What is the legal duration of pregnancy in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger: is it nine months, or nine months and ten days?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The minimum duration of pregnancy is six months, according to the majority of scholars. They based this on Allah's saying: "And mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years" and His saying: "and his carrying and his weaning are thirty months." Therefore, the minimum duration of pregnancy is six months.
As for the maximum duration of pregnancy, it is four years according to the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools of thought. There is also a view among the Malikis that it is five years. The Hanafis and a narration from the Hanbalis state that it is two years.
The typical duration of pregnancy is nine months.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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