The somber statistic this article starts with, is an oft repeated
one. However, this sad fact is eclipsed by an even sadder one - abortion is viewed
by the majority of the people, with tolerance, and not outrage. This famous statistic is,
of course, that since the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs Wade decision to allow abortion,
more than 28 million unborn children have been destroyed in the United States. Each
year, 1.6 million children are thus killed, an average of more of 4300 lives a day.
Today, in America it is more dangerous to live in the womb, than it is to serve on the
front lines. In fact, more people have lost their lives as a result of this
decision, than all of the people, in all of the wars mankind has waged, to date!
PRO-CHOICE basically states that the fetus is just a part of the pregnant woman's body,
like her tonsils or appendix. This justifies the owner of the body to do with it what it
chooses. It fails to take into consideration, that the baby has its own SEPARATE genetic
code, a separate set of fingerprints, and most often a different blood type.
There are two types of abortions - Spontaneous or Induced.
Webster's dictionary defines Spontaneous abortion as the expulsion of a non-viable
fetus during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. In an Induced abortion, on the
other hand, a viable, live baby is forcibly expelled from the womb, either by using
abortifacient drugs or by opening the closed mouth of the womb by artificial means.
Proponents of Pro-Choice argue, that there is no evidence that the expelled fetus
carries a life. They conveniently ignore that they cannot prove that it does not.
So, when does life begin? Scientific data clearly proves that life begins at
conception / fertilisation. All the scriptures - The Old Testament, The New
Testament, and The Final Testament, bear this out.
The textbook definitions, after innumerable anatomic dissections, are all unanimous in
their conclusions:
Dr. Bradley M. Patten's textbook, HUMAN EMBRYOLOGY, states: "It is the
penetration of the ovum by a sperm, and the resultant mingling of the nuclear / genetic
material each brings to the union that constitutes the culmination process of
fertilization and marks the initiation of the life of a new individual".
The Encyclopedia Britannica states: "a new individual is created when the elements
of a potent sperm merge with those of a fertile female ovum."
Time and Rand McNally's "Atlas of the Body", states the following: "in
fusing together, the male and female gametes produce a single cell, the zygote, which is
the start of the new individual".
Transvaginal sonography (TVS) permits visualisation of the first 8 weeks of pregnancy
(the most critical and tenuous period of the new human) in unsurpassed detail. With TVS,
exquisite, clear views of the gestational sac, yolk sac, and embryo are obtained. To
undestand how early the structures can be visualised, a brief summary of human embryonic
development follows:
In an ideal menstrual cycle of 28 days, a mature ovum is released from the ovary on the
14th day. Fertilisation, if successful, occurs within 1-2 days after ovulation in
the distal fallopian tube. The fertilised zygote rapidly divides to form a cluster of
cells called the morula, which then differentiates into the blastocyst, comprised of an
inner cell mass (which forms the fetus, yolk sac etc.), and an outer trophoblast which
forms the placenta and the membranes (gestational sac). The blastocyst continues to
float freely while multiplying; and approximately 5-7 days after fertilisation, or between
19-21 days from the first day of menstruation, starts implanting (hanging), from the wall
of the uterus. It continues to grow, though not visible to the naked eye.
Using TVS, the gestational sac is visualised by day 30. Cardiac activity inside the
baby is demonstrable to the naked eye by day 35, i.e. 5 weeks after the first day of
menstruation. The complete fetus is visible to the naked eye at 40 days (6-7mm).
Technology has not advanced enough for us to look at the baby between days 14-30, since
it is still in the microscopic stage. Even so, TVS will confirm a pregnancy in the
uterus on the day the next period is supposed to arrive.
The International Symposium on Abortion came to the following conclusion, after
reviewing countless medical, biological and scientific writings: "The changes
occuring between implantation, a six week embryo, a six month fetus, a one week old child,
or a mature adult are merely stages of development and maturation. There is no point
in time between the union of the sperm and egg , or at least the blastocyst stage, and the
birth of the infant, at which point we could say that this was not a human life".
