Abortion

Abortion is a difficult decision for any women to make, there are many cultural influences which effect the decision made by the woman, in many cases religious beliefs influence the outcome.

There is no direct teaching about abortion in the Bible, although there are references to the sanctity of life which would act as a framework THE BIBLE AND ABORTION

within which a Christian could make their decision about abortion.  I knew you and knitted you in your mothers womb. Psalm 139

 The Lord said to me, `I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet of the nations.’ (Jeremiah 1 :4 - 5)  Do not commit murder (Exodus 20 :13)

Christians are divided on the issue of abortion because some believe that because God created life, no one should ever destroy it, others however have different views. THE DIVIDED CHRISTIAN VIEW ON ABORTION

1.The Pope has declared that Catholics should not have abortions in any circumstances as every pregnancy is planned. The Catholic View

2.The Pope believes that life begins at conception therefore abortion is murder. A foetus is not a potential human being – it is a human being. Separate egg and sperm are potential human beings

3.Some Catholics do believe that abortions must be allowed in some circumstances. But this is not the norm.

4. In the event of either the mother or the child dying in child birth the mother is expected through agape- unconditional sacrificial love to give up her life for the baby.

1.The Church of England do not agree with abortion. This is because they believe that life is sacred and God given. The Church of England View

2.They do however agree with abortion in certain circumstances; a) if the pregnancy is a result of rape, b) if the pregnancy will endanger the life of the mother. c) if the child is to be born severely handicapped

3. In some cases The Church of England refer to abortion as being in some cases the ‘lesser of two evils’.

1.Methodist do not agree wholly with abortion they do however agree with it in certain circumstances. The Methodist View

For example; a) if the pregnancy will effect the life of the mother. b) if the child is to be born handicapped. c) Social conditions : e.g if the birth of another child would be detrimental to the lives of existing children.

Although the branches of Christianity have different views on abortion, in many circumstances a Christian would try to be guided by the principle of love.

"Then we developed the drop into a hanging (embryo), then developed the hanging (embryo) into a bite-size (fetus), then created the bite-size (fetus) into bones, then covered the bones with flesh. We thus produce (Anshaa) a new creature. Most blessed is GOD, the best Creator." [Qur'an 23:14]

"Kill not your children for fear of want; it is We who provide sustenance for them as well as for you; for verily killing them is a great sin". (Chapter 17, Verse 31)

"Losers are those who killed their children foolishly, due to their lack of knowledge, and prohibited what God has provided for them, and followed innovations attributed to God. They have gone astray, they are not guided." (6:140)

"Say: Come, I will rehearse what God has really prohibited you from: Join nothing as equal with Him; be good to your parents, kill not your children on a plea of poverty; We provide sustenance for you and for them; approach not shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which God has made sacred, except by a way of justice and law" (Chapter 6, Verse 151).

The name God chose for His first revelation was "The hanging embryo" 'Al-'Alaq', Sura 96. This hanging embryo stage starts about 6 days after the fertilization of the ovum.

Islamic Teaching : The Qur'an clearly condemns both the killing of born and unborn children. The first quote is actually a celebration of God creating life, forming an embryo a short time ( a matter of days) after its conception.

However, Muslim scholars agree that the foetus becomes a human being after 120 days of conception. According to them, the whole period of pregnancy can be divided into two stages:

the first 120 days, and the remaining period before childbirth. Most traditional Muslim jurists claim that it is permissible to have an abortion for valid reasons during the first stage. This is largely based on this famous Hadith:

The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Each of you is constituted in your mother's womb for forty days as a nutfah, then it becomes an 'alaqah for an equal period, then a mudghah for another equal period, then the angel is sent and he breathes the soul into it."

A modern Muslim female writer puts it like this: In Islam abortions are encouraged only if the pregnancy threatens the well-being of the mother. It is forbidden to sacrifice the mother's life for the fetus. Here again the practice of abortion is prescribed with limitations.

The soul in the Islamic tradition develops after the fetus moves in the womb. The distinction between movement and life in Islam is very clear. The fetus moves, during the second trimester (precisely after 120 days of pregnancy).

Abortion, as a result, is permitted during the first 120 days, i.e. before the soul develops. (By Nawal H. Ammar, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Kent State University/Trumbull. See

It is a grave sin to take the life of children for fear of want (poverty) as was the habit during the period before Islam in Arabia. Exceptions?

Neither is it allowed to do so for any other reason unless a great evil is caused by the presence of the foetus that may cause the death of the mother.

Women who get divorced have an interim of three months before getting married again. This is done MAINLY to see if they are pregnant or not.

God then orders them to forget their own wishes and plans and respect the new life created in their wombs. If the first three months of pregnancy were not important God would have told these women not to wait and to have abortion and keep their life plans as they wish.

God named his first revelation after the hanging embryo, not by accident. This hanging embryo, is a stage that starts in 6 days after the fertilization of the ovum.

There has always, therefore, been a debate in Islam over this question. The majority of orthodox Muslims (following the Hanafi school) in later centuries, allowed abortion until the end of the four months.

According to them, a pregnant woman could have an abortion without her husband's permission, but she should have reasonable grounds for this act.

Most of the Maliki jurists (legal scholars) described abortion as completely forbidden. In their view, when the semen settles in the womb, it is expected to develop into a living baby and it should not be disturbed by anyone.

According to Ibn Jawziyyah, when the womb has retained the semen, it is not permitted for the husband and wife, or one of them or the master of the slave- wife, to induce an abortion.

After en - soulment, however, abortion is prohibited absolutely and is akin to murder.

Some Muslims today stand by the Qur'anic commands never to kill children or - by interpretation- unborn children. For them, the Qur'an's celebration of life in the womb as an embryo is enough. Abortion is a sinful act. 'Take not life, which Allah has made sacred...' Conclusions:

However, even for most Muslims who believe this, the exception to this rule is when the mother's life is threatened and an abortion is necessary. (This exception has always been encouraged in Islam as the mother's life takes precedence).

The Qur'an explicitly forbids exceptions like killing a child for economic reasons or for convenience: "killing" a child for fear of food (rizq).

Many Muslims today follow the Islamic tradition (Hadith and Legal rulings) and argue that abortion is an evil but is permitted up to 120 days when Allah 'ensouls' the foetus. After this time it is forbidden.