This document discusses abortion from various perspectives. It defines abortion and provides reasons women have abortions. It then examines the views on abortion in several religions like Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. It also discusses laws related to abortion in Islamic law versus secular law. The document outlines some of the emotional, psychological and physical pros and cons of abortion. It concludes that Islam takes a flexible stance on abortion to protect the mother's rights while preventing taking advantage of that flexibility to perform evil deeds.

1. Group Members
Nor Khamsiah Binti Mat Zin (1210752)
Puteri Nur Diana Binti Latif (1210218)
Khairun Amirah Binti Salihin (1218702)
Siti Suhaila Binti Khairil-Anwar (1212994)
Asma’ Afifah Binti Mohamad Tajari (1125302)

2. RELIGION AND LAW

3. DEFINITION
Interference with the pregnant uterus in
order to expel the fetus with the aim of
killing it or causing its death.
Searle (2000:344)
Abortion is defined as the natural or induced expulsion
of the fetus from the womb.
(Concise Oxford Dictionary 1983:3).
The intentional ending of pregnancy through the
evacuation of the uterus before the fetus has a
reasonable chance of survival
(Marshal, Gould & Roberts 1994:567).
The intentional destruction of the fetus in the womb,
or any untimely delivery brought about with intent to
cause the death of the fetus
(Jali & Phil 2001:25).
ABORTION

4. Negative impacts on
mother’s life
• Interruption on
education and
career
Financial Instability
• High costs of
pregnancy, birth
and childrearing
Unwillingness to be
a single mother
• Do not have
committed
relationship
REASONS OF ABORTION
GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE (2005)

5. ABORTION
AND
RELIGION

6. Generally, the Quran clearly disapproves
of killing other human :
“Take not life which Allah has made sacred
(6:151)
“If a man kills a believer intentionally, his
recompense is Hell to abide therein forever (4:93)
Imam Ibn Tamiiyah : “Aborting a foetus has
been declared unlawful (Haram) with the
consensus of all the Muslim scholars similar
to burying an infant alive as referred
to by Allah in the verse of the Quran”
If the mother’s life is in danger:
Based on Juristic principle stated in
the book of Usul al Fiqh, scholars
have give dispensation to abort
the baby
“And when the female infant, buried
alive, will be asked as to what crime
she was killed for”
(al-Takwir : 8)
ISLAM

7. • Religious Perspective on Abortion and a Secular Response
journal (2009).
• Roman Catholic teaches that abortion is always wrong.
• New era – increasing of scientific knowledges makes Church
seen abortion as not only immoral act but also as a form of
homicide.
Christian
• The Vedas stated abortion as morally reprehensible & it
is listed as the most terrible action.
• Some Hindu texts approve abortion to save a
woman’s life.
Hindu

8. ABORTION
AND
LAW

9. Islamic Law Secular Law
• Islamic law totally prohibit the abortion but
only permit for these reasons:
1. *The mother’s life at risk.
2. Abnormality of the fetal.
3. Unwilling circumstance such as rape.
*Permissible even 120 days after conception
Secular law has no restriction on abortion.
Abortion Act of 1967 of United Kingdom permits
abortion for variety of reasons if certified by two
physicians.
Reasons :
1. To save the life of the mother*
2. To protect her physical or mental health*
3. To terminate pregnancies involving fetal
abnormality*
4. For social or economic reasons.
*No time limit on for abortion to be performed.
LAWS ON ABORTION

10. ABORTION
AND
CONSEQUENCES

11. EMOTIONAL & PSYCHOLOGICALPRO CON
• Legal abortion produced positive emotional
responses
• Women who undergo abortion felt less relief and
more happiness because they can escape from
her problems.
• Abortion is seen as a positive coping mechanism
which provides relief as emotional reaction for
most women particularly when it is practiced
during first-trimester of pregnancy (Pourreza &
Batebi, 2011).
• It has been discovered that there are many
emotional aspects that can affect the
psychological well being of women who undergo
an abortion.
• These emotions include feelings of guilt, anxiety,
depression, loss, anger, and even suicide
(Hutchison, 1997).
• It is natural for a woman’s mind, body, spirit,
heart, and soul to be inter- connected. Baby in her
womb is a part of her. Killing innocent baby will
lead women feel guilt.
• They also worried about not able to conceive
anymore.

12. PHYSIOLOGICAL
PRO CON
• Thomson (1971) and Glidewell (2000), abortion
should be allowed and permissible with health
exception.
• Example of health exception: worsening diseases;
shortening mother’s life or death risk.
• There are cases which if the mother continue the
pregnancy or do not abort the baby, maternal
health could be harmed.
• A few serious physical problems also may occur
due to an abortion.
• Example of physical problems: miscarriages;
infertility and ectopic pregnancies; and especially
breast cancer.
• Lanfranchi (2005): recent well-known studies
denied and tried to hide the truth of scientific and
medical findings the link of abortion and breast
cancer.
• Lanfranchi also stressed that if those excepted
studies were pooled together, they would show
an 80% increase in breast cancer risk in abortion.

13. CONCLUSION
Islam is the most flexible and moderate religion where the
Islamic principles and laws can justify and protect the mother’s
and unborn baby’s rights according to situation.
Therefore, human, especially women, should not take
advantage of this flexibility and should always strive to protect
themselves from evil deeds.