Fatwa ID: 09140
Answered by Alimah Hajirah Shah
Question:
Asalamu alaykum, any resources related to abortion in Islam?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In the Hanafi madhhab, abortion is generally not permissible without a valid reason, and it is especially prohibited if done for futile reasons such as fear of poverty, as Islam upholds the sanctity of life and considers abortion a last resort.
The fetus is believed to receive the soul at 120 days (approximately four months), based on evidence from hadith. Before this point, there is some limited allowance in earlier Hanafi opinions, but it is still discouraged or impermissible without a valid excuse.
After 120 days, abortion becomes strictly prohibited unless continuing the pregnancy poses a real threat to the mother’s life.
With regard to consent, the husband’s permission is generally considered, though there is a recognized Hanafi opinion that it is not strictly required, particularly in urgent or necessary situations.
In terms of legal consequences:
- If an abortion occurs before 120 days and the fetus has developed discernible human features, financial compensation (ghurra) is required.
- If the fetus is not formed, then no compensation is due.
- After 120 days, ghurra becomes mandatory.
- In all cases where abortion is carried out without a valid shar’iy reason, sincere repentance (tawbah) is required.
In Islam, abortion is regarded as a grave and abhorrent act because of the sanctity and dignity given to a human life, even in its earliest stages. As such, it is never treated lightly and is only considered as a last resort in extreme circumstances. At the same time, Islamic law is built upon mercy and ease, not hardship, and therefore allowances are granted in situations of genuine necessity, such as when the mother’s life is at risk. This reflects the balance in Islam between preserving life and removing harm, ensuring that while the default ruling protects the unborn, concessions exist where continuing the pregnancy would lead to greater harm.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Alimah Hajirah Shah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِن سُلَٰلَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَٰهُ نُطْفَةً فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ
ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا ٱلنُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْمُضْغَةَ عِظَٰمًا فَكَسَوْنَا ٱلْعِظَٰمَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَٰهُ خَلْقًا ءَاخَرَۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ ٱلْخَٰلِقِينَ
Al-Quran 23:12-14
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَٰدَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَٰقٍۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْـًٔا كَبِيرًا
Al-Quran 17:31
قُلْ تَعَالَوْا۟ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْۖ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔاۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًاۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَٰدَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَٰقٍۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Al-Quran 6:151
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ قَالَ “ إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَلَكًا، فَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُ اكْتُبْ عَمَلَهُ وَرِزْقَهُ وَأَجَلَهُ وَشَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ. ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحُ، فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ إِلاَّ ذِرَاعٌ، فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابُهُ، فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ، وَيَعْمَلُ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّارِ إِلاَّ ذِرَاعٌ، فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ، فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3208
(قَوْلُهُ وَقَالُوا إلَخْ) قَالَ فِي النَّهْرِ: بَقِيَ هَلْ يُبَاحُ الْإِسْقَاطُ بَعْدَ الْحَمْلِ؟ نَعَمْ يُبَاحُ مَا لَمْ يَتَخَلَّقْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ إلَّا بَعْدَ مِائَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا، وَهَذَا يَقْتَضِي أَنَّهُمْ أَرَادُوا بِالتَّخْلِيقِ نَفْخَ الرُّوحِ وَإِلَّا فَهُوَ غَلَطٌ لِأَنَّ التَّخْلِيقَ يَتَحَقَّقُ بِالْمُشَاهَدَةِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ كَذَا فِي الْفَتْحِ، وَإِطْلَاقُهُمْ يُفِيدُ عَدَمَ تَوَقُّفِ جَوَازِ إسْقَاطِهَا قَبْلَ الْمُدَّةِ الْمَذْكُورَةِ عَلَى إذْنِ الزَّوْجِ
Ibn Aabideen, Raddul Muhtaar, pg 176, vol 3, Matlab fiy hukm isqaatil-hamal.