Ovum transplantation Fatwa No: 86041
- Fatwa Date:9-7-2003
What is the ruling on implantation of fertilized foreign ovum (egg) in a uterus of a woman for which her husband gave the sperm?
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. It is unlawful to fertilize a foreign ovum in the uterus of a woman with her husband's sperm since the ovum is from a foreign woman. In fact, this can lead to a mixing in progeny. The Islamic Fiqh Council considered the following form of fertilization lawful if it meets some conditions. The ovum of the wife is fertilized artificially with the spermatozoid of her husband and put in a test tube outside the uterus. But this form is lawful only if it meets the following conditions: 1) It should be done only in dire necessity. 2) The exposure of the Awrah of the woman should be restricted to the minimum necessity. 3) The treating doctor should be a Muslim woman if possible otherwise a non-Muslim woman. If there are no female doctors who can do this operation, then a trustworthy Muslim male doctor or a non-Muslim male doctor. This order should be respected. 4) There should not be any seclusion between the treating man and the patient. So, there should be the husband of the woman or another lady. But the method asked about is unlawful, hence forbidden. Allah knows best.