ISLAM

Abortion in Islam

Many Muslims in the world and elsewhere, raise the question of abortion in Islam. Sometimes misinformation is worse than ignorance. It is therefore useful to shed some light on this issue from an Islamic perspective.

Humans are the most favoured creation of the Creator, Allah “And indeed We have honoured the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, gave them lawful, pure provisions, and greatly preferred them above many of those We have created”, (Al-Isra,17:70). Among these signs of Allah’s favour on the children of Adam, is the sacred value Allah assigns to the life of a human being. When that value was violated with the first unlawful murder of a human being on earth, when one of Adam’s sons killed his own brother out of malice, Allah condemned that act and put it on record in the Quran as a reminder, to be recited until the Day of Judgement.

Allah went even further, making unlawful killing of a single individual human being equal to mass murder of the whole of mankind: “Because of that, We ordained for the children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or for spreading mischief on earth, it would be as if he killed all mankind. And who saved a life, it would be as if he saved all mankind”, (Al-Maidah,5:32).

Some Muslims argue that abortion is permissible if the foetus is younger than four months (120 days). They quote a statement from the Prophet (SAW) that refers to a human being starting as a fertilised ovum in the uterus of the mother for forty days, then it grows into a clot for the same period, then into a morsel of flesh for the same period, then an angel is sent to that foetus to blow the Ruh (life), into it and to write down its age, deeds, sustenance and whether it is destined to be happy or sad.

Assuming the hadith to be authentic, scholars explain that the error comes from understanding that before the Ruh is blown into the foetus at 120 days, the foetus is not a living entity, and therefore aborting it does not amount to killing it. This understanding is wrong, scholars argue, because the foetus is a living entity right from the moment of fertilisation and implantation on the wall of the uterus.

Scholars explain that the Ruh mentioned in this hadith of the Prophet (SAW) is something other than being alive and only Allah knows what it is, based on the verse in the Quran: “And they ask you about the Ruh. The Ruh is one of the things the knowledge of which is only with my Lord, and you, mankind, have been given only little knowledge”, (Al-Isra,17:85). It therefore becomes clear that aborting a foetus before 120 days is still killing a living entity, let alone abortion after that presumed period.

The only case when aborting a foetus, before or after 120 days, is allowed in Islam, is when a medical situation threatens the life of the mother, leaving only two options, to let either the mother or the foetus survive, but not both. Scholars argue that such a case can only be determined by a specialist, trusted and committed Muslim doctor. They argue that the mother can have other children, whereas the child cannot make up for losing the mother. A fatwa (legal ruling) to that effect was issued by the late Dr. Mahmoud Shaltut, Shaikhul Azhar (Al-Fatawa, p164). Imam Al-Ghazali discussed this issue in his famous book, Ihya Ulumuddin. Briefly, he asserted that once the semen from a man fertilised an ovum from a woman, and went into the womb of the mother, it was indeed a living entity and should not be intentionally aborted.

As the foetus progressively develops in the womb, intentional abortion becomes an even worse sin amounting to killing a living entity. In some schools of Islamic thought, causing a foetus to be accidentally aborted, say by beating a pregnant mother, results in payment of the blood money penalty equal to one-tenth of that paid for mistakenly killing a mature human being.

Living in the world, Muslims are exposed to all kinds of false arguments, including media reports in all forms and shapes, about a female having full authority on what to do with her body, including becoming pregnant through adultery and/or aborting an undesirable pregnancy. In Islam, freedom is not absolute. It is qualified by conditions set by Allah and His Messenger (SAW). Being aware of Islam becomes even more of an obligation to a Muslim living in the world. This is Islam, in all its mercy, humanity and firmness.

Israa and Miraaj :

Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous night journey

Israa literally means a journey by night and Miraaj literally means an elevator, ie an instrument which lifts something up. But, in Islaam, Israa refers to a miraculous night-journey made by the last Prophet from Makkah to Jerusalem and Miraaj refers to the vehicle which took the Prophet from Jerusalem, up and out of the universe, through the seven heavens and into the direct presence of Allah.

Towards the end of a calm night, one year before the Hijrah, the roof of Prophet Muhammad's house split open and angel Jibreel (Gabriel) descended into the Prophets room. He went over to the Prophet opened his shirt and cut open his chest.

