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Abortion: An Islamic ethical view

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Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol
February 2007; 6 (Suppl. 5): 29-33

Abortion: An Islamic Ethical View

Kiarash Aramesh

Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Medical Sciences/ University of Tehran, Iran

ABSTRACT

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The debate over abortion remains controversial as ever. This article offers an explanation
of the main Islamic attitudes towards abortion and areas of need to change in the related
rules and regulations in Islamic communities with a special attention to Iran.

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A selected collection of Islamic references, as well as discussions with experts have been
used as a basis for discussion and interpretation of Islamic views.
Almost all of Muslim scholars and authorities regard ethical dilemmas surrounding
abortion as jurisprudential topics. Obviously, all schools of Islamic jurisprudence regard
abortion as wrong and forbidden (Hiram). On the other hand, they allow abortion, before
of
the point in time in which the ensoulment takes place, only when physicians declare with
reasonable certainty that the continuation of pregnancy will endanger the woman's life or put
her in intolerable difficulties. The Iranian parliament has ratified the Therapeutic Abortion
Act, by which, therapeutic abortion should be based on diagnosis of such fetal or maternal
ive

diseases that go ahead to unbearable burden for the mother or endangering her health.
The Therapeutic Abortion Act can be considered as a significant improvement regarding
women’s health in an Islamic country. Such improvements show the inherent and valuable
flexibility of Islamic jurisprudence encountering new emerging and difficult issues and would
be promising for greater advancements in the future.
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Key Words: Abortion; Ethics; Islam; Islamic Jurisprudence.

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INTRODUCTION those in which it is not.1 Different secular and religious

Their different answers to vital questions about
Abortion, which can be defined as the deliberate abortion have great influences on the life of many
termination of a pregnancy before normal childbirth, is people in the world.
an old, but living topic for debate and disputation. It Many of the opinions in this regard, are religious in
has been argued that the world remains divided nature because many people seek the answers of their
between jurisdictions in which abortion is legal and questions about issues such as life, death, and morality,
schools have various views and opinions in this regard. in their believed religion. All of main existing religions
in the world have their own perspectives towards
Corresponding Author: Kiarash Aramesh, MD; abortion.
Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Medical
Sciences/University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Tel-Fax: (+9821) 6641 In Christianity, for example, the majority of
9661, E-mail: [email protected] scholars believe that the ensoulment (which refers to
the creation of a soul within, or the placing of a soul

Copyright© 2007, IRANIAN JOURNAL OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA AND IMMUNOLOGY. All rights reserved 29

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 K. Aramesh

into, a human being) takes place at the time of aspects of life of more than one billion people around
conception, hence, the Roman Catholic Church, for the world. In some countries, such as Iran, rules and
instance, regards abortion, at any stage of embryonic regulations about issues such as abortion, are rooted in
life after conception, as forbidden and immoral.2,3 As the Islamic jurisprudence and even in the countries with
another instance, The Church of England, shares the secular governments, most of Muslim people are
Roman Catholic view that abortion is 'gravely contrary committed to behave conforming to religious teachings,
to the moral law’. However, this church does accept in particular in issues relating to marriage,
that under some circumstances abortion could be reproduction, and termination of life. This article offers
permissible.4 my explanation of the main Islamic attitudes towards
As another example among Abrahamic religions, in abortion and areas of need to change in the related rules
Judaism, abortion is not forbidden but it is not and regulations in Islamic communities with a special
permitted to be done on demand. Abortion is only attention to Iran.

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permitted for serious reasons and with consideration on
its own merits in every case and the decision should be MATERIALS AND METHODS
taken after consultation with a rabbi competent to give

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advice on such matters. In cases where continuing In this article I reviewed and evaluated the
pregnancy would put the mother's life in serious viewpoint of authorities and scholars from different
danger, Judaism considers the mother's life as more Islamic schools of theology and jurisprudence towards
important than that of the fetus. Jewish law is more abortion and I try to show the areas of need to changes
lenient concerning abortions in the first forty days of in the related rules and regulations in Islamic
of
pregnancy as it considers the embryo to be of relatively communities. I examined related books, articles,
low value during this time.5, 6 Fatwas and websites, collected over almost a year
Among Dharmic religions, I briefly mention through searches of databases such as Medline and Iran
Buddhist perspective. There is no single Buddhist view Medex and search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
on abortion. Most modern Western and Japanese In addition Fatwas requested from great Sunni and
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Buddhists believe in the permissibility of abortion, Shiite authorities and references recommended by
while many other Buddhists consider abortion to be experts, and also related rules and guidelines in Islamic
murder because Buddhists believe that life should not Republic of Iran were considered search terms included
be destroyed and abortion involves the purposeful Abortion, Miscarriage, Prenatal diagnosis, Islam and
destroying of a life. Buddhists regard life as starting at Islamic.
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conception.7, 8 I used a selected collection of above mentioned

