Fatwa ID: 09159
Answered by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Question:
Thalassemia
If both parents have this condition and they are expecting, what would the best course of action be? Termination or leave it be?
Keeping in mind doctors have said he/she will need regular blood transfusion once alive, he will have many illnesses and won’t live for long.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thalassemia is “a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) in which the body makes an abnormal form or inadequate amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in large numbers of red blood cells being destroyed, which leads to anemia.
The most severe form of alpha thalassemia major causes stillbirth (death of the unborn baby during birth or the late stages of pregnancy).
Children born with beta thalassemia major (Cooley anemia) are normal at birth, but develop severe anemia during the first year of life.
Other symptoms can include:
- Bone deformities in the face
- Fatigue
- Growth failure
- Shortness of breath
- Yellow skin (jaundice)
People with the minor form of alpha and beta thalassemia have small red blood cells but no symptoms.” –[See: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000587.htm]
Given the above information, if both parents have thalassemia and are expecting a child, then the best course of action in that scenario may be termination.
Life is without doubt a gift from Allah ﷻ, and the taking away of it is a right that is exclusive to Him alone.
Nonetheless, abortion—though an extremely sensitive topic—is in certain situations and under certain guidelines, permissible.
As per Hanafi fiqh, abortion is allowed during the fertilization period—abortion which takes place before the soul has entered the fetus (120 days).[1]
Abortion, after the soul has entered the fetus, is only allowed when the keeping of a fetus is harmful to the mothers’ health or the fetus’ heath.
Abortion and its permissibility are applied to the case of an excuse and in the scenario where it does not constitute the sin of murder. Abortion that takes place without a legitimate medical or shari’ excuse after 120 days goes against the text as well as the spirit of Islam.
That said, we feel that in your situation abortion is a possibility without the incurring of sin.
Be that as it may, my sincere advice would be that the two of you speak with your families, your local Mufti, and specialist doctors and run the situation by them. They may be able to offer a perspective that the two of you are currently unable to see. In addition, they may suggest solutions or alternatives that could make raising this child easier and remove the need to consider abortion.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
وقالوا يباح إسقاط الولد قبل أربعة أشهر ولو بلا إذن الروج
قال في النهر: بقي هل يباح الاسقاط بعد الحمل؟ نعم يباح ما لم يتخلق منه شيء ولن يكون ذلك إلا بعد مائة وعشرين يوما. وهذا يقتضي أنهم أرادوا بالتخليق نفخَ الرّوح، وإلا فهو غلط لانّ التخليق يتحقق بالمشاهدة قبل هذه المدة كذا في الفتح، وإطلاقهم يفيد عمد توقف جواز اسقاطها قبل المدة المذكورة على إذن الروج
[رد المحتار، باب نكاح الرقيق، ج. ٤، صفحة ٣٣٥، مكتبة رشيدية]
وهل يباح الإسقاط بعد الحبل؟ يباح ما لم يتخلق شيء منه ثم في غير موضع، قالوا: ولا يكون ذلك إلا بعد مائة وعشرين يوما
[فتح القدير، كتاب النكاح، ج. ٣، صفحة ٤٠١، دار الفكر]
مذهب الحنفية (٢): يباح الإسقاط بعد الحمل، ما لم يتخلق منه شيء، ولن يكون ذلك إلا بعد مئة وعشرين يوما؛ لأنه ليس بآدمي. وهذا يقتضي أنهم أرادوا
بالتخليق: نفخ الروح. وقيل عندهم: إن ذلك مكروه بغير عذر، فإذا أسقطت بغير عذر يلحقها إثم. ومن الأعذار: أن ينقطع لبنها بعد ظهور الحمل، وليس لأبي الصبي ما يستأجر به الظئر، ويخاف هلاكه. وحمل بعضهم إباحة الإسقاط المطلقة على حالة العذر؛ لأن الماء بعد ما وقع في الرحم مآله الحياة، فله حكم الحياة. وهذا التأويل معقول وضروري
[كتاب الفقه الإسلامي وأدلته للزحيلي ،أقوال الفقهاء في الإجهاض، ج. ٤، صفحة ٢٦٤٧، دار الفكر]