What is the ruling on aborting a six-month-old fetus that has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition, requiring complex and dangerous surgeries later on, especially after taking into account the fatwa of the former Grand Mufti of the country permitting abortion in such a case? Does this entail sin or expiation?
It is not permissible to abort a fetus after the soul has been breathed into it (after 120 days), even if it is malformed or sick, unless its continued presence poses a definite danger to the mother's life. If the mother aborts her fetus based on a from someone whose knowledge and religiosity she trusts, then she is excused, because the sin of issuing a fatwa without knowledge falls upon the one who issues it. As for what results from this abortion: the blood money (diyah) is waived if the abortion was with the husband's permission or if he forgave it. Expiation () is obligatory according to the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, which is fasting for two consecutive months. For those unable to do so, some scholars hold that it is feeding sixty needy persons. For those unable to do that, there is nothing upon them except repentance.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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