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ABORTION: Crime against humanity
Article appeared in Le Mauricien | 27 September, 2011 - 14:00
The Holy Quran says: “Take not life which God has made sacred.” (6:151)
Abortion is essentially the extermination of an unborn innocent life. Almighty God condemns such a heinous practice and His abhorrence for such an act is found not only in the Holy Quran but also in the various other sacred books, like the Gospel, Puranas, and Vedas, etc. In the Quran, God says: “We ordained… that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or for spreading mischief on earth, it would be as if he killed all mankind. And who so saved a life, it would be as if he saved all mankind.” (5:33)
Nowadays there are lots of cases of abortion being practised in secret. Abortion in itself is a crime against humanity. Indeed it is a crime which governments of the world are trying to legalise. Some countries have already legalised this crime, while others, like Mauritius are trying to legalise it – which means: making a crime become legal and open! Does making a crime become legal going to resolve the major issues which the human society has to tackle or is it going to definitely aggravate the situation, by encouraging liberal sex and thereafter an increase in unwanted pregnancies which result in abortion? In the Bible, we can read:
“Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28).
“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follows: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Exodus 21: 22-25)
“Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.” (Psalms 127:3)
In the Hindu Scriptures such as the Rig Veda we can read: “That embryo then becomes a part of the woman’s self, like any part of her body; it does not hurt her; she protects and develops the embryo within herself. As she protects the embryo, so she also is protected.” Moreover in the Satapatha Brahmana, it is mentioned that the one who removes the embryo is an evil-doer.
It is prophesised in the Puranas that abortion shall become rampant in the Kalyug (dark) age. In the book “Abortion in a Crowded World” (p.44) the author, Hindu Scholar S. Chandasekhar has said the following words: “‘As for induced abortion, the Hindu scriptures from the Vedic age down to the Smritis (100 B.C. to 100 A.D.) called it bhrunahatya (“foetus murder”) or farbhahatya (“pregnancy destruction”), and condemned it as a serious sin. According to Vishnu Smriti (c. 100 B.C. to 100 A.D.), ‘The destruction of an embryo is tantamount to killing of holy or learned person.’”
The Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) has said: “The destruction of the entire world is lighter in the sight of Allah than the unjust killing of a believer.” A life is precious, and every baby, after having been infused with the soul (the essence of God) is innocent and pure. Killing it is tantamount to killing the whole humanity. But if the foetus dies of itself or dies by accident, for example when the mother falls down and hurts herself, then this death is considered as a pregnancy loss and not abortion.
Abortion is only allowed in certain crisis cases: When the mother’s life is proved and confirmed by doctors to be in danger, and she can die – be it through the carrying out of the pregnancy to term or through a mortal sickness which can take away her life if ever she continues with the pregnancy. Therefore preservation of the existing life is much more a priority than the forming foetus. And according to Islam, this is only allowed before the first four months of the existence of the foetus. If the time limit is already crossed, then she has no right to abort, despite any complication. This is so because according to the Quran and the saying of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh), the soul is infused in the foetus after 120 days.
It is a fact that some Muslim scholars and others have held the idea that pregnancies due to rape and incest can be terminated, but it is a fact that Islam condemns such an act, because the foetus/baby is an innocent life. It is not responsible for what has transpired between his biological parents. Though such acts as rape and incest are condemnable in Islam, but abortion due to these acts cannot be done on the sole basis of these reasons for life is sacred, and life is given by God, and none has the right to exterminate the life which God has made sacred, except in crises like I detailed above, and before the prescribed 120 days of the foetus. May all brothers and sisters as well as the government and all concerned parties understand this well. May God bring good out of good, and may evil be restricted from the people of Mauritius and worldwide. Amen (Ameen).
* Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam (24 September 2011)
Comments
By Yashna | 27 September, 2011 - 20:04
I'd like to point out the obvious, that as a religious person you have the right to express your opinion based on your beliefs but you do not have the right to ask the government to use those arguments when considering the legalization of abortion.
Our Reply | 28 September, 2011 - 22:50
Yashna, everybody has the right to give his opinion and even give advice to the government. The article above pinpoints to the words of Holy Scriptures. Now, what comes first? The words of God and Prophets or the opinion of a group of human who is adamant to play God and legalise abortion? Actually the Government is elected by the citizens of a country. If someone, be he a religious person or another sensible person pinpoints the obvious with the backing of the Holy Books, now he has the full right to exercise this right. No one is subservient to the government but everyone is subservient to God, our creator without whom we would not be living on this temporal world. One's food and drink are not found in the hand of the government, but rightly in the hands of God. I agree with the author of this article who has muster enough courage to state the obvious with the backing of the Holy words of God and prophets and even scholars, be him of various religious denomination. All religious teachings originates from God, that is why the teachings of all religions resemble to a certain degree. Abortion is indeed a crime, and we as the citizens of Mauritius must be courageous enough to point out the flaws of a system, be it the government or otherwise when the breach (in the system etc.) has become obvious to one and all.
By Yashna | 29 September, 2011 - 19:27
Actually, holy books were written by people not gods and that is historical fact, their ideas are the last thing that we should be taking into consideration when dealing with a modern government. The government is elected by the citizens and as a secular government should never take any religion's teachings into account when deciding about laws. If you believe your god is real, then you follow it, don't impose what you believe on others. If your religion says not to get an abortion, then don't get one. And by the way, abortion is legal under all circumstances in Saudi Arabia which is a theocratic country, in India, where the majority is hindu and in Italy, with a Catholic majority.
Our Reply | 30 September, 2011 - 12:11
Well, that is why it is obvious that we have reached the Kalyug (dark age) when sins, corruption, and immorality have overtaken this world, and that by the hands of men. Humans have a moral duty before any secular duty. Morality forbids us to let such crimes (in the name of modernity and democracy) impede in the way of righteousness. Let's take for example adoption or invitro births, whereby twins separated at birth (sister and brother) have reached such a point that without knowing the existence of their biological parents (the adoption agency having sworn to secrecy), they met, fell in love and got married. Later on, it was found that they were related (twins) and that is why they were initially so attracted to each other.
Therefore, there must be openness about some vital matters, to promote decency and morality, so that people may know their identity and limits in their actions. Going over limit shall bring catastrophe instead of progress and liberality in rights.
The teachings of all religions have been casted aside by people. That is why we fell into the labyrinth of despair, and all sorts of calamities touching us. And no, it is proved that the Quran which is the actual last law-bearing book has not been interpolated by the hands of men. The Arabic is intact. Only men have taken its meaning according to their own interpretations but the fact remains that all religions originates from God and if the Books at a latter date were interpolated by the hands of men, then the Quran came to confirm the good news the previous books carried and unveiled the truth and affirmed that the original teachings to all previous Prophets were true, but men through time hid a part of their teachings while making to forget other parts therein.
Everybody, or should I say every country swears by modernity and democracy (save a few) and in the name of "progress" they are prepared to forgo morality in favour of this advancement, especially in the new millennium, when people is supposed to be liberated and to choose their own way of life. Everybody have the right to decide for their life, but not so that they go overboard. Now, a government should restrict itself to such laws which promote fairness, and stability of a country, and not again I repeat myself "to play God" and launch in such debates concerning the vital question of life and death, who has the right to take the life of an innocent and who not!
If women secretly went for abortion, that is a personal responsibility they carry (they shall be accountable for their own individual actions), but it is not for a government to go and make it legal for one and all to come and freely do that which was beforehand done in secret. Some secrets are never good, but when they become open they cause catastrophes over catastrophes.
We shall see the outcome of it all!
By Yashna | 1 October, 2011 - 07:00
What are you talking about? Are you aware that countries in which religion is taken as the law are the ones in which people suffer the most? There is no such thing as "playing god" especially when you are talking about a religion which gives the death penalty for minor offences. I don't really see your point about your story with the twins, what does that have to do with abortion?
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