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Fatwa CenterWants to finance an abortion for needy friend
Question
A good friend had just agreed with his wife to terminate her 2 weeks pregnancy by abortion. He is very heavily in debt financially. He earns about $1500 per month and the average cost to have a normal birth (without complications) in my country is about $2000. He already is struggling with 3 children aged 1, 2 and 3. The cost of living here is so high and it is also increasing by the day. The people and banks he owes money to are calling him up every day and demanding their monies or else he will be charged in court and made a bankrupt. His wife is also suffering from calcium deficiency due to the first three non-stop pregnancies. He is so stressed out that he cries almost every day. He wants me to lend him $450 to terminate the pregnancy at the hospital. My question: can they proceed with the abortion? He assured me that he could not afford it anymore as he is already working 19 hours per day with 3 jobs and missing his daily prayers and fasts of Ramadan. Please help me to advise him.
Answer
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 not permissible for a father to proceed with the abortion of the fetus for fear of becoming poor or unable to provide for the baby’s sustenance. Allah forbade that and guaranteed to provide for the baby.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin.}[17:31].
Allah, The Most-High, made clear in this verse that it is not permissible to kill children because of poverty, or lest someone would become poor. We draw your attention here that abortion before the soul is breathed to the fetus is Haram but is not considered as killing a soul. By analogy with this verse, the fear of becoming poor because of having children is wrong because Allah guaranteed to provide for them.
As regards the complaints of his wife about the lack of calcium (in her body), our response is that this matter should be referred to trustworthy doctors. If they determine that this pregnancy is a danger for her (health) then there is no harm (in this case) to abort the child. However, if this lack of calcium is not a danger for her and can be treated, then it is not permissible for her to abort the child.
We advise this brother to fear Allah, and to dedicate himself for His worship, and to sincerely and honestly ask Him to facilitate the means of goodness and provisions for him, and to help him pay his debts.
We remind him about the saying of Allah: {….And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine….}[65:2-3].
Allah also Says (interpretation of meaning): {….and whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.}[65:4].
We remind him also, about the authentic Hadith reported by al-Tirmizi that Ali (Radiya Allahu Anhu) narrated that a slave who wanted to free himself came to him and told him that he was unable to free himself by paying the due amount required by his master. Ali then told him: "Shall I not teach you some words that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) taught me, if you have debts as big as the mountain of Subair Allah would help you pay your debts back. He said, say 'O Allah, make what is lawful enough for me, as opposed to what is unlawful, and spare me by Your Grace, of the need of others".
We remind him also of what is reported by Abu Dawud that Abu Said Al-Khudri (Radiya Allahu Anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) entered the mosque one day and found a man from the Ansar whose name is Abu Omama. So the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) told him: "Abu Omama, what’s the matter with you? I see you sitting in the mosque other than at the times of prayers. Abu Omama replied: 'It is the worries and debts that made me sit here'. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) then told him: "Shall I not teach you some words if you say them Allah will take away the worries from you and help you pay your debts". Abu Omama said: 'Please do, O Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) of Allah'. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) then said: "Say when you get up in the morning or when you go to sleep, 'O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men". Abu Omama said: 'I did so (made the supplication) and Allah took away the anxiety from me and helped me pay the debts'".
So he can seek the help of good and generous people and we advise you, dear brother, who is asking the question to help him in goodness and righteous deeds and do not help him in carrying out the abortion, as it is Haram.
Allah knows best.
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