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QURANIC GUIDANCE

(1) The Sanctity of Life

"On that account we decreed upon the Children of Israel that whosoever kills a soul for other than manslaughter or corruption in the land, it shall be as if he killed all mankind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he saved the life of all mankind". (5:32)

Human life is sacred, and should not be taken away except upon indications singled out and specified by the law (none of these ever falls within the domain of the medical profession). Human life is a value, and its sanctity covers all its stages including the intrauterine phase. Many centuries ago, it was thought that the early fetus was devoid of life but now we know that this is not the case.

(2) The Pledge Of The Believing Women

"O' Prophet: when believing women come to you to give you their pledge not to associate anything with God in worship, that they shall not steal, that they shall not commit adultery, THAT THEY SHALL NOTKIU mEIR CHIWREN" that they shall not utter slander, in- tentionally forging falsehood, and that they shall not disobey you in any just matter, then do take their pledge and pray to God for their forgiveness, for God is Oft-Forgiving Most-Merciful. " (60: 12)

We would like to focus on the phrase "They shall not kill their children".  The word "children" in Arabic, like in English, comprises boys and girls. This verse of the Quran mentions a number of sinful acts the sinful women before Islam commonly participated in. When considering "killing their children" we are presented with an exception. The Arabs of the Jahiliya (ie the era of ignorance preceding Islam) knew, as an approved social habit, the killing of children for three reasons: existing or expected poverty, in fulfillment of a vow to their idol gods and the burial alive of the female neonate to evade shame. Historically, all these kinds of infanticide were executed by men, and never did women carry them out. The only explanation open to us therefore is that the Quran prohibits abortion, the only form of child killing that was carried out by women and at those times by women only, so that it was quite in order to include it in the Pledge of the Believing Women.

(3) The Financial Factor

"Say: Come, I will recite what God has really prohibited you from. Join-not anything as equal with Him. Be good to your parents. KILL-NOT YOUR CHILDREN ON A PLEA OF WANT; We provide sustenance for you and for them. Come-not near to shameful deeds whether open or secret. TAKE NOT LIFE WHICH GOD HAS MADE SACRED except by ways of justice and law. Thus does He command you, that you may learn wisdom." (6: 151 )

"KILL-NOT YOUR CHILDREN FOR FEAR OF WANT: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin." (17:31)

The protagonists of family limitation to curb down population growth so as not to outstrip available resources tend to insist that this can never be achieved without the back-up of abortion to existing contraceptive technology. Such practice would be unacceptable to Islam. The two verses make mention of existing as well as anticipated Poverty ; neither can justify the killing of one's children. Another verse in the Quran reads:

"Even so in the eyes of most of the pagans, their partners made alluring the slaughter of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion. If God had willed, they would not have done so; but leave alone them and their inventions." (6:137)

Ibn-Massoud, one of the prophet's companions, asked the prophet: What is the gravest sin?" The prophet answered: "That you associate partners with God who created you. " Ibn-Massoud asked: What is next to this? and the prophet answered: ' 'That you kill your offspring for fear of them sharing your food with you." (Bukhari and Muslim)