Ban on Abortion

Today we are facing the news about the rising levels of abortion in some countries. The issue is not over babies that, due to compelling medical reasons, should be aborted. It is about babies, who despite their mother being healthy, are being denied their right to life.

Among all pregnancies in the United States, twenty-two percent terminate in abortion (i.e. more than one in five).
From 1973 (the beginning of legal abortion in the United States) until 2005. over 45 million legal abortions have been performed in this country. It should be added to these terrible statistics that each year around the world, between 42 million and 70 million abortions take place. This means that the theoretical justification for abortion is a cause for sustaining a horrific genocide around the world. This is while 93 percent of all abortions are carried out at the request of the parents (particularly the mother)- without any medical reason.

Indeed, the question arises in the minds of all people: why are these babies being killed? The hearts of these people suffer from the killing of these babies and they are reminded of the periods of ignorance in history. The Holy Qur’an. With reverence for the human being from the beginning of creation and development of the foetus, to birth and thereafter until death, has established the most valuable social laws for humans, which include the protection of the foetus and the need to uphold its sanctity and human dignity. According to the Qur’an, all human beings, even the foetus, are equal to each other in the principles of “human dignity” and the “right to life”.

The Holy Quran has severely condemned the killing of humans, whether it is those who have not yet been born and are in their mother’s womb, or those who have been born. Take notice of the following verses:

    “Do not kill your children for the fear of penury: We will provide for them and for you. Killing them is indeed a great iniquity.” (17:31)

    “Say. ‘Come, I will recount what your Lord has forbidden you from. That you shall not ascribe any partners to Him, and you shall be good lo the parents, you shall not kill your children due to penury -We will provide for you and for them- you shall not approach indecencies, the outward among them and the  inward ones, and you shall not kill a soul [whose life] Allah has made inviolable, except with due cause. This is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may apply reason.” (6:151)

    “That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, withou [its being guilty of] manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles certainly brought them manifest signs, yet even after that many of them commit excesses on the earth.” (5:32)

Human dignity and right to life are the source of all other human rights. If this principle is ignored, then all rights will be ignored. Therefore, the Qur’an considers the killing of an innocent human being equal to the killing all human beings. From the words of the Prophet (s) we learn that “If all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were involved in the shedding of Muslim blood, and gave consent to it. God would throw them all into hell.” (Wasa'ii al-Shi'ah. vol. 19.p.9)

This respectful approach to the human being, and consequently the foetus governs over all ethical principles. Therefore by complying with the principle of the inherent dignity of the human and preserving the sanctity of his life. the taking of any human life, at any age or circumstance, will not occur. Hence the religion of Islam does not permit abortions except in a case where the mother’s life is in danger, and even blood money (al- dīya ) has been considered in regards to the lifeless body of the foetus. A notable point is that even if the foetus be illegitimate, Islam still does not permit its abortion. This shows the depth of consideration of divine religions towards human rights and human dignity.