Is it possible to terminate a 1–2 month pregnancy?

Answer:
In the Hanafi school, the permissibility of terminating a pregnancy before 120 days (ensoulment) is a matter of detailed discussion. While some classical texts allow abortion within the first 40 days for a valid reason, the later preferred position (especially among contemporary Hanafi scholars) is that any abortion without a genuine medical necessity is impermissible (haram). The mere presence of young children or the hardship of raising them is not considered a legally valid excuse to terminate a pregnancy.

In the given scenario—mother has two children aged 21 months and 10 months—the difficulty in managing them is acknowledged, but it does not constitute a shar‘i (Islamic) justification for abortion. The general ruling is that a pregnancy cannot be terminated simply due to the burden of childcare, financial constraints, or spacing concerns.

Detailed Ruling with Hanafi References:

1. The Stage of Pregnancy (1–2 months = before 120 days)

   • In Hanafi fiqh, the soul is breathed into the fetus after 120 days (4 months). Before this, some scholars permitted abortion for a valid reason. However, the majority of later Hanafi jurists (including Ibn ‘Abidin, Mufti Muhammad Shafi‘, and Mufti Taqi ‘Uthmani) have strongly discouraged it and considered it impermissible except for serious medical necessity.
   • Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn ‘Abidin) states: “Abortion after conception is not permissible without a valid excuse. The excuse must be such that not aborting would cause unbearable hardship or danger to the mother.” (Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Hudud, Bab al-Istihdad)

2. The Excuse of Having Small Children

   • Scholars like Mufti Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi (in Imdad al-Fatawa) and Mufti Muhammad Shafi‘ (in Ma‘arif al-Qur’an) have ruled that the fear of difficulty in raising children, financial constraints, or the presence of very young siblings is not a valid shar‘i excuse for abortion.
   • Fatawa Usmani (Mufti Taqi ‘Uthmani) clarifies: “Abortion before 120 days is allowed only if there is a genuine medical risk to the mother’s life or a severe abnormality in the fetus. Social or economic reasons are not accepted.” (Fatawa Usmani, Vol. 2, p. 284)

3. Specific Reference to the Scenario

   • The mother already has two children under 2 years old. While this is certainly challenging, Islamic law does not permit taking the life of a potential human being (even before ensoulment) for such reasons. The child is a trust from Allah, and the parents are obligated to bear the difficulties with patience and reliance on Allah.
   • Al-Hidayah and Fatawa Alamgiri emphasize that abortion is considered a sin (makruh tahrimi) after conception, and only overwhelming necessity (e.g., the mother’s life being endangered) can make it permissible.

Conclusion:
Terminating a 1–2 month pregnancy because the mother already has two young children is not permissible in the Hanafi school. The hardship of childcare, while real, does not meet the threshold of a shar‘i necessity. The couple should trust in Allah’s provision and seek practical means of managing the situation (such as help from family, patience, and proper planning) rather than resorting to abortion.