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What is the ruling on aborting a fetus after four months of pregnancy if Muslim doctors determine the existence of severe deformities, or the possibility of fetal death, or its adhesion to the uterine wall, and after all treatment attempts have failed, in order to preserve the mother's life?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Abortion is Islamically forbidden, even if the fetus is in the nutfah stage. The prohibition intensifies after its formation and the insufflation of the soul, because it is an unjustified killing of a soul. Abortion is permissible only in two cases: if the mother's life is in real danger, or if the fetus dies inside its mother, provided this is confirmed by a reliable medical report. If the abortion was for an un শর'i reason, then whoever performed it must repent and pay the diyah (blood money) for the fetus to its heirs.

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

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