A Study and Proof of the Legitimacy of Surrogacy from Islamic Jurisprudential and Legal Perspectives

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant professor, Department of Fiqh and Usul, Payam-e Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

People have an inherent inclination to procreate and ensure the continuity of their lineage. However, some young couples face the challenge of infertility, disrupting their lives and potentially leading to separation. In contemporary times, one solution to infertility is the practice of surrogacy. Within the Islamic context, scholars and jurists hold varying opinions on the permissibility of surrogacy. While some reference specific Quranic verses and hadiths to argue its impermissibility, categorizing it as haram (forbidden), others explore the jurisprudential legitimacy of fertility through modern medical methods. This research delves into the central question concerning the fiqhi (jurisprudential) legitimacy of utilizing new medical approaches for fertility. It draws on Quranic verses and hadiths, employing the method of jurisprudential inference based on religious texts and ijtihad. The study also deploys jurisprudential principles such as "compulsion" (iḍṭirār), presumption of permissibility (aṣl al-ibāḥa), hardship and extreme difficulty (al-ʿusr wa-l-ḥaraj), and presumption of guiltlessness (asl al-biraʾa). The aim is to demonstrate, based on religious and legal grounds, that surrogacy can be deemed legitimate, as long as it adheres to sharia laws in its preliminary stages.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 14 December 2021
  • Revise Date: 22 December 2022
  • Accept Date: 17 January 2023

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