Aborting a child due to abnormalities

10 years ago By admin

A: My wife is 23 weeks pregnant and we have just been advised by two specialists that:

- The heart of the foetus is extremely enlarged such that it is filling up the entire width of the chest cavity (the normal ratio is 60% of the cavity. In this case, its wall to wall)

- The right ventricle valve is deformed and not closing, which is resulting in back flow of blood back into the right atrium (instead of towards the lungs as it should be)

- The pulmonary arteries are half the diameter that they should be at this stage of development, meaning that there is insufficient blood flow to the lungs.

- As the heart is so large, the lungs are severely under-developed, and they are uncertain how these will hold up at the time of birth

- The specialists are certain that any form of operation post birth will not be corrective, and whatever they do may only prolong the condition of the newborn for a short period.

In summary, their prognosis is very poor, such that they are of the opinion that the foetus is likely to suffer heart failure even before reaching full term. In the event that it does reach full term, it will require immediate intensive care and surgery to re-direct blood flow away from the left side of the heart directly towards the lungs, implying that the newborn will only be surviving by using one side of the heart. This in itself, they believe, will not last long as the heart cannot sustain this in any meaningful manner.

International research (performed by myself) confirms their assessment and prognoses that death before full term is very likely, and if not, death within 3-4 weeks after birth should be expected.

At this stage, they cannot determine the impact that the heart enlargement and pulmonary arteries under-development, is having on the other organs in the body, except to say that, in their opinions, the condition of the foetus will only get worse and will not be compatible with life. 

Notwithstanding the 120 day 'rooh entering the body' consensus, would it be Islamically permissible (or not) to terminate the pregnancy?

Dealing in interest

10 years ago By admin

Q: Is it haram if someone makes a contract and in the contract it says that they will give someone something for free, but it also says in the contract that if the person that gets the free thing breaks the terms and conditions of the contract or cancels once the free thing that is being given starts to be installed then they will be asked to pay for it and also if they break the contract and are asked to now pay for the free thing and they do not pay for the free thing when the money is asked from them then interest will be charged on the money they would owe? Is that a haram interest contract to ask someone to sign? 

If it is, what should someone do with the money they have made and saved from doing a job that involved witnessing and asking others to sign up to a interest contract like this one? What should a person do if the company they worked for doing this for are due to pay him money from past contracts that the person signed others into?

Memon boy marrying a Surti girl

10 years ago By admin

Q: I have a "Memon" friend who wants to marry a "Surti" girl. His parents do not wish this to happen. I obviously know that the parents are in the wrong to draw a divide in this manner as they are both Muslim. However, I am also aware that the blessings of the parents are important to a marriage, and going against them will most probably result in a severing of family ties. Firstly, should I try to speak to the parents and/or mediate between the parties. And secondly if this fails do I still encourage the marriage or do I encourage him to respect his parents' wishes. Please advise

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