Abstract
A Muslim woman in her sixteenth week of pregnancy was informed that her ultrasound scan showed spina bifida, and laboratory results confirmed the diagnosis. The child would have various complications and, most probably, would need medical care for life. With the consent of her husband she decided to terminate the pregnancy. Her decision sparked controversy among Muslim clerics in her community, sparking debate between those who would allow abortion for medical reasons and those who oppose abortion for any reason. This paper will review the philosophical and theological arguments of the pro-life and pro-choice groups as well as the Islamic perspective concerning a woman’s autonomy over her reproductive system, the sanctity of the fetus and the embryo, therapeutic abortion, and ensoulment.
Publication details
- DOI
- 10.18295/2075-0528.1426
- Journal
- Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 13(1), 26-31
- Publisher
- Sultan Qaboos University
- Open access
- Gold open access
- License
- CC BY-ND 4.0
Cite this article
APA 7
Khitamy, B. A. (2025). Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 13(1), 26-31. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1426
MLA 9
Khitamy, Badawy AB. "Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, 2025, pp. 26-31. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1426.
Chicago (author–date)
Khitamy, Badawy AB. 2025. "Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 13 (1): 26-31. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1426.
Harvard
Khitamy, B. A. (2025) 'Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 13(1), pp. 26-31. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1426.
Vancouver
Khitamy BA. Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;13(1):26-31. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1426
IEEE
B. A. Khitamy, "Divergent Views on Abortion and the Period of Ensoulment," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 26-31, 2025, doi: 10.18295/2075-0528.1426.