What is the ruling regarding a woman who died while carrying a living fetus in her womb?
A woman who dies with her child in her womb is considered a martyr. If the fetus can be extracted alive through natural means, the mother should not be buried with it. However, if it cannot be extracted except by incising the abdomen, scholars have differed on the permissibility of this, while agreeing that it should not be buried alive. Ata and the Malikis and Hanbalis ruled against the incision, while the Shafiis, Hanafis, some Malikis, and Ibn Hazm permitted it if there was hope of the fetus being extracted alive.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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