What is the ruling on terminating a pregnancy (abortion)?

The questioner : Regarding the issue of birth control or family planning... if the wife is pregnant and nursing at the same time, is it permissible for her to use birth control?

The Shaykh : And what was it?

The questioner : She was nursing and became pregnant. Is it permissible for her to use family planning or take any of the modern things, such as taking pills to prevent pregnancy or an IUD?

The Shaykh : She is nursing and pregnant?

The questioner : Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh : To terminate it?

The questioner : I do not mean that.

The Shaykh : If you did not understand, what do you mean?

The questioner : She gave birth to a child, whether male or female.

The Shaykh : No problem, that has passed. We take the last part of the question: she is nursing and pregnant. So, what are you asking about this?

The questioner : I am asking you about it: is it permissible for her to terminate her pregnancy?

The Shaykh : Okay, may Allah reward you. Termination has two forms, or rather, multiple forms. If the termination is after the soul has been breathed in, then it is not permissible, because it is equivalent to the killing of a female infant. If the termination is before the soul is breathed in, the least of its rulings is that it is disliked, because it contradicts the purpose for which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged men to seek children from women, in the well-known hadith: So, if her pregnancy is terminated before the soul is breathed in, because after the soul is breathed in the matter is concluded, before the soul is breathed in, the least that can be said is that it did not achieve the purpose to which the Messenger (peace be upon him) aimed in the aforementioned hadith. However, something else is added to this in some cases. This ruling, which is dislike, is limited to the case where it is said that the termination is by taking a drink, medicine, or pill that does not harm the pregnant woman, especially if she is also nursing, as I said. If it does not harm, the ruling remains as previously stated, which is dislike. But if harm to her health results from it, the ruling rises to prohibition, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Meaning, it is not permissible for a Muslim man or woman to do something that harms himself or harms another. There is no harm and no reciprocating of harm. From this hadith, we derive the prohibition of smoking, which people are afflicted with greatly in this time, due to the harms in it, which there is no need to delve into now. This is the ruling on abortion that you are asking about, and this is conditional on it being by the method you mentioned earlier, either by a drink or a pill. But if the matter requires that this pregnant woman expose herself to a doctor to examine her 'awrah, then this is not permissible, because it involves committing a forbidden act, and there is no necessity for committing this forbidden act. This is the answer to the previous question if it was about this topic. If yes, but if it was another question, we give the turn to someone else if you wish.

The questioner : Another question.

The Shaykh : Another question. Wait until he comes...

The Shaykh : This requires gathering one's thoughts, and I am not prepared now. Perhaps I will take it with me and give them the answer with the brothers. Please, go ahead.