Question

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu

I would like to ask you regarding this issue (photograph of conjoined twins) How can the rules of Islam be applied on them? Thank you for your kind attention. Abdulbarr-Indonesia.

Answer

Wa Alaikum us Salaam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakaatuhu

With regards to the issue of conjoined twins, it is an issue that has multiple rules depending on the type of the adhesion; the twins could be joined by: the sides, the back, the head, by the pelvis, by the buttocks, or it could be a parasitic twin, i.e. it has an extra limb or body or an extra non major organs.

Each case has to be studied to understand if Islamic rules must be implemented on them as one person or two...etc.
This is why it is important to study each case by itself as it is in its actual reality and not to put down one rule for all cases.
For your knowledge, as it was published in some researches that conjoined twins called Siamese twins is a very rare phenomenon; it is estimated to occur in one in every 50,000 births to one in every 100,000 births. A large number of them die in the womb and after birth those who survive and live for many years are the very rare few.

Your brother,
Ata bin Khalil Abu Al- Rashta

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