Is it permissible for a wife to abort in order to control birth, especially since she has two young children?

Jurists have differed on the ruling concerning abortion before forty days. Some Hanafis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis have permitted it as long as the soul has not been breathed into the fetus, while the Malikis and some other jurists have absolutely prohibited it.

Some jurists have restricted permissibility to cases of necessity. This is what was stated in the resolution of the Council of the Senior Scholars and the fatwas of the Permanent Committee, which affirm that abortion is not permissible except for a legitimate reason and within very narrow limits.

If the pregnancy is in its first stage (less than forty days) and there is a legitimate benefit in aborting it, or it wards off harm expected to befall the mother, then abortion is permissible. However, fear of hardship in raising children, inability to bear their living expenses, or being content with a specific number of children are not permissible reasons for abortion.

If the pregnancy exceeds forty days, then abortion is forbidden unless a reliable medical committee determines that continuing the pregnancy poses a danger to the mother's life.

The opinion favoring permissibility before forty days is preferred if there is a need for it, such as extreme hardship on the mother due to closely spaced pregnancies, which may affect her health and ability to care for her children.