Muslim Reproductive Rights And Abortion Essay

The center of Muslim norms and ethical standards are derived from four sources: the Koran, which is believed by Muslims to be the literal and perfect word of God; the Sunna, law based on Muhammad’s words and acts; analogical reasoning; and the consensus of the ulamā. However, the increasing complexity of biomedical discoveries and technological achievements have made it difficult for religious scholars to comprehend issues and formulate rules on the ethical acceptability according to Islamic law (Hathout 2176). One of the most important issues that religious scholars have addressed are women’s reproductive rights; specifically abortion. There is common misconception that Muslims have to adhere strictly to the Shariah and religious texts such

Linguistically, janīn comes from ijinān, which means covering or hiding. In the sharīʿah, the term was broadened into metaphorical use came to mean the fruit of the womb since the earliest stages of development. This has led to the common interpretation that that janīn means embryo because the embryo is covered in the womb (Eich 64-65). The interpretation has also be justified by the Koranic passage: “He has created you from a single being, then made its mate of the same (kind), and He has made for you eight of the cattle in pairs. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers-- a creation after a creation-- in triple darkness” (39.6). The Koran also describes the process of embryo development: “Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators.” (23.14). From this passage, Muslim religious scholars have concluded that during pregnancy, the embryo goes through three major stages of development: the nufta, ‘alaqua, and mudgha stages (Eich 65). The idea of these three stages can be supported by a ḥadīth from the Sahih al-Bukhari in which the Prophet Muhammad stated:

Allah's Apostle, the truthful and truly-inspired, said, "Each one of you collected in the womb of his mother for forty days, and then turns into a clot for an

For example, there is a consensus among jurists that abortion is permitted if a pregnant woman faces a life-threatening risk because preserving the life of the mother takes priority over the unborn child. However, abortion for family planning, rape, and adultery, are controversial topics among the ulamā. Some jurists, such as Ayatullah Fadlallah, permit abortion for family planning purposes on the grounds that it would cause an “intolerable social hardship” for the mother and family because they may not have the money and resources to take care of the child (Moosa 354). However, other scholars argue that the birth a child is predestined and should not be limited because of material