Fatwa ID: 07669
Answered by: Molana Sibghat Ullah
Question:
The Husband has fertility issues. The Wife is healthy الحمدلله. The doctor says IVF may help, but if it turns out to be male, then the child may have the same fertility issues as the father. So, can the couple now choose to only select the Female embryo and discard the male embryo during the IVF process? Is this haram?
Please help me with the Islamic ruling on this.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In Islam, selecting the gender of a child raises ethical and moral considerations. If there is a valid medical concern, such as a hereditary issue that could affect the health or fertility of the child then in such a case it could be allowed. The following principles should be kept in mind: –
- Ethical reason: –
- The procedure does not involve prohibited actions (such as using another person’s sperm or eggs).
- The gender selection is solely for preventing harm, not for mere preference.
- It does not violate Islamic ethics on reproductive rights.
- Medical reason: –
If a medical condition is linked to one’s gender, such as in this case the male offspring inheriting a fertility issue from the father, it may be permissible to select the gender to prevent harm. Allah says:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
Allah intends for your ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.
Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:185
Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
Seek treatment, O servants of Allah, for Allah does not create any disease but He also creates with it the cure, except for old age.
Under the guidelines of the Quran and hadith, it could be allowed to prevent harm and danger to the life.
- Only Preventing Harm: –
If there is a valid concern about passing down fertility issues or other serious health conditions, scholars argue that preventive actions, including gender selection, could be permissible.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Molana Sibghat Ullah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith 3855
“تَدَاوَوْا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلَّا وَضَعَ لَهُ شِفَاءً إِلَّا الْهَرَمَ”
Qawaid ul Faqeeh, Page 31
الضرر يدفع بقدر الإمكان
Harm should be removed as much as possible