The Quran describes the above process with astounding accuracy (given the state of
medical know-how at the time of its compilation), and shows without ambiguity that life
starts at the time of fertilization; i.e. in the fallopian tube from whence the zygote
travels, and in 5-7 days starts hanging from the uterine wall. These verses are presented
later in this essay.
All three Testaments contain several verses which show clearly that the baby inside the
womb is equal to a baby outside of it. The only difference is its temporary abode inside
the mother.
This Old Testament verse, unambigously and clearly, equates the life inside the womb,
and outside it:
"If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives
birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the
woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to
take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for
burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." (Exodus, 21:22-25)
Other verses in the Old and New Testaments demonstrate that a person inside the womb
has a unique identity, and is spoken to as if to a fully developed, thinking, human:
"Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and
destroy me? Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? Did
you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh and
knit me together with bones and sinews, You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in
your providence watched over my spirit." (Job, 10:8-12)
"This is what the LORD says -- he who made you, who formed
you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun,
whom I have chosen." (Isaiah, 44:2)
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the
secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my
unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them
came to be." (Psalms, 139:13-16)
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were
born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah, 1:5)
"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby (John)
leaped in her womb. In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'blessed are you among women, and
blessed is this child you will bear (Jesus). As soon as the sound of your greeting
reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy'." (Luke, 1:41-44)
The Quran corroborates this. In 19:19, the angel
sent to Mary, says, "...I am the messenger of your Lord, to
grant you a pure son." The identity of this yet unconceived child is
already known, and this identity is revealed to the mother! Evidence indeed that
unborn children are unique individuals, even before their birth into the physical realm
We see this same perspective again, in the story of Moses:
"<referring to Moses> ... I had you made
before My watchful eye." (Quran, 21:34)
"They avoid gross sins and transgressions, except for minor
offenses. Your Lord's forgiveness is immense. He has been fully aware of you since He
initiated you from the earth, and while you were embryos in your mothers' bellies.
Therefore, do not exalt yourselves; He is fully aware of the righteous."
(Quran, 53:32)
The hebrew word used in The Old Testament to refer to the unborn baby is
"YELED", which is a word generally used to refer to one's children. A similar
word, "AULAD", is used in the Quran for a fetus and it is also used generally to
refer to young children in a family.
Among the Scriptures, the Quran, contains by far the most detailed description of the
creation of a new human being, leaving no doubt that a new life begins at the time of
fertilisation. The Quran uses some words, which we now know are anatomically
accurate in the light of modern scientific data, even though it was revealed 1400 years
ago.
It is now clearly apparent, that the word "Nutfa" in Arabic is used
to describe,
a) the sperm or unfertilised male egg , and
b) the zygote or the fertised egg.
The following verses are presented to illustrate the accurate use of these words while
describing the creation of the new human being:
a) Unfertilised male sperm:
"He created the human from a tiny drop, then he turns into
an ardent opponent." (Quran, 16:4)
"His friend said to him, as he debated with him, "Have
you disbelieved in the One who created you from dust, then from a tiny drop, then
perfected you into a man?" (Quran, 18:37)
"GOD created you from dust, then from a tiny drop, then He
causes you to reproduce through your spouses. No female becomes pregnant, nor gives birth,
without His knowledge. No one survives for a long life, and no one's life is snapped
short, except in accordance with a pre-existing record. This is easy for GOD."
(Quran, 35:11)
"Does the human being not see that we created him from a
tiny drop, then he turns into an ardent enemy?" (Quran, 36:77)
"from a tiny drop of semen." (Quran, 53:46)
"Was he not a drop of ejected semen?" (Quran,
75:37)
"From a tiny drop, He creates him and designs him."