Among Taoic religions, Confucianism could be a references based on their relevance to the subject of
good example. There is evidence that the Chinese this article and I based my discussion on my
practiced abortion in ancient era and neither Taoism understanding and interpretation of them as well as my
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nor Confucianism explicitly forbade it. Of course, as in conversations with experts.

the present, there existed different and opposing views
on the subject of abortion in the history of China, and RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
many Confucian Chinese, believed that intentionally
terminating pregnancy is to destroy a human life which Almost all of Muslim scholars and authorities
starts far earlier than at birth. However, it was usually regard ethical dilemmas surrounding abortion as
regarded as a necessary evil and it was rarely jurisprudential topics. Obviously, all schools of Islamic
encouraged, for instance, if the health of the mother jurisprudence regard abortion as wrong and forbidden
necessitated it. Thus, it seems that in contemporary (Hiram). On the other hand, they allow abortion, before
Confucianism, the decision about necessity of abortion the point in time in which the ensoulment takes place,
is left entirely in the hands of the parents.9, 10 or only when physicians declare with reasonable
Islam is one of the most important religions in the certainty that the continuation of pregnancy will
contemporary world, and has great influences on all endanger the woman's life or it would put her in

30/ IRANIAN JOURNAL OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA AND IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 6, Suppl. 5, February 2007

www.SID.ir
 Abortion: An Islamic Ethical View

intolerable difficulties.11,14 the mother could not be replaced by a wet-nurse, the

The holy Qur’an as the most important source for infant would die. The Shafei School (dominant in
Islamic jurisprudence does not explicitly mention Southeast Asia, southern Arabia and parts of East
abortion. But it explains the stages of creation of a Africa) allows abortions to be performed up to day 120.
human in the intrauterine life: For the Maliki School (prevalent in North and Black
“We created man of an extraction of clay, then We Africa) an abortion is permissible with the consent of
set him a drop in a safe lodging, then We created of the both parents up to day 40; it is no longer allowed after
drop a clot, then we created of the clot a tissue, then that time. For the Hanbali School (predominant in
We created of the tissue bones, then We covered the Saudi Arabia and United Arabic Emirates), abortions
bones in flesh; thereafter We produced it an another are principally prohibited from day 40 onward.13
creature. So blessed be God, the Best of Creators.” Shiite jurisprudence (one of the large Islamic
23:12-14 jurisprudence schools) makes the basis or has great

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And obviously, the holy Qur’an gives a very high influences on the governmental rules or public attitudes
priority to the sanctity of life: and behaviour regarding public health issues in
"Whosoever has spared the life of a soul, it is as pregnancy and abortion, in a large part of the world

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though he has spared the life of all people. Whosoever (Iran, most of Iraq, and large parts of Lebanon, Syria,
has killed a soul, it is as though he has murdered all of Afghanistan, and some countries in the south of the
mankind." 5: 32 Persian gulf). Thus, any global, regional, and - in above
The holy Qur’an makes it clear that a child should mentioned countries- national health authorities
not be killed because the parents fear that they will not planning these issues should understand the Shiite
of
be able to provide and support him or her - they should perspective.
trust Allah to look after things: In the last 3 decades, because of the commitment of
"Kill not your offspring for fear of poverty; it is we Iranian government to adaptation of the law to the
who provide for them and for you. Surely, killing them Shiite jurisprudential rules, the religious authorities
is a great sin." 17:32 paid a great deal of attention to issue practicable
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Islamic schools, based on a tenable interpretation of Fatwas regarding important topics such as abortion.
the Holy Qur’an and teachings of the prophet, do not at In the Shiite jurisprudence, the ensoulment occurs
all agree with those who say that a woman has full after about 4 months.11 Before this stage, all Shiite
control over her unborn child as part of her body. Islam authorities regard abortion as Hiram unless if
considers our bodies as a trust, which we have to continuing the pregnancy would put the mother's life in
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preserve and maintain. It also confirms that the fetus is real danger or it will be intolerable for her. But after
the creation of Almighty God. No one, not even the that, they regard abortion as Hiram, even if it endangers
parents, has the right to make decision about his life, the mother’s life, unless in conditions in which
unless its presence threatens the life of the mother.12 continuing the pregnancy results in dying of both
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However, different schools of Islamic jurisprudence mother and fetus, but abortion will save the life of
hold different views on whether any other reasons for mother.15,19 In occasions in which there is equal danger
abortion are permitted, and at which stage of for the mother and fetus, and one of them will certainly
pregnancy, one is allowed to assist abortion. For survive, it has been said that the pregnancy should be
example, among Sunni schools, the Hanafi school continued till one of them dies and another one remains
(prevalent in Turkey, the Middle East and, Central alive.18 If the danger is not equal for mother and fetus,
Asia), permit abortion until the end of the fourth the physician should save the one who has more chance
months. According to them, a pregnant woman could to survive.15
have an abortion without her husband's permission, but Regarding the stages before ensoulment, however,
she should have reasonable justification for this act. the abortion is permitted if its consequences, including
One reason, which is mentioned frequently, is the growing the fetus or birth of a child, were intolerable
presence of a nursing infant. A new pregnancy put an for the parents (put them into Haraj). So, some genetic
upper limit on lactation, and the jurists believe that if anomalies as major Thalassemia or Hemophilia have

