asked me to accompany her to a doctor to perform the procedure. I did accompany her, but the doctor refused. She then agreed with a nurse to refer her to someone who would perform the abortion in exchange for giving the nurse a sum of money, which they called a tip. I actually took her, and the procedure was performed, resulting in the abortion of the fetus. Several months later, her husband, the questioner’s husband, passed away.So I, first: I am asking about the ruling on aborting the fetus for that reason and at that stage of its development.And secondly: I am also asking about the ruling on my accompanying my friend and assisting her in this, especially since she believes, and the people around her say, that her husband’s death was a punishment for her helping to kill a soul.And third: Is there a sin on that nurse for the role she played in exchange for the money she received?

Answer: Aborting the pregnancy is not permissible, because it causes harm, and the intention
behind it, as the questioner mentioned, is to free herself for work. This is an unjustified and unsanctioned matter; because the fetus has the right to remain, and the right to be preserved and respected, because it is a creation and she is entrusted with it. It is obligatory for her to be gentle with it and to care for it. Perhaps Allah will grant her this child, and he will be righteous and more beneficial to her than all her work.And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [al-Baqarah: 216] , so what this woman committed is a crime. She must repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for it and not return to such an act. The nurse who assisted her and referred her is also sinful; because she assisted her in aggression,And Allah the Exalted says: [al-Ma'idah: 2] , and it is not far-fetched that what happened with her husband’s death may be a punishment for her as well. So she must repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and not proceed with such an act, neither she nor any other Muslim woman. Rather, it is obligatory for a woman to respect the fetus, preserve it, be gentle with it, and not flee from the existence of the pregnancy and the child, because it may be a righteous servant who benefits her and through whom Allah benefits the community.
And the money that the nurse who referred her took is also haram (forbidden); because she took it in exchange for a sin, and she is sinful in that.
And it is obligatory for the nurse and the doctors to advise these women who want to abort the pregnancy, on the basis that Allah has entrusted them with this profession, the profession of medicine. So they must advise the pregnant woman to be gentle with her pregnancy and keep it. It is not permissible for them to assist in aborting it, or to perform an abortion procedure,
because if they do so, they share in the sin and the punishment. We ask Allah for safety. It is not permissible for them to proceed with aborting the pregnancy in exchange for what they seek of worldly greed and worldly money; because this is in exchange for a sin and in exchange for a crime. So they must repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and perform the profession of medicine as a trust, and advise the Muslims.

Question: Are there specific months within which it is permissible to abort the fetus, in case of necessity, for example?

Answer: Aborting the pregnancy is not permissible.Except that the jurists said: It is permissible to expel the nutfah (embryo) before forty days, with a permissible medicine, as long as it is a nutfah, although this is not recommended, and pregnancy is sought and offspring are sought.

Question: But what if it is harmful to the mother’s health, or she suffers, for example, severe pains in the pregnancy?

Answer: No, even if it is harmful, because pregnancy involves hardship, there is no doubt in that,And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says: [al-Ahqaf: 15] , so pregnancy undoubtedly involves hardship, and diseases, and toil. For this reason, the right of the mother over her child is great, and she has three rights, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised being dutiful to her three times, and advised being dutiful to the father once. And that is only because of what she endures in her pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding of dangers and harms. So there is no doubt that pregnancy involves hardship and illness, or some illness and exhaustion. So she must be patient and endure, and she is on reward, and perhaps the outcome will be good for her and for the community of Muslims from this child. Children are sought to be created and sought to be obtained in Islam.

Question: I am a sick woman with difficulty in breathing, and I have aborted two children. The doctor’s orders were withdrawn, because he advised me, explaining that the children would not be born except through a procedure, due to the harm of the medicines and their strength on the fetus. With my husband’s consent, I aborted twice. Is this haram (forbidden) or does it require an expiation? Please inform us, may you be rewarded.

Answer: First: Aborting the pregnancy is not permissible. So if the pregnancy exists, it is obligatory to preserve it, and it is haram (forbidden) for the mother to harm this pregnancy, or to distress it in any way, because it is a trust that Allah deposited in her womb, and it has a right. So it is not permissible to mistreat it, or harm it, or destroy it. And one does not rely on the doctor’s opinion in this, because this is a Shari'ah ruling and one does not refer to a doctor’s opinion in it. And the Shari'ah evidence indicates the prohibition of abortion and expelling the pregnancy.
And as for the fact that she does not give birth except by procedure, the matter in this is simple. The procedure is not a dangerous matter. Many women do not give birth except by procedure; so this is not an excuse for aborting the pregnancy. This is if the doctor’s statement is true, although the doctor’s statement is subject to doubt and suspicion. He is a human who errs and hits the mark. It is not permissible to rely on him in aborting the pregnancy. These are serious matters, and caution must be exercised with them. It is not permissible for a woman to play with the pregnancy, getting pregnant and aborting, and taking the words of people and the lenient and the playful.

And as for second: And this is what you asked about regarding the expiation. So if this pregnancy had the soul breathed into it, and it moved, and then you aborted it after that, then she is considered to have killed a soul. So the expiation is upon her, which is freeing a slave. If she does not find one, then fasting two consecutive months as repentance from Allah.
And likewise, if four months have passed since the pregnancy, then at that time the soul has been breathed into it. So if she aborts it after that, the expiation is obligatory upon her as we mentioned.
So the matter is great and leniency is not permissible in it. And if she cannot bear the pregnancy due to a medical condition, then she must take medicines that prevent pregnancy before it exists, such as taking pills that delay pregnancy from her for a period, until her health and strength return to her.
But if the pregnancy exists, then she must be patient and seek help from Allah (Mighty and Majestic).