Aborting a child due to rape

Q. Can a woman who was raped abort the child?

A. In general, the abortion of a foetus is not permissible in Shariah except in certain exceptional cases provided that the soul has not yet been infused in the foetus. This period has been determined as 4 Months (120 days).

If a woman has been raped and falls pregnant, it will be permissible for her to abort the foetus. This is one of the exceptional cases in which the abortion of the foetus is permitted provided that the foetus is aborted before 4 Months. (Shaami 6/374 – Fataawa Raheemiyyah 10/190/191)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

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