He then removed his heart and washed its inside with Zam Zam water. After he had completed washing it, he then brought a gold dish filled with Eemaan (faith) and Hikmah (wisdom), emptied it into the Prophets chest and then closed it all up.

Jibreel then nudged the Prophet until he awoke. When the Prophet alayhi wa got up, Jibreel took a hold of his hand and lead him outside of his house to the gate of Kabah.

There the Prophet found a strange unearthly animal. It was smaller than a mule but larger than a donkey, white in color and having a wing on either of its hind legs. He was informed that its name was ‘Buraaq’, a name taken from the Arabic word Barq which means a flash of lightning.

Jibreel helped the Prophet mount it and they set off to the north. Each stride of the Buraaq took it to the horizon, and, in no time they reached Jerusalem. There the Prophet dismounted and tied the animal to the same ring on the door of al-Masjid al-Aqsaa used by the prophets.

The Prophet entered the Masjid and prayed two Rakahs. When he finished he noticed a group of other prophets also making Salaah there. He saw among them Prophet Moosaa (Moses), Prophet Eesaa (Jesus) and Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham).

Prophet Muhammad was then told to lead them all in prayer. When the Prophet finished this Salaah, someone said to him, “This is Maalik, the guardian of the Hellfire, so give him Salaams.” When he turned around to greet him, the angel gave him Salaams before he had time to do so, Jibreel then brought two vessels and presented them to the Prophet One was filled with wine and the other filled with milk. The Prophet chose the vessel filled with milk and drank from it.

Jibreel then said, “You have been guided to the Fitrah.”

The Ascent (Miraaj)

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) then left the Masjid and the Miraaj was brought for him. Jibreel helped him get into it, and it shot up into the heavens and out of the solar system. Travelling at a tremendous rate, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and Jibreel soon left our galaxy and raced past the other galaxies until they reached the end of the universe.

At the end of the universe, they arrived at the boundary of the lowest heaven. Jibreel then requested that its gate be opened for them. Jibreel was then asked who he was and who was with him. When he informed the guardian angel who they were, he was asked if the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) had been sent for. When he said that that was so, the guardian said, “Welcome! His coming is good,” and the gate was opened.

When they went into the lowest heaven the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) saw a man sitting with a large group of people on his right and a large group on his left. When the man looked at those on his right he laughed and when he looked at those on his left he wept.

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Jibreel who the man was and Jibreel replied, “This is your father Aadam, so greet him.” When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) did so, Prophet Aadam returned his Salaams and said, “Welcome! Oh good son and good Prophet.”

Jibreel then said, “These people on his right and left are the souls of his descendants. Those of them on his left are the inhabitants of Hell, so when he looks on his right side he laughs and when he looks on his left he cries.”

Jibreel then took him up to the second heaven, where he met and greeted Prophets Eesaa and Yahyaa, up to the third where he met and greeted Prophet Yousuf, up to the fourth where he met and greeted Prophet Idrees, up to the fifth where he met and greeted Prophet Haaroon, and up to the sixth where he met Prophet Moosaa.

When he went on past Prophet Moosaa, Moosaa wept, and when he was asked why he wept he replied, ‘I am crying because more followers of a young man, who was sent as a prophet after my time, will enter paradise than my followers.’

He then went on up with Jibreel to the seventh heaven, requested entrance and they came upon Prophet Ibraaheem leaning with his back against the house of worship called al-Bayt al-Ma’moor.

Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) observed approximately seventy thousand angels, entering this heavenly house of worship without seeing any of them leave.

Jibreel then led the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) to the lote-tree of the boundary, which he described as having leaves like the ears of elephants and fruits like large earthen-ware jugs. The lote-tree marked the spot, beyond which even Jibreel could not go, but Allah permitted Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) to go beyond it and spoke to him directly.

Allah (swt) revealed to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) the last verses of Soorah al-Baqarah and promised him that the major sins of his followers would be forgiven if they did not commit Shirk. Allaah also made Salaah compulsory fifty times per day for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and his followers.

On the Prophets (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) return he passed by Prophet Moosaa who asked him what worship had been prescribed for him. When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) informed him, Moosaa said, “Your people are not capable of doing fifty daily prayers. I swear by Allah that I have tested men before your time and tried my best with the Israelites, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter for your people.”

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) did so and Allah reduced it by ten, but Moosaa suggested that he return and request a further reduction for the same reason, so he returned.

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) continued going back and forth between his Lord and Moosaa until Allaah said, “They are five prayers everyday, Muhammad, each being rewarded as ten, so that makes fifty times of prayer. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him, and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do it will have nothing recorded against him, and if he does it, only one evil deed will be recorded against him.”

When he came down and Moosaa told him to go back, he replied, “I have asked my Lord till I am ashamed to face Him. I am now satisfied and I submit.”

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was then taken into Paradise and he reported that he saw in it domes of pearls and that its soil was made of musk. He was also taken to Hell and Allaah showed him scenes from the future. He saw in the Hellfire people receiving terrible punishments for various sins.

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) then took the Miraaj and descended with Jibreel to al-Masjid al-Aqsaa. From there he mounted the Buraaq and returned to his home in Makkah where he found his bed still warm.

Importance of breastfeeding a child in Islam

One of the most important responsibilities a Muslim woman has towards her children is to nourish their minds, bodies and souls with her milk for a period of two years. Her reward for this is so great that if she dies during this period she dies with the status of a martyr.

In an age when we see many women choosing to feed their babies powdered milk formula in plastic bottles as a sign of ‘modernity’, we should make an effort to educate ourselves about the unique benefits of breastfeeding so that we do not deprive ourselves and our children of this extraordinary opportunity to gain the pleasure of Allah, most glorious.

First of all, every woman's milk is uniquely suited to meet the needs of her own baby. For example, the milk will be richer in the event of a premature birth, helping the baby to make up for his small size. The composition of the milk also changes from feeding to feeding and as the baby grows in order to meet the baby's nutritional needs at each stage of his development. In addition, breast milk contains at least 100 ingredients and nutrients not found in formula, and these are essential in providing immunities to disease, protection against allergies and prevention against ear infections, digestive disorders and various other ailments common among bottle-fed children. Cow's milk, on the other hand, contains high concentrations of proteins and hormones which are necessary for baby cows to grow normally but which are too rough for a human baby's delicate system.

If this is not enough motivation, breastfeeding is also good for mothers. In the days immediately following birth, the baby's suckling helps the mother's uterus to contract to its normal size. Many women do not get pregnant while breastfeeding (although a small percentage do), so this serves as a natural method of birth control and way of spacing apart children. Breastfeeding women typically regain their pre-pregnancy figures more quickly than other women and are much less prone to breast cancer later in life. Breastfeeding saves money (you never need to buy special equipment), and so long as the baby is feeding regularly and enthusiastically and growing at the rate appropriate for his age, you never need to worry about how much you are feeding him because he will determine the right amount of milk to drink on his own.

Some women express their breast milk and store it in the refrigerator so that other caretakers can be assigned to feed their babies with the aid of bottles. While these babies get some of the nutritional goodness of their mothers’ milk, they miss out on all the emotional and psychological comforts of breastfeeding which are just as important as the physical benefits.

The act of breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and child as it requires the mother to embrace her child several times each day. The babies, in turn, find comfort in their mothers’ arms and learn to trust that they have a safe place to go for love and sustenance. In the period of two years, something special has undoubtedly taken place between mother and child.

It is rare these days to find women who breastfeed their children for two whole years as recommended in Islam. Attitudes have changed and many women have been convinced that powdered formula (a manufactured drink) is better than their own milk!

May all women reflect upon Allah's greatness and have confidence in their ability to produce milk in order to nourish their children in the best possible manner. Do not ever forget that formula is a 20th-century invention and that babies since the beginning of time have thrived without it. What's more, the main motivation of the formula industry is to make money while the supposed “convenience” of bottle-feeding has pushed women into the workplace and away from their responsibilities as mothers.

Source: islamcan.com

Forgiveness - a prophetic example

A beautiful example of a healthy father-child relationship- Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand up for his daughter Fatima (Allah be pleased with her), kiss her and give her his seat when she came to him. This was in an age when people preferred sons and looked down on having daughters. With this simple act, the Prophet showed us how to express love and affection for our children.