(Quran, 80:19)
b) Fertilised egg / zygote ( male sperm + female ovum):
"O people, if you have any doubt about resurrection,
(remember that) we created you from dust, and subsequently from a tiny drop, which turns
into a hanging (embryo), then it becomes a fetus that is given life or deemed lifeless. We
thus clarify things for you. We settle in the wombs whatever we will for a predetermined
period. We then bring you out as infants, then you reach maturity. While some of you die
young, others live to the worst age, only to find out that no more knowledge can be
attained beyond a certain limit. Also, you look at a land that is dead, then as soon as we
shower it with water, it vibrates with life and grows all kinds of beautiful
plants." (Quran, 22:5)
"Subsequently, we reproduced him from a tiny drop, that is
placed into a well protected repository. Then we developed the drop into a hanging
(embryo), then developed the hanging (embryo) into a bite-size (fetus), then created the
bite-size (fetus) into bones, then covered the bones with flesh. We thus produce a new
creature. Most blessed is GOD, the best Creator." (Quran, 23:13-14)
"He is the One who created you from dust, and subsequently
from a tiny drop, then from a hanging embryo, then He brings you out as a child, then He
lets you reach maturity, then you become old - some of you die earlier. You attain a
predetermined age, that you may understand." (Quran, 40:67)
Two other words are used also to describe the fertilised egg. Both terms -
translated as 'lowly liquid', and 'mingled fluid', are accurate references of the fluid in
which the egg floats.
a) "Maa-in Maheen" (lowly liquid):
"Then He continued his reproduction through a certain lowly
liquid." (Quran, 32:8)
"Did we not create you from a lowly liquid?"
(Quran, 77:20)
b) "Nutfatin Amshaj " (mingled fluid):
"We created the human from a liquid mixture, from two
parents, in order to test him. Thus, we made him a hearer and a seer." (Quran,
76:2)
The word "Alaq" in arabic is used for the Embryo. A more
accurate translation of this word is a "hanging", a "clinging",
or (in a literal sense) a "leech". As we all know, the blastocyst
attatches itself to the wall of the uterus and starts growing from there. These
verses illustrate this:
"O people, if you have any doubt about resurrection,
(remember that) we created you from dust, and subsequently from a tiny drop, which turns
into a hanging (embryo), then it becomes a fetus that is given life or deemed lifeless. We
thus clarify things for you. We settle in the wombs whatever we will for a predetermined
period. We then bring you out as infants, then you reach maturity. While some of you die
young, others live to the worst age, only to find out that no more knowledge can be
attained beyond a certain limit. Also, you look at a land that is dead, then as soon as we
shower it with water, it vibrates with life and grows all kinds of beautiful
plants." (Quran, 22:5)
"Then we developed the drop into a hanging (embryo), then
developed the hanging (embryo) into a bite-size (fetus), then created the bite-size
(fetus) into bones, then covered the bones with flesh. We thus produce a new creature.
Most blessed is GOD, the best Creator." (Quran, 23:14)
"He is the One who created you from dust, and subsequently
from a tiny drop, then from a hanging embryo, then He brings you out as a child, then He
lets you reach maturity, then you become old - some of you die earlier. You attain a
predetermined age, that you may understand." (Quran, 40:67)
"They avoid gross sins and transgressions, except for minor
offenses. Your Lord's forgiveness is immense. He has been fully aware of you since He
initiated you from the earth, and while you were embryos in your mothers' bellies.
Therefore, do not exalt yourselves; He is fully aware of the righteous."
(Quran, 53:32)
"Then He created an embryo out of it!" (Quran,
75:38)
"He created man from an embryo." (Quran, 96:2)
The word "Qaraarin Makeen" translates into a "protected
repository", or in today's terminology, the womb, or the uterus:
"Subsequently, we reproduced him from a tiny drop, that is
placed into a well protected repository." (Quran, 23:13)
"Subsequently, we reproduced him from a tiny drop, that is
placed into a well protected repository." (Quran, 77:21)
"He created you from one person, then created from him his
mate. He sent down to you eight kinds of livestock. He creates you in your mothers'
bellies, creation after creation, in trimesters of darkness. Such is GOD your Lord. To Him
belongs all sovereignty. There is no other god beside Him. How could you deviate?"
