Fatwa #1428331 May 2006United Kingdom
Are we allowed to create test-tube babies (i.e undergo IVF treatment) according to Islamic law
Question
Are we allowed to create test-tube babies (i.e undergo IVF treatment) according to Islamic law. My friend and her husband have been told that they could not have children because they are infertile as a couple. The only way that they could have children is by having a test-tube baby. This treatment involves fertilising the wife's egg with the husband's sperm outside the body, in a medical lab. Once the baby has started to concieve, the baby will be put back into the wife's womb. In this process no sperm or egg is used from strange (non-mehram) men or women, only wife and husband sex cells are joined together. Please tell me whether this fertility treatment can take place for wife and husband in islam. If it cannot take place can you please explain why this treatment is sinn and haraam in islam - can you please give me reference to the quran and hadith. Thank you.
Answer
Allah is the Creator of the universe. He created the heavens and the earth. Everything is subject to His will. As believers, we should appreciate and accept that granting of children is the sole prerogative of Allah. Allah in His infinite knowledge and wisdom will bless a person with children at a time that is appropriate to that person’s specific situation. At times, Allah may not grant a couple children, whilst this is also a blessing unto them. Sometimes, Allah tests man through this. Nabi Zakariyyah (alayhimus salaam)received the bounty of a child in his old age.
Amongst the negative characteristics of artificial insemination are:
1. Unnatural conception;
2. A woman is required to expose her private parts;
However, inability to conceive is also essentially a medical problem. Islam has encouraged us to adopt medical treatment as a means. Therefore, if a genuine medical condition exists, e.g. infertility, etc. then under the guidance of an upright competent medical doctor, artificial insemination may be adopted as a medical treatment with the following provision:
1. A surrogate mother is not used (that any other women besides the wife) cells are used;
2. Only the sperm of the husband is used.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai