Q&A: Blood money - (Diyyah)

Answer

In case the mother aborts the child, she must give the blood money (Diyyah) to the father or other heirs. And if the father carries out the abortion, the blood money (Diyyah) is obligatory on him and he must give it to the mother. If it is the doctor who carries out the abortion, it is obligatory on him to give the blood money although he may abort the child on the parents’ request, (though they would share in the sin). He must give the blood money except for when the heirs exempt him. It would suffice for the blood money of the fetus into which soul has entered to give 525 mithqals of silver. That is when the fetus is male and if it is female, half of that amount should be paid. As a measure of obligatory precaution, the Diyyah of the fetus which dies in the womb is also the same. 1) If the fetus is lifeless and it is in the form of a fertilized ovum (zygote), 105 mithqals of silver would suffice for the blood money (0-40 days). 2) In case it is in the form of a leech-like substance, the Diyyah is 210 mithqals (40-80 days). 3) If it develops into a chewed-like substance, the Diyyah is 315 mithqals (80-120 days). 4) If the fetus has bones, 420 mithqals of silver would suffice. 5) If it has developed into a complete human body with grown up limbs and organs, the Diyyah is 525 mithqals of silver. If the fetus is soulless, there is no difference between a male fetus and a female one as an obligatory precaution. 6) If the soul has entered the body, then for a male 5250 mithqals, and for a female 2625 mithqals. Soul enters the body at the fourth month of pregnancy except for when it is proved otherwise through modern equipment's. *Every mithqal of silver is equivalent to 4.64 g of Silver.*