Section: It is not permissible to retaliate against a pregnant woman before she gives birth, whether she was pregnant at the time of the crime or became pregnant afterward before the enforcement of retaliation, and whether the retaliation is for a life or for a limb. As for [retaliation against] a life, it is due to the saying of the Almighty: "And let him not exceed limits in the matter of taking life" (Surah Al-Isra, 33). Killing a pregnant woman is killing someone other than the perpetrator, and thus it is an excess. Ibn Majah narrated with his chain of transmission from Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam, who said: Muadh ibn Jabal, Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Ubadah ibn al-Samit, and Shaddad ibn Aws told us that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If a woman kills intentionally, she shall not be killed until she gives birth to what is in her womb if she is pregnant, and until she provides for her child. And if she commits adultery, she shall not be stoned until she gives birth to what is in her womb and until she provides for her child." This is an explicit text (nass). Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to the Ghamidi woman who confessed to adultery: "Return until you give birth to what is in your womb." Then he said to her: "Return until you suckle him." Moreover, this is a consensus of the scholars; we are not aware of any disagreement among them regarding it. As for retaliation against a limb, it is because we have forbidden its enforcement out of fear of the progression (sirayah) of the injury to the perpetrator, or to an increase in his right. Therefore, we are more entitled and justified to prevent it out of fear of progression to someone other than the perpetrator and the loss of a protected life. Furthermore, retaliation against her involves killing someone other than the perpetrator, which is forbidden. Once she gives birth, she shall not be killed until she has fed the child the colostrum, because the child usually does not survive without it. Thereafter, if the child does not have someone to nurse him, it is not permissible to kill her until he reaches the time of weaning, due to the two reports we mentioned, and because when the enforcement was delayed to preserve him while he was a fetus, it is more appropriate to delay it for his preservation after his birth, unless the retaliation is for less than life and it is likely that she will remain alive and he will not be harmed by the enforcement [of retaliation] against her, in which case it may be enforced. If he has a regular wet nurse, it is permissible to kill her, because he can do without her milk. If she is intermittent or...