Using pills to prevent pregnancy after being raped
Fatwa No: 91245

Question

If a woman was raped, would it be acceptable in the Sharee'ah for her to take the "After morning pill" to prevent pregnancy? And if she was pregnant because of the horrific act, would she be allowed to have an abortion early in pregnancy according to our Deen.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We have already discussed in Fatwa 87724 that it is permissible to use pills in order to prevent pregnancy with some conditions, so please refer to it; and there is no difference between a woman who was raped and other women.

As regards abortion, the scholars differed in opinion about its ruling before the soul is breathed into the foetus, there is an opinion among these views that it is permissible in the fist forty days of pregnancy if there is a benefit and a sound religious reason; and this is the preponderant opinion. In our view, Allaah knows best, rape is a sound reason which allows the woman to have an abortion in its first stages, i.e. in the first forty days of pregnancy.

Allaah Knows best.

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