A philosophy that is truly concerned with recognizing and respecting the rights of all, would state that everyone is permitted to do as they will, so long as they respect the rights of those around them to do likewise, and do not infringe on innocent life, (whether this is a fetus, a non-human animal, the environment or fully developed human beings). The right to take life away from others would be granted only when the life of the individual or others lives were jeopardized, (be this through others seeking to designate the individual to a life of servitude, or simply seeking to take the life of someone for their own imagined gain). Even then, violence would not always be justified as long as it were saving one's life. For one could always use this as an excuse for brutality; creating or instigate a situation where one negligently placed themselves in danger, and then responded by taking the lives of others unnecessarily. Defense is protection against unwarranted attack, as opposed to something that results from an individual's own actions. Defending the lives of the innocent around us by any means necessary implies just that: "any means necessary." When a more efficient solution can quickly resolve the jeopardy of other's safety, a more extreme course of action must be forgone or at least postponed until a later time, (when it might be the only solution). However, when history has proven that no other option, other than allowing injustice to continue, is available, then it is the right, the duty and the obligation of the community to react against industries, individuals and power structures that tend towards oppressive and self seeking ends.

Facts About Rape-Induced Pregnancy

This is not a reference to instances of abortion that are done in rare cases where the mother's life is threatened by taking the child to term. However, we are deliberately kept ignorant of the fact that most pregnancy complications are due to environmental factors. If the condition was pre-existing, it is pure irresponsibility of the parents to conceive a child knowing the risks. If the condition remains unknown until close to the time of delivery, then an abortion will often jeopardize the health and life of the mother similarly. Regardless, non-medical abortions account for 99.7% of all abortions. Furthermore, approximately .6% of abortions are for cases of incest and rape. Regardless of the trauma that victims of rape and molestation have been subjected to, it is their antagonists who deserve death, not the child who is as much a victim as the mother. Institutionalize abortion, purported for the sake of convenience, has no place in a society where the rights and liberties of all, regardless of age, gender, personal beliefs, social status or species, are valued and respected.

"[Islam] does not allow abortion of an unwanted foetus, except in the case where the mother's life would be put at risk...Some women would argue that it is a woman's right to decide what she does with her own body, conveniently forgetting the rights of her unborn child's body. " - Ruqaiyyah Maqsood

"If your wife has consulted a doctor and the doctor has said the pregnancy is dangerous for her life then that necessity permits her to get an abortion. But if your wife has no physical problem and she is only considering the level of education or care for her existing children, then abortion is absolutely forbidden." - Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

In Defense of All Life

Many of the same tactics that are now being used to condone and support abortion, were used to support slavery over one hundred years ago. Under the Dred Scott decision of 1857, a slave was not free until set free by their "owner." It could often be heard, in defense of the pro-choice ethic, that "if you are against slavery, then don't own slaves." Slaves were obviously biologically living beings, yet they were not considered alive until more that 30 years later.

The false notion that the fetus is not alive, is easily disproved by both the logic, and science that abortion advocates suppress. Some claim that abortion is justifiable because fetal children are "less developed" than humans who are born. If this happens to be the case, then infants, by such standards of inequality, must be inferior to developed adults as well. Some defend abortion on the grounds that no fetus can be alive due to its dependency upon the mother. Yet, this is the case with infants also. Others still, claim that fetal children are inferior to born children because they must live within their mother's womb! What of all the children successfully born months premature? Furthermore, if that were the case then what about marsupials who exit the womb, which they are conceived within, only to continue the majority of their development inside the mother's "pouch"? At what point are they "alive"? They are able to crawl to the pouch, despite the fact that they are only the size of a dime! They are totally dependent on the mother and could not begin to survive outside of the womb.

If a child isn't "alive" until it leaves the womb then what if the child's arm or leg were out of the womb? Is it's arm or leg "alive" yet not the rest of it? Is it still all right to murder it? No? Then what if the child is seconds away from being delivered? Does it magically become alive and aware of the sensation of pain over the course of the following seconds? If not then at what point does the child actually become alive and able to feel pain? If you are honest enough to admit that you don't know, then would not the ethical thing be to oppose abortion; on the ground that it might possibly be causing pain to unborn children? Regardless, of what one might feel, on the subject of when a being actually becomes alive, the only logical answer is that this process begins when one's DNA forms: at conception. For that is when cells begin dividing, growth begins to take place, and the mother exists as the protector and provider of nourishment to the new gestating life-form.  

Some ignorantly perceive such "zygote" cells as being the same as plant cells. However, no such plant cells can grow into a breathing, feeling and thinking living being. By the time pregnancy is generally known about, the unborn child's heart has begun to beat. By the 6^th week after conception fetal brain activity can be clearly measured. Advocates of abortion have failed to produce one expert in fetal studies to state that life begins at a time other than at conception. 

We are not attempting to take away anyone's rights to reproduce or not, we are simply opposing the termination of developing lives within, what is supposed to be an environment of peaceful growth and gestation, protecting the child from harm, the mother's womb. Scientifically speaking, the termination of the life of a fetal child is the taking of it's entire life and potential choices that they are no longer able to make in the future. Neither logic, science, nor actual facts can be used to prove that life enters the body at some mysterious, indefinable time, other than conception. Once again, the "right to choose" stands alone as abortion's defense.

Our human sexual nature is not something to be feared, but neither is it to be abused by indiscriminate and irresponsible sexual practices. Such behavior treats the female reproductive system as men's "play thing" that can be "fixed" whenever "broken." Intercourse is biologically emergent for the purpose of procreation. The human sexual nature and drive towards sensual pleasure are Nature's insurance that the species will engage in reproductive activity. Despite the fact that we can derive intimacy and pleasure from the act, it is an evolutionary means to an end.

