Ruling on IVF (Sheikh Uthaymeen)

Questioner: Shaykh, what is the ruling on artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation (IVF)? Sheikh Uthaymeen: Describe to us what you mean by artificial insemination. Questioner: Artificial insemination involves taking a man’s sperm and placing it into a woman’s womb through a male or female doctor. Sheikh: So, artificial insemination means the man’s sperm is taken and placed into the woman’s womb—through tubes...injection? Questioner: Yes. Sheikh: This matter is extremely serious. What guarantee is there that a doctor will not mistakenly—or deliberately—insert someone else’s sperm into another man's wife? For this reason, we hold that the door to such procedures should remain closed. We do not issue fatwas on this except in specific cases where we know the man, the woman, and the doctor involved. Otherwise, opening this door poses great potential for harm. This is not a trivial issue. If deception occurs, it would lead to the mixing of lineages, causing widespread chaos regarding ancestry and family ties—something that the Shari'ah strictly regulates. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A pregnant woman (i.e. Slave-girls) must not be approached [for intercourse] until she has given birth.” Therefore, I do not issue a general ruling permitting such procedures—unless a particular case is brought to me in which I am certain of the identities of the husband, wife, and doctor involved.