The Ethics of Abortion According to Some Major Religions

On June 24, 2022, the US supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected women’s reproductive rights and access to abortion. Due to this, abortion access has been restricted across more than half of the US, causing many pregnant women to carry to term unless they can travel to regions with access to abortion.

For decades, conservative Christian and political right-wing legal groups have been committed to overturning Roe v. Wade, and it was achieved. They did so, believing that life begins with conception and that abortion is murder. However, the Christian Bible does not directly mention abortion, and different religions have different views on abortion. This article will highlight the perspectives of major religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam) on abortion.

Buddhism

Buddhism does not have a single view concerning abortion, but some Buddhist monastic codes state that life begins at conception and, therefore, abortion would involve the destruction of life. However, there is also the Buddhist belief that “life is a continuum with no clear starting point.” Because of this, there is no official Buddhist view regarding abortion.

The Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and former head of the state of Tibet, said that “abortion is negative, but I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance.” So, many modern Buddhist teachers and monks view abortion as morally correct given that there is a threat to the life or physical health of the mother, but it is still seen as something negative within the religion.

In contrast, Sallie Jiko Tisdale, a lay dharma teacher at Dharma Rain Zen Center who worked in an abortion clinic, said that “At the clinic, I was reminded daily that people don’t ‘get pregnant.’ People are impregnated by accident, by intent, and sometimes through violence. Forced pregnancy kills spirit, joy, freedom, opportunity, and hope. Abortion can be a rescue”. She believes that the Buddhist view of reproductive choice for all people and that supporting safe, legal abortion is the correct stand.

Hinduism

Hinduism follows the principle of ahimsa, which is to respect all living things and avoid conflict with others. When considering abortion, Hinduism suggests choosing the action that will do the least harm to everyone involved (the mother, father, fetus, and society). So, Hinduism generally opposes abortion, except when the mother’s life is in danger. Many Hindus see the creation of children as a “public duty” and not an “individual and personal choice.” However, as per the Hindu culture in India, abortion is practiced as there is a cultural preference for sons, which leads to abortions of female fetuses, often referred to as “female foeticide”.

According to India Times, a recent case of female foeticide was on June 24, 2022, when seven fetuses were found floating around in a drain in Karnataka. According to District Health Officer (DHO), Mahesh Koni, prima facie, it appears to be a case of gender detection and foeticide. It has been illegal since 1994 when the Indian government passed the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT) to ban and punish prenatal sex screening and female foeticide.

According to The News Minute, a doctor at a local hospital (Venkateshwara Maternity Hospital) confessed to the crime, and they have been illegally performing abortions and preserving the fetuses in canisters. But the staff dumped the fetuses into open drains due to fear of raids by authorities. This shows that even after the ban on prenatal screening and female foeticide, their culture still favors male fetuses over female fetuses, which enables them to ignore the law and perform abortions illegally.

In contrast, another case shows the negative effects of pregnancy and abortion on women. According to Indiatoday.com, on July 5, 2022, A 33-year-old woman killed herself after being forced to abort her fetus 14 times. The police found a suicide note that revealed she had had a sexual relationship with a man under the pretext of getting married. However, the man refused to marry her, which caused her to end her life. The police have charged the man with abetment to suicide and rape.

Islam

Islamic law agrees that abortion is allowed when the mother’s life is in danger at any point in pregnancy. However, in general, abortion is considered haram (forbidden). The Qur’an has no mention of abortion but does mention related situations used by scholars to apply to the situation. Most Muslim scholars say that a fetus is recognized and protected by Islam as human life.

According to the Qur’an, one must not kill one’s offspring due to fear of poverty (Qur’an 17:32). This is applied to abortions as scholars state that a fetus must not be aborted because the family fears that they will not be able to provide for it and they should trust Allah to look after things. In the situation where the baby is born with a defect that will cause suffering for the child, abortion is allowed within 120 days of conception. Muslim scholars have differing opinions on situations of rape, incest, and adultery, but in most cases, abortion is allowed within 120 days of conception.

Eman Abdelhadi, a Muslim woman who had an abortion, shared her thoughts on the Roe v. Wade’s decision on Arab News — “It felt very clear to me”. When asked about her religion (Islam), she said, “Islamic law is flexible, and when it comes to deciding abortion, people will consult with their families, their religious leaders, and then they’ll ultimately make a decision for themselves.”

In conclusion, different religions have different views on the ethical implications of abortion. In Buddhism, there isn’t a clear view, but it is considered harmful. In Hinduism, it is opposed but allowed when the mother’s life is in danger, while in India, abortions are commonly practiced on female fetuses due to the cultural preference for sons. In Islam, it is allowed within 120 days of conception and whenever the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion care is essential health care regardless of religion. Everyone should have the right to make their own decisions about reproductive health care, including whether to have an abortion.

By: Liew Yik Xuan