Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Aborting a child due to abnormalities

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?

Memon boy marrying a Surti girl

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

Equality between wives

Q: A husband who has two wife's, he is fair with both of them in everything except that he doesn't have sex with the first wife because of which the first wife is not happy. Is it permissible for the husband not to have sex with the first wife?

Aborting a child due to Bipolar Disorder

Q: We were gifted with a baby girl 6 months ago and now yesterday we came to know that my wife is again pregnant. She is suffering from Bipolar Disorder, after the birth of 1st child, and is taking medicine for cure. If the medicine is stopped, it might harm her according to doctors. She is under deep mental stress and if the medicine is stopped it will be further problem. So I request your good self that can we abort the foetus to avoid bigger problems in my family life. We should have taken care before but I was not knowing that she is under this kind of mental depression as I was away for 5 months. I am under deep tension since yesterday and hope you will guide me to the right path, Insha Allah.

Formal dress code for nikaah

Q: What is the correct dress code for a bridegroom at his nikah? Is it mandotary for him to be dressed formally? ie. with a waist coat, formal
shoes, collared kurta. etc. Or is it preffered that he dresses neatly in Islamic attire, for example with just a kurta, turban, and normal non-formal shoes?