International Journal of Innovative Research in Medical Science (IJIRMS) Volume 05, Issue 07, July 2020, https://doi.org/10.23958/ijirms/vol05-i07/906 www.ijirms.in 225 Review article Abortion from an Islamic Perspective: Permission and Prohibition Positions Alqahtani Jawhrah Mohammed King Saud University, School of Nursing, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia Corresponding author: Alqahtani Jawhrah Mohammed; jawhrah.alqahtani@mymail.barry.edu. Received 05 June 2020; Accepted 24 June 2020; Published 03 July 2020 Abstract Abortion is a common controversial ethical issue among humanists, feminists, liberals, and religious groups worldwide. Many countries permit induced abortion, or the deliberate termination of pregnancy, for various reasons e.g., as a means of contraception, as part of a woman’s right to autonomy, or as part of a woman’s right to determine the number of children she will bear. Even in Islamic countries, which hold strong religious laws and beliefs, it has been announced that abortion may be permissible before or after the period of “ensoulment” in certain circumstances and on medical grounds, so as to safeguard women from serious problems that might put their lives at risk. However, some religious groups do not support abortion. Therefore, it is critical to explore Islam’s position on the prohibition or allowance of induced abortion. Keywords: Induced abortion, Islam, Pregnancy. Background Abortion is subject to intense debates in many parts of the world, which has ethical, religious, legal, cultural, and psychosocial consequences [12] . Though abortion has been practiced throughout history, it encompasses crucial issues of right and wrong, life and death, and human relationships [11] . The World Health Organization (WHO) (2012) defines abortion as the expulsion of an embryo (fetus), weighing 500 grams or less, from its mother’s womb [22] . As a broader concept, abortion can be classified into two main types: spontaneous and induced abortion [15] . Spontaneous abortion, known as miscarriage, is the termination of a pregnancy without any external interventions; the pregnant woman has no intention to abort the fetus [12,15] . This type of involuntary abortion is commonly caused by medical problems in the expectant mother or by a defect in the embryo [15] . On the other hand, induced abortion, known as intentional abortion, is the abnormal termination of unwanted pregnancy, resulting in the death of the fetus [12] . Induced abortion is supported worldwide and is used legally in many Western countries as a means of birth control and for the purpose of saving the existing human life of the mother [18,19] . The purpose of legalizing this procedure is to prevent pregnant women from being involved in unsafe abortions, which can place them at risk of maternal morbidity and mortality [19,22] . Nevertheless, some Muslim countries have their own positions regarding the prohibition or legalization of abortion [9] . In the Muslim world, induced abortion creates an ethical dilemma and tension among religious scholars [7,9] . This paper, therefore, focuses on the issue of induced abortion in Islamic countries, discussing it from two perspectives and providing the author’s opinion. Purpose The purpose of this article is to investigate the issue of induced abortion from two Islamic perspectives: for and against, supported with evidence. Two ethical theories that explaining the opposing positions are discussed. It concludes with the author’s opinion in regards to this bioethical issue. Material and Method The following key terms were used to search for articles related to this topic: abortion, Islam, pregnancy, termination, life right, fetus, and bioethics. Several databases and advanced search options were used: peer-reviewed, research article, English language, and without any time limit. A total of 23 resources most relevant to the topic of induced abortion from an Islamic perspective were included in this review. Results and Discussion Abortion from the Islamic Ethical Positions In Muslim countries, ongoing controversies exist over moral, ethical, legal, and religious problems, including abortion [14] . For Muslims, the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah are the primary authoritative sources of Islamic law, “Shariah.” They are used to direct Muslim’s lives and to answer any concerns they may have [15] . Since the Holy Qur’an has no texts on abortion, the Sunnah, as the second guiding source which is based on the traditions of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) is often relied on by religious scholars when constructing opinions and issuing verdicts, “Fatwa,” concerning abortion [15] . However, within these