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How much is the blood money (Diyya) to be paid in Moroccan Dirhams for the abortion of a one-and-a-half-month-old fetus, knowing that the abortion was performed due to the unavailability of funds for a fourth Cesarean section, which posed a danger to the mother's life?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A woman should not undergo abortion unless trusted physicians decide that the continuation of the pregnancy poses a definite threat to her life. In such a case, the lesser of two evils is committed. However, if the abortion is performed without a legitimate Islamic reason, the woman must make sincere repentance, frequently seek forgiveness, and perform righteous deeds.

For aborting a fetus, a "ghurra" must be paid, which is a young male or female slave. This is supported by the Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). Jurists have agreed on the obligation of the ghurra for a fetus whose creation has become apparent. The value of the ghurra—if a slave is not available—is one-tenth of the mother's blood money (diyah).

If the pregnancy has passed the stage of a sperm drop (after 40 days and entering the second forty-day period), the ghurra becomes obligatory, whether it is a clinging clot ('alaqa) or a chewed lump (mudghah). Modern means have proven that creation begins at this stage. Therefore, what the woman did necessitates a ghurra or its value, because the abortion occurred in the second forty-day period. The value of the ghurra is determined by knowing one-tenth of the woman's blood money in Moroccan Dirhams.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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