There is no doubt that lots of families are victims of poverty.

There is no doubt that lots of families are victims of poverty. It is no doubt very difficult to bring up a family in the midst of poverty. But Islam does not accept the excuse of aborting children because of the unfortunate condition of poverty and penury. Allah says in the Holy [1] Maktab e Islam, Year 13, Issue 8. Quran: Do not kill your children with fear of poverty. We give you and them the sustenance. Killing children is definitely a big sin.

17:31 When the foetus has already formed, the parents should bear the hardship courageously that possibly the child might grow into a great person and bring laurels for the family and the society. Possibly the child may become the cause of the economic well being of the family and they get relief from their poverty. Other excuses are also made for undergoing abortions like outdoor activities, official responsibilities and already having too many children.

But these are not such valid excuses that the Islamic Jurisprudence and common sense permit abortions. Not only abortion is unlawful in the eyes of Islam but also retribution has been fixed for this sinful act which differs according to the age of the foetus which has been aborted forcibly. Imam Sadiq says: If the aborted child is in embryo form then the blood money is equal to 20 dinars of gold.

If the pregnancy has reached the form of a lump of flesh, the blood money has to be forty dinars of gold. If the pregnancy has advanced to the form of muzga and flesh the blood money has to be sixty gold dinars and if the foetus has formed bones the levy is eighty gold dinars. If the foetus has reached total human form the levy is one hundred gold dinars. If the aborted child is so developed that it has spirit in it, then the deet or punishment will be one human life.

[1] Khanam Afsar al-Malook Aamili has written a beautiful poem on this subject. Its translation is: The tiny aborted child appeared in my dream and said: If you meet my mother, ask her, mom! What fault you found in me that you shed my blood unnecessarily! As a child I was biding my time peacefully, then why the order for my killing? You have sharpened your fangs and paws, and have sullied your lapel with my blood! I was a newly arrived guest with you and had caused no harm to you.

Guests are there to be entertained, not to be killed heartlessly You were worrying about the expenses for my upkeep that you extinguished my tiny existence! Mom!