Fatwa #144261 August 2006South Africa
Is an abortion permissible if the couple are on the verge of divorce(talaaq)?
Question
Is an abortion permissible if the couple are on the verge of divorce(talaaq)?
Assalaamu-Alaykum I am facing a very difficult situation in my life. A few years ago I married my cousin mainly due to pressure from my family. It was not something I wanted but in the end I accepted. Over time I began to suffer from depression and eventually I told my parents that I wanted to be separated from her. We had been separated for a year, though we kept contact via occasional telephone calls/text messages. Just under two months ago, her family visited our house and she came with them. Unfortunately we became intimate and now there is a chance that she may be pregnant. My feelings regarding being separated have not changed. I am very confused, and don’t know what to do. She will probably desire to keep the baby in order to try and convince me to stay with her – though I do not share this desire. My question is that, is an abortion permissible in this situation? And if so do she and I, both have to agree to it?
Answer
If your wife is conceived, it is not permissible to abort the foetus for the reasons cited by you.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai