Is it permissible to inject fertilized and preserved embryos into the wife's womb after her husband's death?
Artificial insemination or IVF has permissible and forbidden forms. Among the permissible forms is taking the husband's sperm and the wife's egg, fertilizing them externally, and then implanting them in the wife's womb. The Islamic Fiqh Academy has permitted this method out of extreme necessity, provided certain conditions are met, including: that the woman's exposure is for a legitimate purpose, that the treating physician is a Muslim woman, or failing that, a non-Muslim woman, then a trustworthy Muslim male doctor, or failing that, a non-Muslim, and that there is no khalwa (private seclusion). It is necessary to limit the number of fertilized eggs to the required amount to avoid surplus. If there is a surplus, it should be left without care until its life ends, and it is not permissible to preserve it to prevent lineage mix-up. Similarly, it is not permissible to use a fertilized egg or the husband's frozen sperm after his death, as the marital life ends with death.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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