Religious Attitudes Aim: to understand the Islamic viewpoint towards Abortion Starter: Give 2 alternatives to abortion (2 marks)

You have thirty seconds to explain what you think Muslims will think about abortion and why.

Map from memory In teams you will have 4 attempts each to replicate the Map from Memory!

In 20 words summarise the Islamic viewpoint. Use a random name generator

Go back to the sheet from the Chrsitianity lesson and with your new knowledge complete it.

On your sheet identify the pictures for the Islamic viewpoint On your sheet identify the pictures for the Islamic viewpoint. Pick three and write down what they teach us about abortion. In pairs come up with three actions to help you remember the teachings.

Muslim Teachings and Abortion –fact file Allah creates all life, and only He can end it All life is sacred and cannot be destroyed except for a Just cause Abortion is not generally permitted within Islam unless it is to save the mother's life. Some Muslims believe that for the first four months of pregnancy the woman has greater rights than the foetus but that after this time they are equal. There is a potential life from the moment of conception, but after 120 days a foetus receives a soul (ensoulment) and abortion is not allowed according to some after this point (but could be carried out before). The later the abortion takes place the worse it is thought to be. Before the time of Muhammad (pbuh), unwanted female children were often buried alive in Arabia.

In Iran a woman can face the death penalty for having an abortion. Some Muslims will allow abortion is the child to be born is likely to be seriously deformed or diseased – although others reject this as a just cause. Muslims believe that at Judgement Day Allah will take into account a person’s intention (niyyah) in the act –if this was not just what do you think will happen to them? It is a serious sin to take the life of a child (is the foetus a child?) On Judgement Day children will demand to know why they were killed (does this include the unborn?)

Exam Alert ‘ Religious believers should never abort their child’. What do you think? Explain your opinion. 3 marks

What advice should Jeremy offer? Your guest is a Muslim woman who is concerned about having her baby as it is going to be born with hearing difficulties. In addition to this the woman’s husband has just lost his job. What advice should Jeremy offer?