The compelling conditions of our time offer human society two paths to choose from. We will either continue past enmities and stereotypes, or we will learn how to live in peaceful coexistence. It is a world of global connectedness and in order to make peace sustainable, we need to develop new paradigms of peaceful engagement. The example of the Prophet Muhammad (Upon Him peace and blessings) presents us with many such paradigms that we can adapt to our current circumstances.

Like all of his predecessors did before him, Prophet (PBUH) showed utmost mercy and forgiveness to everyone, so much so that even his staunch enemies sought refuge under his wings of compassion.

After He began to call his people to belief, the Prophet (PBUH) had to face all kinds of torment during his peaceful mission for thirteen years in Mecca. After numerous grievous incidents, he had to leave his town and reluctantly immigrated to Medina. From most people's point of view, the Meccans were absolutely to be declared as ‘the enemy’ or ‘the other.’

However, the Prophet (PBUH) did not behave inimical to anyone. He always treated people humanely, no matter what lethal traps they set for him. He never failed to extend his tender hand with a candid clemency and compassion.

Even during many inexorable combats, he always prayed to his Lord, chiefly for those who smashed His helmet off, broke His tooth and left His face covered with blood in battles like Badr and Uhud. Not only did he hinder His followers from bearing any antagonistic attitude against their merciless foes, He also blocked maledictions and imprecations to any adversary, even those who, for instance on the day of Uhud, had ripped the bodies of nearly 70 beloved ones into pieces beyond recognition with an incredible brutality.

Although his opponents were bloodthirsty and yearning for war, His sword was never besmeared by red hot blood; He never killed anyone. He did not represent anything other than loving compassion in the world.

He never broke off His previous social connections. He did not approach anyone with a bias. He always held the door open in order to mildly flatter their vanities. He never hurt anyone's pride deliberately. While his sworn enemies took the gloves off for any opportunity to assassinate him, he treated everyone amicably by taking into consideration the potential positions they would likely to hold in the near future. Because He knew that every individual had a respectable essence, He thought the most appropriate action was to awaken this divine kernel. He took action in this direction, though horrid provocations did not cease, and he did that with a worthy perseverance.

Glad tidings

The Prophet (PBUH) dealt with every one of his opponents with utmost care, and he took very strategic measures not to destroy them but to conquer their hearts. Giving the glad tidings of a coming peace, the following verse was revealed right after the Battle of the Trench: “When you obey Allah, in His commands and prohibitions, it may be that Allah, will bring about love and friendship between you and those of them with whom you are in enmity. Allah is All-Powerful, and Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate (60:7).

Peace was so close, just at their threshold. Having received this good news, the Prophet (PBUH) initiated immediate action by asking to marry the daughter of Abu Sufyan, who was then the political leader of the Meccans. Establishing bonds of kinship with him would be a plausible step in order to eradicate hostility.

He turned out to be more moderate, more cautious, and more candid in reciprocal dialogue attempts.

Prominent figures of Mecca, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Safwan ibn-i Umayya, Suhayl ibn Amr and Ikrima ibn al-Jahl were exerting pressure on Abu Sufyan to take drastic actions against believers. Despite all of their intolerable pressure, Abu Sufyan resisted their aggressiveness, having realized that they were the ones who were unfair, not those on the Prophet (PBUH)'s side.

Making peace

Even in the most critical conditions he did not give up. Despite all the provocations of evil-doers and his own fellow tribesmen's objections, he made agreements with his crucial adversaries and fulfilled peaceful commitments with them.

After His immigration to Medina, the economic and social conditions of Mecca had gradually deteriorated. The Meccans were suffering from drought, famine, hunger, and misery. For sure, He could not have remained indifferent to this heartrending situation. He sent them food and other needed aid; he literally inundated them with an immense benevolent contribution on the back of hundreds of camels.

But, unfortunately the Meccans rejected all of it. Then he sent all the aid directly to Abu Sufyan. Afterward Abu Sufyan distributed everything to the poor and needy Meccans.

The Prophet (PBUH) those days gave weight to free commerce and trading with other communities, particularly with Meccans. He knew that business trading was an excellent opportunity to get in touch with others. Thus they could have found so many new ways to maintain peaceful relations.

The Prophet (Upon Him peace and blessings)'s immense forgiveness is an example for us today as to how we should engage with past atrocities. It is a message of self-reformation that teaches us that we can subdue feelings of revenge and hatred and build a society in compassion and love.