Credit: TOI
CHICAGO: Emily and Mike Jordan couldn’t help but feel anxious.
More than two years before, at age 29, Emily had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. But just before she was to undergo a radical hysterectomy, she was told that she was pregnant. Faced with saving her life or their unborn child’s, the young couple made the excruciating decision to go forward with her surgery. It meant losing the baby and forfeiting any chance at having children.
Or so they thought.
“I can’t describe what that was like after finding out you have cancer, after finding out your chance of ever carrying a baby is gone,” Emily says.
But now, more than two years later, she and Mike had come to a Chicago hospital to realize the dream they thought was lost – to become parents, though not the way they had imagined.
Alongside them was Emily’s mother, Cindy Reutzel – a fit, silver-haired 53-year-old grandmother with a pregnant belly.
Reutzel was about to give birth to her own grandchild.
Categories: Americas, Social Media, Society
What is the Ethical and Islamic view point in this regard? Can some one throw light.
An animal-like act of the age of many, many thousands years ago, when the civilized human values had yet to got their form and shape of the modern age of refined, dignified and respectful human relationships. In our present age of lofty civilization of sacred, sanctified human relationships, here in the US society, when the 53 years old lady/grandmother is going to give birth to her own grandchild, such an unthinkable scenario, could only be regarded an act of utterly naked shamelessness of the animal world bordering human insanity beyond repair. One could only shed tears to express mental,spiritual agony and torture. Only so much seems suffice to say from Ethical point of view of human civilization…..
No idea at all about Islamic pint of view. As it is religion of nature, I feel it might fall into the category of “iztraar”. I am no one to pass a verdict. I do not say I can. I have no authority. But to me Islam is the most sympathetic, understanding and loving religion. So I am asking my heart, because Allah says” tastafto biqalbika”. Ask your heart if you do not have any other source of knowledge.
To me, in this certain situation saving two lives in worth it. But it could be someone else then the grandmother.
Maybe there was no enough time to find someone else.
Whatever. I am happy for them. it is like a miracle. I wish people knew the value of a life and tried saving it at any cost.Every life is very precious.
Ps.
However it should not be made a child’s play just for the sake of maintaining one’s physical smartness. The status of a mother is very exalted. It is an honour for her.
Therefore if she has no health risk that might endanger her life, then she has to take the responsibility towards her child.
Opinion of Mr K Alam and Ms Anisa as two poles apart. Where a person like me should Look!
I think brother Zubair from time to time likes a ‘male chauvinist’ answer: Therefore, just imagine, if all grand mothers would give a child to their daughters, all these men who married a second wife, because the first one did not have a child, will not have that excuse …
(but, just like sister Anisa: I am no Mufti to answer this difficult question)…
The Islamic perspective about Surrogacy can be seen at 38:33 minutes of this video.
could you summarize it for us please?
The video talk does not discuss or covers this particular kind of case in which an american mother develops sex relations with her own son due to which she, the mother gives birth to a baby and thus becomes grandmother of her own son’s baby. This is the real and a very special case on which Mr.KA has given his views but others have gone a little bit away( to save or not to save whose life)from the central point of the question asked on this very rare/special issue.
@Usman Ahmad. I could not follow you how mother and son sex relations developed. As per article it was implant process and grandmother went only implantation process.
If it is sexual relationship between mother and son, it is disgusting. Surely then we are like animals. If it is a implant, it is not ethical. There are many ways to satisfy motherly instinct like adopting a child. One should go to find an orphan in a remote place and bring him/her up as your own child.
This act would comfort your soul and worldly satisfaction
@ Rafiq A. Tschannen
Surrogacy is of different types and two of them have been pointed out in this video:
Traditional Surrogacy:
which was practiced in the Babylonian era when the IVF facilities (test tube fertilization of sperm and ovum from genetic parents resulting in formation of an embryo-the earliest shape of the newborn) did not exist. The surrogate mother therefore had to provide her ovum (egg) as well as uterus for creating the embryo to a man. This is obviously un Islamic since the newborn would be born out of wedlock.
Gestational Surrogacy:
An example of such surrogacy is cited in the post above; the surrogate mother offers her uterus to carry the embryo which has been fertilized through IVF technique. The newborn therefore has no direct genetic contribution from the surrogate mother. This is what needs Islamic perspective.
One perspective has been discussed in the video above that Islam stresses maintaining sanctity of family life which is violated when a 3rd party contributes to the nourishment of an embryo and shares the Parental Bonding with its genetic parents. Even though not explained in the video the point is very valid and can be elaborated as follows:
Islam prohibits marriages between Razaai sisters and brothers and what all they share is nutrition. So it is not just genetic material but nutrition as well which is important to the sanctity of marriage and family institution.
This is a valid scientific argument. Research now testifies that the nutrition at embryonic stage has the potential to suppress or enhance or alter interaction of our genetic material. Genes rule us and our environment rules our genes.
In brief the above situation seems to be an un Islamic one.
Open for further references and validations from the members!
Actually the post contains a story from a far distanced free-for-all-Western society, which creates confusion in the mind of readers belonging to the Eastern/conservative/religious society and following words, when read by face-value,”Emily’s mother C. Rentzel, 53 years old grandmother, with pregnant belly( shown in the picture) was about to give birth to her own grandchild.” All these sort of things could not be understood or become acceptable for comments by the readers having the Muslim Times social background set-up. It is due to this reason that a lot of divergent and contradictory opinions have appeared as comments mostly from the casually interested laymen.
In view of such a confused situation, I would like to suggest the removal or the cancellation of all the comments so far made and leave the issue in the hands of Medical and Religious experts so as to reach a correct decision or acceptable, valid point of view.
@Usman Ahamd. I have different view point. When you are on global platform then be ready to confront any opinion either from Ahamdies or other people. Omitting certain remarks on the basis of lacking knowledge or sense should not bother us. However if some remarks are below the ethical or moral standard then might be omitted.The point raised in the issue is a burning question raised for reply form Islam’s Perspective.Some expert should opine on it or some one can refer it to Mufti of the Community. But we should get a logical and correct reply. Rest chief boss Mr Zia Shah has all the buttons to permit the existence or removal of comments.
@AQ Farhat. Sicne you are medical expert as such raised deep observation.”Islam stresses maintaining sanctity of family life which is violated when a 3rd party contributes to the nourishment of an embryo and shares the Bonding with its genetic parents.
So it is not just genetic material but nutrition as well which is important to the sanctity of marriage and family institution.
This is a valid scientific argument. Research now testifies that the nutrition at embryonic stage has the potential to suppress or enhance or alter interaction of our genetic material. Genes rules us and our environment rules our genes.
In brief the above situation seems to be an un Islamic one”
However, the cautious tone by you, using Islam stresses, and at end, seems to an un Islamci one, have to be authenticated by somebody else. Let us wait some scholarly relgious persons steps in.