(Quran, 39:6)
And, as an added note, the Quran affirmed 1400 years ago, that it is the male sperm
that determines the gender of the baby:
"Was he not a drop of ejected semen? Then He created an
embryo out of it! He made it into male or female!" (Quran, 75:37-39)
The Quran's accurate descriptions of the early human, together with its statements that
these beings contain life, clearly establishes the divine position on the issue of
abortion.
All three Testaments are unanimous in the condemnation of killing other human beings.
The Scriptures demonstrate that the fetus is, absolutely equal to human beings, as
we understand the term. These verses, then apply as much for a fetus, as it does for
the rest of us:
"`Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to
Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD."
(Leviticus, 18:21)
"The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: `Any
Israelite or any alien living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be
put to death. The people of the community are to stone him. I will set my face against
that man and I will cut him off from his people; for by giving his children to Molech, he
has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. If the people of the community close
their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to
death, I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their
people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech."
(Leviticus, 20:1-5)
"You must not worship the LORD your God in their way,
because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates.
They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods."
(Deuternomy, 12:31)
"...hands that shed innocent blood," (Proverbs,
6:17)
"When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my
eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of
blood;" (Isaiah, 1:15)
"But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest
gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion." (Jeremiah,
22:17)
"Say, "Come let me tell you what your Lord has really
prohibited for you: You shall not set up idols besides Him. You shall honor your parents.
You shall not kill your children from fear of poverty - we provide for you and for them.
You shall not commit gross sins, obvious or hidden. You shall not kill - GOD has made life
sacred - except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you, that you may
understand." (Quran, 6:151)
"You shall not kill your children due to fear of poverty. We
provide for them, as well as for you. Killing them is a gross offense." (Quran,
17:31)
The combined scientific data and the verses from the scriptures leave no doubt whatsoever
that abortion is equivalent to murder, and since God has made life sacred, and He Alone
gives life, we have no right to take it:
"You shall not kill any person - for GOD has made life
sacred - except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir
authority to enforce justice. Thus, he shall not exceed the limits in avenging the murder;
he will be helped." (Quran, 17:33)
The following are some of the questions that are often asked about abortion, and the
arguments connected with them:
Q. What about a woman whose life is threatened by pregnancy or
childbirth ?
A. It is an extremely rare case when abortion is required to save the
mother's life. Today, it is possible for almost any patient to be brought through
pregnancy alive, unless she suffers from a fatal illness such as cancer, and, if so,
abortion would be unlikely to prolong, much less save, life. Less than 1 in a 1000
abortions are performed to save the mother's life. When two lives are threatened, and only
one can be saved, doctors will/must always save that life. For example, if the
mother has fast spreading uterine or cervical cancer, the surgery to remove the cancer may
result in the loss of the child's life, if the cancer was detected very early in
pregnancy. If the cancer is slow growing, or was detected much later in pregnancy,
doctors normally do a caesarian section as soon as they consider the baby to be viable,
thus saving the baby and treating the mother optimally. There are rare cases in
later stages of pregnancy when the mother cannot be saved but the baby can. Again, one
life saved is better than two lives lost. If, during an early pregnancy, the mother's
life-threatening and rapidly spreading cancer results in the unborn child's death,
it is important to remember that this is a "prolife" decision - the purpose of
the treatment/surgery was not to kill the child, but to save the life of the mother, who
is just as valuable as the baby.
Q. What about a woman whose unborn baby is diagnosed as deformed or
handicapped?
A. This is not an acceptable reason for terminating a pregnancy. If the
abnormality is incompatible with life, then the baby will die at the appropriate time. If
they are major deformities compatible with life, then appropriate steps must be taken to
ensure survival. Many major defects especially of the heart and bowel are reparable and
compatible with life. The child's deformities are often minor, for example, cleft
lip or cleft palate. These are easily correctable surgically, and these children are
healthy in all other ways. Amniocentesis, the procedure done to detect genetic
abnormalities, carries a 1.5% risk of miscarrying, which is higher than the incidence of
abnormalities detected. The most common problem detected is Down's syndrome. These
children usually require heart surgery,and are moderately retarded. They are very
loving and wonderful people and live long lives, and can be gainfully employed.