The situation we are currently faced with is one in which modern mankind has attempted to circumvent the natural repercussions of their amoral society. Sexuality is viewed as an act of pleasure alone. Chemical and hormonal methods of conception control are purported as fail-safe. When they fail, the modern human, stripped of all sense of personal accountability and social justice, attempts to destroy the unintended consequence of their behavior: their unborn child.

 Even if personal well being is all that one cares about; abortion is quite harsh on the women's body. Pro-Abortion traitors to women's rights speak of "back alley abortions" and all of the lives that have been lost resultant of previous illegalization. Yet, what of all of the malpractice suits filled against abortionist? What about the mental anguish of the mother who was encouraged to have an abortion? What of the lies that were told by the "counselor" concerning the safety of said "procedure?" What about the increase in the lives that have been lost by women trying to abort their unwanted children, since the infamous Roe vs. Wade decision.? If anti-abortionists are to blame for all of the deaths for back alley abortions, then it would only be consistent that the abortion industry and their supporters are responsible for the women killed by legal and supposedly "safe" abortions.

With most abortion rights advocates, it is not legislation, per se, that is deemed objectionable, but legislation that pertains to restricting or outlawing abortion. But, do we see institutions such as planned parenthood, and the various hospitals and clinics that offer abortions, standing up for other dangerous medical practices that have long since been banned? Should it be acceptable for a person with virtually no medical knowledge of a potentially life-threatening procedure, (other than what was told to them by individuals who make their living off of such practices), to be taken advantage of? Is a young, teenage girl, who was too irresponsible or uninformed to neglect to use birth control, or abstain from sex for the time being, going to have the proper maturity and frame of mind to make a responsible decision concerning the fate of both her self and her child? Post-abortion trauma is rampant, in fact, the majority of women who have only one abortion have regretted it. How can an industry with such a poor track record, ensure us that these young women will not be physically and/or emotionally damaged by this dangerous and exploitative procedure? The truth is, it can not.

Voice of the Voiceless

It is time for you to take a stand, not for the oppressive system that seeks validity from the people it is trying to blind to the facts, but for the lives, rights and liberties of all who have not infringed upon ours. If not, then admit where you do, in reality, stand. Is it with those fighting for true freedom, or is it with those seeking more personal freedom at the expense of others. If you stand for freedom for all, then there can be no argument that the logical extension of your ethics lies in bringing an end to the annual murder of 2 million unborn children. For, to comprehend that abortion, itself, is an atrocity, yet maintain that it should remain a choice, is to leave such a decision in the hands of a society that has proven itself to be amoral, at best, and at worst completely immoral and even calculating in their oppressive actions.

Respect for innocent life must encompass all those who are unable to defend themselves; be they non-human animals or unborn children. All must be given the same right to be free from enslavement, torture and pain. To separate and give this right only to an animal in a laboratory or slaughterhouse and not to a growing fetus, is grossly inconsistent. It is just as inconsistent as giving those rights to a human and not to a non-human animal.

If any pro-choicer feels that humans have the choice to do anything they please, then all of this would be acceptable and a world of fear, oppression and greed would be inevitable and somehow all right, (in the eyes of such a person at least).

There is no excuse for an individual to view abortion as a reasonable or logical alternative to the natural course of pregnancy. For the women who question abortion, who are frightened and confused, we offer our hand and warm guidance. Living a life of holistic reverence for all innocent beings, offers the truth and beauty of life. A fetus offers the same things. A child in the womb symbolizes the power of life and creation, and the power of women. Abortion is an insult to human conscience and femininity.

Abortion, must be brought to an end, whether through legislation or grass-roots action. In conjunction, we as a society, must improve adoption programs to ensure that all children are available to willing and responsible homes. We must increase our efforts in educational programs; dealing with abstinence and birth control methods that are both effective and less destructive to the health of those who use them. With this in mind, it is clear that abolishing abortion would infringe upon no one. Certainly this entire process would pose a great inconvenience. However, life must not be destroyed for the sake of convenience. If you can't see that, then clearly you do not believe in "rights" and "freedom" for all, you simply want what is the easiest for your decadent life style; that is nothing but selfish ego-centrism. 

With all issues where humankind has historically acted in a manner either unaware of the consequences of their actions, or else unconcerned with them, we tend to find social opposition by those stubbornly clinging to outdated and barbaric practices. This will generally manifest in the form of said opposition pleading for their "rights" despite the fact that other's rights are infringed upon by the very nature of their actions. No problem can be solved with easy answers. However, it is clear that adopting the viewpoint that oppressive action is a matter of personal choice, is a mistake. We have the obligation as ethical creatures to oppose oppressive actions at all levels, and at the very least, to seek answers instead of further justification of the train of abuses resulting from such a pro-choice ethic.

"I do not know when [the reign of Dajjal] will be any more than you do, but some signs and conditions will follow one another· When the people allow the sayings of prayer to die out; and they destroy trust; and they regard lying as permissible · and they sell religion in exchange for the world · and they cut open the wombs; and they follow their lusts; and they take the spilling of blood lightly; and their discernment is weak; and tyranny becomes a source of pride · immorality, lies, crime and repression are carried out openly; and books are embellished · when men appear as women and women appear as men·" - `Ali (as) the First Imam; the Qutb of Allah

"In Shi'a Islam, Jihad becomes a pillar of the faith. And we are bound by that to fight, by word, and by deed, against kufr. There have been Fatwa's made against abortion, and that alone is enough to justify those who follow those rulings to carry out the sentence. And should there be any question about the Taliy'ah stance on the matter, let it be known that we issue a Fatwa here today, that there are only blessings in store for those who wage Jihad against abortionists."  - Sayyid Muttaqi