Islam encourages
marriage, and the main purpose of marriage in Islam is to have children. But
there are times when a couple may not want to have children. So what are the
Islamic views on contraception and birth control? Well, let’s read on to find
out.
General Islamic Ruling
on Contraception and Birth Control
In general, most forms
of contraception and birth control are forbidden. But since Islam is a complete
religion, we have the benefit of the Quran, the hadith and traditions of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the companions, and many learned scholars
to help us come to an informed decision.
First, any sort of
permanent birth control that is not for medical reasons is forbidden. So any
medical procedure that leads to complete sterilization and is not medically
required, is not allowed. This goes against the teachings of our Prophet
Muhammad and if not done for medical reasons, is usually done for vain, selfish
or impractical purpose.
For instance, some
people have the foolish notion that the world is becoming overpopulated and the
earth’s resources are running out. But Allah has made His earth bountiful, and
if we trust in Him, there is certainly enough food and water and air to go
around.
Wherever there is
starvation in the world, there is needless gluttony and waste elsewhere. So the
problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of compassion for those who are
less fortunate than us.
How can Zakah ease world
suffering?
Now, let’s look at the
different types of birth control and the rulings on each of them.
Surgical Contraception
There are two primary
forms of surgical contraception:
Vasectomy – Where the
Vas deferens of a man are cut and tied to prevent the passage of sperm from the
testicles to the semen. This procedure allows a man to have intercourse and
ejaculate, but not transfer sperm to his wife, hence she will not get pregnant.
Hysterectomy – This
procedure involves surgically removing the uterus from a woman. This results in
permanent sterilization for the woman.
[adsenseyu2]
Vasectomy
It is not permissible
for a man to have a vasectomy. There is no medical reason that warrants such a
procedure. Hence, every reputable scholar in Islam has ruled that vasectomies
are haram, or forbidden. The only reason a man would want to have such a
procedure is to have sex without the responsibility of rearing children.
Hysterectomy
Hysterectomies are the
most common gynecological procedure done in the United States, with over half a
million performed each year. Most of these are not for serious medical reasons.
It is not permissible for women to have a hysterectomy for any reason except
where getting pregnant may endanger her life. So, if having children may kill
the mother, and there is no hope of curing or reversing this condition, then it
is permissible for her to have her uterus removed.
Medical Contraception
Medical contraceptions
are birth control methods that typically disrupt the natural hormonal or
menstrual cycle of a woman in order to prevent pregnancy. There are many
different forms of medical contraception, most of them temporary. But there are
also a few permanent ones.
Temporary Birth Control
These include the
Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill, aka “The Pill,” patches, and other drugs that
temporarily prevent birth.
In Islam, these methods
are usually prohibited unless both of the following conditions are met:
There is a medical
reason for doing so.
The husband agrees.
Permanent Sterilization
For the permanent
methods, like the Coil, these take the same ruling as having a hysterectomy. It
is permissible if there is a life-threatening medical reason.
Physical Contraception
Physical methods of
birth control are those that do not alter the body in any way and simply
prevent the sperm from meeting the egg. These include methods like condoms,
diaphragms, and coitus interrupts (withdrawal).
There is a hadith
related by Jaabir that says:
We used to engage in
coitus interruptus at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). News of that reached the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he did not forbid us to do that.
Related by Bukhari and
Muslim
“Coitus Interruptus” is
when the man withdraws from the woman before ejaculation. From the above
hadith, we can see that our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not
forbid this practice, hence it is permissible. Since condoms and diaphragms
essentially perform the same function, they are both allowed also.
However, the man should
only use these methods in agreement with his wife as she has the right to bear
children if she wants. And we should also understand that the companions of
Prophet Muhammad usually used this method to prevent their slaves from getting
pregnant, as the following hadith shows:
O Messenger of Allaah, I
have a slave woman and I engage in ‘azl with her, because I do not want her to
get pregnant, but I want what men want. But the Jews say that ‘azl is a lesser
form of infanticide.” He said, “The Jews are lying. If Allaah wants to create
(a child) you cannot prevent that.
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
Despite being allowed,
many scholars believe these methods to be makruh, or disliked. In other words,
it is better to avoid them if possible, though there is no sin in them. This
comes from the following hadith:
Marry women who are
loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great number before the other
nations on the Day of Resurrection.
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
From this we can see
that it is better for us to have as many children as Allah allows us to bear.
In today’s world we deal
with many things that were not present during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Nonetheless, we have the guidance of the Quran, sunnah,
and righteous scholars to help us find our way through these difficult
situations.
In the end, we must all
put our faith and trust in Allah, and ask His guidance and forgiveness in any
decisions we make.
And Allah knows best.
