The miscarried fetus in Islam has a special station: it awaits its patient parents. Imagine a soul stationed at the gates of jannah, not willing to enter without its mother.
Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, the miscarried fetus will carry his mother by his umbilical cord into paradise, if she was seeking its reward.” [Sunan Ibn Mājah #1609]
The sorrow that accompanies a miscarriage mirrors that of grieving the loss of a relative. The cramping of the womb and the lingering presence of hormones adds to the physical pain of miscarriage. But it is more than a feeling of loss and emptiness, it’s coupled with the uncertainty of future motherhood, or the gnawing fear of never bearing a child. Through patience and tawakkul, the pain can become a bridge to a deeper, more profound understanding of Allah’s divine wisdom behind your story.
Finding spiritual meaning behind a miscarriage
Wondrous is the affair of the believer for there is good for him in every matter and this is not the case with anyone except the believer. If he is happy, then he thanks Allah and thus there is good for him, and if he is harmed, then he shows patience and thus there is good for him. [Sahih Muslim 2999]
In the vast, veiled tapestry of fate, we must surrender to the fact that the future is unseen. Often, early miscarriages occur because the embryo is not viable in the scientific sense. Or perhaps Allah, in His boundless wisdom, is shielding you from a burden too great to bear.
In Surah Kahf, Allah shares a story of Khidr, who was commanded to kill a boy. Musa (as) was aghast; he protested, “Have you killed an innocent soul, who killed no one? You have certainly done a horrible thing” (Qur’an 18:74). Khidr later responds, “And as for the boy, his parents were [true] believers, and we feared that he would pressure them into defiance and disbelief” (Qur’an 18:80). So perhaps, like Khidr and the boy he was commanded to kill, Allah is protecting your lineage from something far worse.
Perhaps the provisions, the rizq, are not yet ripe for your child’s arrival into this world. Maybe Allah wills for you to gather more savings, or relocate to a new home, or shift your career path.
Maybe, it’s simply not the right time for you to embark on parenthood. There might be more growing to be done, more maturity to be achieved, more du’as to be made, and additional nawafil to be performed. There could be more habits Allah intends for you to cultivate and He is giving you some more time to do so.
Consider the myriad maybes: maybe Allah is protecting you from unseen hardships, or perhaps paving a way for future blessings and ease. Allah, the writer of your story, is only doing things out of His love for you.
Enduring a miscarriage with patience
Crying is not a sign of impatience.
The Prophet took hold of Ibrahim, kissed him, and smelled him. Then, we entered after that as Ibrahim was breathing his last breaths. It made the eyes of the Prophet shed tears. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf said, “Even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “O Ibn Awf, this is mercy.” Then, the Prophet wept some more and he said, “Verily, the eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, but we will not say anything except what is pleasing to our Lord. We are saddened by your departure, O Ibrahim.” [Sahih Bukhari #1241]
The Prophet ﷺ, wept while kissing his departing son, even though he knew his children would be in jannah with Ibrahim (as). Crying is a natural and healing process, and it is from the mercy of Allah that He lightens the load on our chest, with some water drops falling on our face.
Patience is not preventing oneself from crying. Patience is preventing oneself from uttering that which displeases Allah. Patience is sitting with a steadfast heart, feeling sorrow and not showing anger or arrogance with Allah.
Practical pathways to patience: reflecting on the verses of the Qur’an, reciting its words mindfully throughout the day. Engaging in constant remembrance: Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah.
A miscarriage is not a mark of divine displeasure or a cause for suffering inflicted upon you. It is a test, a means to elevate your rank, to draw you closer to Allah, and to multiply your reward in the hereafter.
Reward of losing a child
If you’ve suffered the loss of a fetus or young child, take solace from this hadith:
Abu Musa al-Ashari reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When the child of a servant dies, Allah says to the angels: Have you taken the life of My servant’s child? They say yes. Allah says: Have you taken the fruit of his heart? They say yes. Allah says: What has My servant said? They say: He has praised You and said to Allah we belong and to Allah we return. Allah says: Build a house for My servant in Paradise and name it the House of Praise.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1021]
You have sent forth a child who now waits at the very gates of paradise. You have given birth to an intercessor for you on the Day of Judgment. Imagine the profound beauty of a home in jannah, specifically described and named Bayt al-Hamd, the House of Praise. Picture this house as yours. Could any home in this transient world ever surpass such a divinely titled dwelling in the eternal realm?
Moreover, reflect on your deep connection to the Messenger ﷺ. He buried six of his seven children within his lifetime. Some were laid to rest in the innocence of youth, others as adults. He endured the same pain you now bear—sixfold. Through this shared sorrow, you are bonded to the Prophet ﷺ and others.
As you sit in the sorrow, remember, your patience is honored, and your ultimate reward is beyond earthly comparison.
Allah tests those He loves
Allah wants for you to have a breathtakingly beautiful and magnificently marvelous eternal abode, so bear this trial with patience and praise. Alhamdulillah for all that you already have, and alhamdulillah for the unknown future and its boundless possibilities.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If Allah wills good for someone, He afflicts him with trials.” [Sahih Bukhari #5645]
Do not be angry. How can you be angry because you think His decree conflicts with your desires? You know His decree holds infinitely more for you. You know He is Al-Wadud, the Loving One, and that His love surpasses all, even that of your own mother.
If you could see the angels carrying your miscarried child, naming it, and situating it in front of the gates of jannah, would you think for a moment that Allah hates you? Trust in His wisdom and love, for He sees what you cannot.
What if I never have children?
The station of a mother is indeed one of the most noble positions a woman can attain. Yet, this truth does not alter the fundamental fact that Allah is the Creator, and life springs forth only by His will. You may exert all your might and power, timing things perfectly, maintaining health and fitness, adhering to ancient wisdom and modern science alike, but if Allah has not decreed life from your womb, it will not come to pass.
Perhaps, you are like our revered mother Aisha (ra), who, although she never gave birth to a single soul, remains immeasurably valuable to this ummah. She served as a loving mother figure to her nephews and nieces, many of whom became great scholars. And through her profound knowledge, her teaching, her charity, and her healing, she has bequeathed more to us in sacred inheritance than we can fathom.
Or perhaps, you are like Sarah (ra), barren for years beyond the age of childbearing, until Allah decrees, “Be,” and it is (Qur’an 40:68).
Maybe your destiny is to mother many in a different way: through caring for orphans with your wealth and hands, through teaching children the love of Allah, through nurturing the children of your extended family. In these roles, your motherhood can transcend biological bounds, reflecting the profound and diverse ways Allah’s love and mercy manifest in our lives.
Allah’s plan for you after a miscarriage
Let the pain of tribulation be lightened for you by knowing that it is He Most Glorious who is testing you; For Him from whom you are faced with the blows of fate is He who has accustomed you to His choosing well. [Al-Hikam al-Ataa’iyyah #105]
In the quiet minutes of late nights, let your tears flow in sujood, knowing you are but a servant in the midst of a beautiful story yet to unfold. Dream of your Bayt-al-Hamd, that House of Praise in the eternal gardens, as you whisper alhamdulillah, gently stroking your stomach. For Allah is the Creator, and in His infinite wisdom, He has crafted you perfectly.
Through this trial, He molds you, preparing you for an existence more magnificent than you can fathom. Embrace this chapter with patient praise, trusting that His plan, though hidden now, is one of boundless love and divine perfection.
This piece was adapted from:
Those Who Intercede | Judgment Day | Ep. 16 Yaqeen Institute
Is Allah Testing or Punishing Me? | Why Me? EP. 21 | Dr. Omar Suleiman | A Ramadan Series on Qadar
