Surrogate Procreation

26 SURROGATE PROCREATION (We reproduce a letter written by Mr. Abdul Majid of Pittsford, New York to the Editor of the Daily ‘U .S.A. – Today’) Sir, The use of surrogate mothers as a means of procreation for childless couples has been a matter of debate for quite sometime. The various types of opinions expressed on page 8A of your esteemed newspaper dated September 3rd, 1987, make very interesting yet thought-provok- ing reading. The following observations ofN.J. Superior Court Judge Harvey Sarkew was made in his judgement in the Baby M case: “If one has the right to procreate coitally, then one has also the right to procreate non-coitally.” The above observation of the judge, viewed in the perspective of those wives who cannot conceive due to some organic defect through normal coitus, would be quite in the fitness of things. In their case, insemination by mechanical device with the sperm of their own husbands would be quite justified normally, legally and spiritually. What is agitating the minds of the people at large, is the question of non-coital procreation through hired mothers who are not the wives of the sperm donors, for the simple reason that it would amount to the commission of indirect adultery. As a matter of fact the Christian world is faced with an enormous dilema. On the one hand, there is a natural urge for children, and on the other hand the Bible (New Testament) does not permit the husband of an unproductive wife to have another wife with a view to having children. They are, therefore, forced to adopt such immoral methods as surrogate mothers as an inevitable alternative. It appears from the Old Testament that almost all the prominent Prophets of the Bible, like Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, had more than one wife [the latter having as many as seven hundred wives besides three hundred concubines ( I Kings 11:3 ), hut the New Testament has placed a complete embargo on having more than one wife without regard to the genuine needs of mankind in practical life. There can be no denying the fact that situations can arise where a second marriage becomes a genuine necessity. Ohviously the Old and New Testaments have gone to one and the other extremes. Neither the taking of unlimited number of wives is desirahle, nor is the placement SURROGATE PROCREATION 27 of undue barriers on taking a second wife, in all and any circumstances, is advisable, and even not practicable. The system of surrogation which, in fact, is a sinister and abominable substitute for a second wife, is an example. Neither of the two are in conformity with the course of nature. As against the teachings of the Bible, the teachings ofIslam are well balanced. It permits polygamy but with limits and strict conditions which is the only moral, legal and natural way of doing things to meet the ends in times of need. The Christian world has already emulated the teachings of Islam in respect of divorce against the teachings of the Bible (New Testament) which does not permit divorce except on grounds of adultery (Math. 19:9) whereas physical and mental cruelty has now also been included, by law, as a valid ground for divorce. Similarly, the need for having a second wife, in inevitable situations, is the only solution for the ills which have overtaken society in the form of surrogate mothers. Come what may, nature will take its course sooner or later; but better sooner than later that the bare fact of practical life in this regard be recognized and acted upon as has also been done in the case of divorce. ************ EFFICACY OF PRAYER “God had made prayer a most potent instrument. God’s revelation has repeatedly come to me saying that all success will be achieved through prayer. Indeed prayer is our only instrument, We have no other instrument for the achievement of our purpose. Whatever we beg of God in secret, God brings it about and makes it manifest. Most people however, are not aware of the true significance and the real philosophy of prayer. They do not know how much attention, earnestness, devotion and steadfastness is needed to achieve one’s purpose through prayer. [n truth, true prayer is to experience a kind of truth.” (The Promised Messiah)