Pregnant woman (hamil) in fiqh

A pregnant woman (hamil) is a woman carrying a child. The rules cover her blood, fasting, marriage, divorce, waiting period, maintenance, penalties and injury to the foetus. ¹

Blood is normally not discharged during pregnancy. Blood seen during pregnancy counts as irregular bleeding in the Hanafi and Hanbali views; the blood between two births is disputed. ²

A pregnant woman may break her fast if she fears harm to herself or the child, and must make up the days; whether a ransom (fidya) is due is disputed. ²

The Shafiis and Hanafis allow a pregnant woman of unlawful union to marry; the Hanbalis require repentance, and the Malikis forbid marriage before birth. ^{3 4}

A divorce of a pregnant woman is valid, revocable or final. ⁴

The waiting period of a pregnant woman ends with the birth, in the view of most jurists. A pregnant divorcee is maintained until she gives birth. ^{4 5}

Penalties are not carried out on a pregnant woman until she gives birth. A blow that causes a stillborn foetus requires a ghurra, the value of a slave or a female slave. ^{7 9}

If a pregnant woman dies with a living foetus, the body may be opened to save the child, according to the Hanafi and Shafii views. ⁸

A foetus is slaughtered by its mother's slaughter according to most jurists. A pregnant animal is not taken as zakat, and a foetus cannot be included in a sale as a separate item. ¹⁰