Contemporary Primary Sources :: Fatwās - Contemporary :: 14 Rabīʿ II 1426 / 21 May 2005
Indonesian Council of Ulama Fatwa No. 4 of 2005 on Abortions
Komisi Fatwa Majelis Ulama Indonesia, Posted by Daniel Peterson, 30 March 2016
This fatwa forbids abortion from the moment the mother's uterus is implanted with a blastocyst. It does, however, permit abortion:
- in the event of a medical emergency that threatens the mother's health or life;
- if the foetus has a genetic deformity that will present future insurmountable problems for the child; or
- the pregnancy was the result of rape, as confirmed by the victim's family, doctor, and ulama.
An abortion for the above reasons must be conducted before the foetus is 40 days old. Moreover, it must be conducted in a government-appointed health facility.