Handicapped children are not social liabilities, they are often happy, always precious,
and usually delighted and thankful to be alive. They bring a great deal of love
and caring and invariably do a lot more for the parents than a so called "normal
child". Some argue that it is unfair to bring a handicapped child into the
world, because he/she will be unhappy. Yet, studies show that suicide rates are
higher in so called "normal" people. It is the parents who are
unhappy and do not want to deal with a handicapped child, hence want to abort it.
Such abortions rob the world of unique human beings who would significantly contribute to
society.
It is wise to reflect on the following: if a child that we love is in an accident and
is seriously wounded even brain damaged, do we allow it to die? If we opted to do
that, the laws of any country would then treat us as criminals, and charge us with murder.
We must understand that it is no different when the baby is in the womb. Therefore,
the arguments for killing a handicapped unborn child are valid only if they also apply to
killing born people who are handicapped.
The scriptures deal extensively with this moral issue, pointing clearly that God gives
these children as tests in this life and our belief in Him. The following verses
testify to this:
"The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who
makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the
LORD?" (Exodus, 4:11)
"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His
disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born
blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus,
"but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."
(John, 9:1-3)
Q. What about a woman who is pregnant due to rape or incest?
A. This is not a reason for terminating a pregnancy. Rape or incest is
never the fault of the child; the guilty party, not the innocent party must be punished.
The violence of abortion parallels the violence of rape/incest, in fact it exceeds it!
A child is a child regardless of the circumstances of conception. If the
rape/incest victim is unable or unwilling to care for the child, there are numerous
childless couples who would pay for the pregnancy and then adopt the child, if it is
unwanted. Many agencies cater to this need.
Q. What about contraception - does it cause an abortion?
A. 1. The Birth Control Pill: The Birth Control Pill usually acts by
preventing fertilisation by creating an environment similar to menopause
(psuedo-menopause), thus the ovary does not produce an egg each month. There are other
ways it acts also, but it does not abort a fertilised egg month after month.
2. The Intra-Uterine Device, commonly called the IUD: these are of many kinds; the
hormone containing IUD's act like the Birth Control Pill. They may also act by preventing
the fertilised egg from attatching to the uterine wall by occupying the cavity of the
uterus.
3. Barrier contraception: prevents the sperm from entering the uterus, thus preventing
conception.
4. Depo-Provera injection: This is given at three month intervals and acts by
preventing ovulation.
5. Tubal Ligation for the female, or Vasectomy for the male: These are permanent
procedures done surgically . They can be performed when child bearing is completed. They
are minor and safe.
6. The Morning After Pill: when taken 24-48 hours after having sex, the Morning
After Pill can prevent fertilisation by making the environment unsuitable. There might be
other ways that it acts, which are not completely clear.
The Birth Control Pill, Depo Provera injection, barrier contraception, and tubal
ligation for a female, or a vasectomy for the male (once child bearing is over)
are the safest methods.
All of these methods preempt the formation of a life. So, if a life is not
present, one has not been taken. With so many options easily available, an abortion
need never be entertained.
Q. What must be the punishment for a crime such as this?
A. The Scriptures contain this answer, perhaps best illustrated by this
verse:
"O you who believe, do not consume each others' properties
illicitly - only mutually acceptable transactions are permitted. You shall not kill
yourselves. GOD is Merciful towards you. Anyone who commits these
transgressions, maliciously and deliberately, we will condemn him to Hell. This is
easy for God to do. If you refrain from committing the gross sins that are
prohibited for you, we will remit your sins, and admit you an honorable
admittance." (Quran, 4:29-31)
