Question:

We are a family living in Canada, and Allah has blessed us with a healthy son, Alhamdullilah.

My wife is now four and a half months pregnant, and the fetus has been diagnosed with genetic problems. It has been confirmed that 100% of the cells are missing a large segment of a chromosome, leading to deficiencies in some organs, such as the heart, bones, and head. 

Imaging and genetic tests have confirmed that the fetus could die at any moment during pregnancy or during birth, and it is certain that the child will suffer from the condition and die (there is no doubt about the accuracy of the tests).

The doctor confirmed that abortion at this stage poses no risk to the mother’s health, whereas waiting longer could have consequences for her well-being. My wife suffers from psychological disorders, and continuing the pregnancy could affect her health.

My question to Your Eminence, may Allah preserve you, is whether abortion is permissible in a case like ours.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. As for your question:

Abortion is not permissible after four months have passed and the soul has been breathed into the fetus, except if its life conflicts with the life of the mother—not merely due to anticipated harm. This has been affirmed by a ruling from the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League regarding the abortion of a deformed fetus.

The Decision as Follows:

If the pregnancy has reached 120 days, abortion is not permissible, even if medical diagnosis confirms that the fetus is deformed—unless a trustworthy medical committee of specialized physicians confirms that continuing the pregnancy poses a definite threat to the mother’s life. In that case, abortion is permitted, whether the fetus is deformed or not, to avoid the greater of two harms.

Before 120 days of pregnancy, if a trustworthy medical committee of specialized physicians confirms—based on technical examinations, laboratory tests, and imaging—that the fetus has a severe, untreatable deformity, and that if it is born, its life will be filled with suffering and pain for both the child and its family, then abortion is permissible upon the request of the parents.

The Council, while issuing this ruling, advises doctors and parents to fear Allah and exercise due diligence in this matter. May Allah grant success. And Allah knows best.

Abortion a Murder or Human Right

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Taken from fatawaalsawy.com