Vol. 6, Suppl. 5, February 2007 IRANIAN JOURNAL OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA AND IMMUNOLOGY /31

www.SID.ir
 K. Aramesh

been accepted as permitted reasons for abortion.15 CONCLUSION

Based on these Fatwas, the act of abortion therapy has
been approved in Iran’s parliament and the health As mentioned above, in Islamic communities,
deputy of the ministry of health, has proposed a related especially countries in which the rules and regulations
guideline in which he issued a detailed list as the are rooted in Islamic teachings, such as Iran, the
indications for abortion, after confirmation by a Islamic jurisprudence plays an important role in finding
committee of experts.20 proper solutions for controversies about vital issues
However, the Shiite authorities have not accepted to such as abortion. The importance of this issue is partly
legitimate abortion in unwanted pregnancies and even in because of the apparent differences that exist between
pregnancies resulted from adultery (Zina) or rape.15,19 the real conditions of the life in these communities, and
Whatever be the cause of abortion, all Islamic the rules that are based on some jurisprudential
jurists insist that the payment of blood money (Diya) principles.23 Each year, there are many cases of
according to related rules is incumbent. 11, 15-19

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maternal mortality because of illegal abortions in
The Iranian parliament has ratified the Therapeutic Iran24, so, there is a need to provide solutions to women
Abortion Act on June 21, 2005.21 This Act authorizes who for different reasons wish to abort and at the same

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therapeutic abortion after an explicit diagnosis by at time enact laws that would not contradict Islamic
least three experts that should be verified by the Legal principles. Of course, there are some important and
Medicine Organization (LMO). According to this act, notable related Fatwas that make a jurisprudential basis
Therapeutic abortion should be based on diagnosis of for approving some new and problem solving acts by
such fetal or maternal diseases that go ahead to the Islamic parliaments.23 The Therapeutic Abortion
of
unbearable burden for the mother or endangering her Act can be considered as a significant improvement
health, for example, severe fetal malformations or regarding women’s health in an Islamic country, which
retardation, or life-threatening maternal diseases. is rooted in jurisprudential decrees. Such
Abortion should be done before the ensoulment takes improvements, for example, accepting the major
place (during the first four months), with the woman’s chromosomal anomalies as approved indications for
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consent and any legal responsibility or punishment abortion before ensoulment, show the inherent and
would not be directed towards the physician.22 valuable flexibility of Islamic jurisprudence
Even though most Islamic authorities have not encountering new emerging and difficult issues and
accepted the rape as an indication for abortion even would promise for greater advancements in the future.
before 4 months; in some countries in which the It seems that this valuable flexibility can be used for
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problem occurred in extended dimensions, Islamic extending the permitted indications of abortion before 4
authorities issued Fatwas allowing women to abort, for months to some other problematic topics, such as
example, it is reported that, for Bosnian women raped inability probably of the family or society for supplying
by the Serbian army, were issued a fatwa allowing future children. Of course, the final decision has to be
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them to abort, of course, they were urged to complete taken by jurisprudential authorities, based on related
the abortion before the 120 day. A similar fatwa was specialized discussions.
issued in Algeria.14 In Egypt (where abortion is illegal) On the other hand, the priority of saving the life of
in June 2004, Muhammad Saeed Tantawi, the Grand mother, when there is equal risk for mother and fetus,
Sheikh of Al Azhar, approved a draft law allowing or even when the fetus is at greater risk, after
women to abort a pregnancy that is the result of a rape. ensoulment (4 months) can be referred to
His decision caused controversy among other Muslim jurisprudential authorities for more assessment and
scholars: The mufti of Egypt, Ali Gomaa, said decision making.
Tantawi's decision was wrong and violated the Qur'an's
injunction that forbids killing innocent souls.14 This
demonstrates that Islamic law has the valuable
flexibility to be compassionate in appropriate
circumstances.

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 Abortion: An Islamic Ethical View

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 Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol
February 2007; 6 (Suppl. 5): 29-33

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