Abortion In Light Of Quran
A personal sharing on Abortion
In my childhood abortion in the US was socially unacceptable. But that was many years ago now, and for a great many people it has become not just an accepted right for a woman but a strongly defended one. This has come to be true even among those who wish to follow the Quran.
While I have never had an abortion, I became pregnant by my first husband and it so freaked him that he abandoned me and our child.
I was so in love with Keith, this tall, slender, dark haired guy — or perhaps addicted to him is more apt — that I prayed for the pregnancy to end. God granted that wish.
Let me try to share my emotions and the situation leading up to this miscarriage. Before I begin, let me mention that all names except my own have been changed.
Keith and I went to see some friends. Maria had given birth to a lovely little girl a few days earlier and she let me hold her baby. I still remember the longing I felt as I held this tiny black haired bundle of sleeping newborn all snuggly wrapped in pink. Feeling her light warm weight, looking down at her perfect tiny fingers and smelling her magical baby scent ignited a firestorm of maternal desire.
Keith saw that desire in me and I think he felt guilty about it, but he passionately did not want children. That passion was so intense that he could not handle it and felt compelled to leave when I got pregnant. He did not return until a while after my miscarriage.
As much as I wanted a child, looking back I see that God knew best, as I have been blessed to do many things that I could not have done as a single mother with a child.
Before all of this occurred I helped one friend obtain an abortion and supported another, whom I love dearly, in her decision to abort.
My first friend was gay and conceived when she was raped by a drunk stranger. It traumatized her terribly and since she lived in a state where abortion was illegal at the time, and Keith and I were in a neighboring state where it was allowed, we helped her by giving her a place to stay with us for the couple of days she needed it and our emotional support.
A few years later my dear friend Sally, whom I love like a sister, got pregnant with her boyfriend. They were not ready to get married and so she chose to abort. When she told me something like, “Lisa, I want kids, but not now. I think I’m getting an abortion. What do you think?” I replied something like, “Sally, are you sure you won’t regret it? If you’re sure, then go ahead.”
However, those experiences were before I conceived myself two or three years later.
When that happened, I was quite aware of the presence of another’s soul within or hovering near me at the time of conception or very shortly after — probably within an hour at most. After that I could no longer be blasé about abortion. Now I am certain that there is another person involved whose right to live is undeniable. Please do not misunderstand me, I believe strongly in women’s rights and Quran also supports them. To me the unborn child’s right to life is greater.
And it is not just the fetus to consider. The father’s rights must also be considered. About five years after losing my child, I worked for a good looking young printer whose girlfriend got an abortion without telling him. He shared with me that he was heartbroken because he really wanted the child.
As a result of these experiences and with years more of reading and studying the Quran, I would handle those situations where I supported abortion differently. I would still want to help my friends as much as I could but would try to dissuade them from getting an abortion.
Strangely to me, I have more than once heard the argument from people who are at least reading the Quran, that the soul does not enter the fetus right away, so an an early abortion is allowed. Possibly the soul is not always present right away, but even then there is a major Quranic argument against abortion. Verse 39:42 tells us that God takes the soul during sleep. Does that mean that we can kill a man who is sleeping and not call it murder? Of course not! To me abortion is the same. The soul may or not be within the fetus, but that does not mean killing the tiny body is allowed.
God also specifically mentions the killing of one’s children as being totally unacceptable in 6:137, 140, 151; 17:31 and 60:12. Please do check these verses for yourself in the Quran Browser if you don’t have a Quran easily available.
So in my view, and especially in light of the listed verses, abortion is forbidden by God. However, I believe He/She would give an exception in order to save the mother’s life. Why choose to save the mother over the child? In most cases the mother is helping others, often to the point that her death would endanger those depending on her — especially if she is caring for other young children, elderly parents or the seriously infirm.
Also an innocent child has not yet accumulated any sin and will return to God in a totally pure state and thus will enter Paradise. But the mother and/or those she takes care of may need time to purify their souls so they can enter Paradise after death.
Looking at all of the verses and factors I mentioned convinced me that the vast majority of abortions are unacceptable to God.
Of course one may repent and reform of any crime done without full understanding of that crime.
So for any others who like myself may have supported or assisted others, or performed or had an abortion themselves, please don’t despair. Remember that God is the most Merciful and All-Knowing of you and your true intentions, and is the Forgiver.
Thank you for reading this, Peace and may God bless you.
