Marriage is an important social institution. It holds the society together. And, the fruit of marriage is the Divine gift in the form of children to families. The birth of a child is an event of great social and individual significance in all human societies. Children provide purpose in life and also joy in the home. They may also be seen as a form of self-preservation as they continue the family lineage by inheriting the name, the property and the status of the parents. Muslims also believe that children are gifts of Allah.
The Qur’ān says: And Allah has made for you mates from yourselves and made for you, out of them, children and grandchildren. (Al Nahl, 16:72)
In spite of all the importance of children, sometimes due to physical and financial needs it becomes very important for parents to consider ‘family planning’.
FAMILY PLANNING
It has many synonyms like birth control, planned parenthood, responsible parenthood, voluntary parenthood, contraception, fertility regulation and fertility control. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, ‘birth control’ refers to the volitional control of the number and spacing of children in a family.
So the voluntary limiting of human reproduction by using such means as sexual abstinence, contraception, surgical sterilisation, and induced abortion is called family planning or birth control. It is used by the couples both to limit the total numbers of offspring and to lengthen the interval between pregnancies.
The term family planning here refers to the use of all the contraceptive methods which regulate the fertility to ward off socio-economic hardships and health problems. It means spacing of children for the sake of mother’s and child’s health and also adjusting the numbers of children according to the physical and financial needs of the family. There is a clear distinction between limiting reproduction by making legislation and family planning by way of individual measures to regulate and space the family size for health and economic reasons. Here is a discussion on the latter in the light of the Qur’ān and Sunnah.
BASIC PRECEPTS OF ISLAM
Islam is a religion for all times and for all people. It has very comprehensive legislations. It does not only deal with faith and worship but also with social and moral behaviour, business dealings, family formation, societal structure and international relations. It has basic and general precepts which lend support to the principle of family planning.
1. Islam is a religion of ease, not of hardship, as the Qur’ān says: Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you. (Al Baqara, 2:185)
Allah desires to lighten your burden, for man was created weak. (Al Nisa, 94:28)
2. Islam is a religion of moderation. It discourages excesses and undue restrictions. The Qur’ān says: Allah tasks not a soul beyond its capacity (or limits). (Al Baqara, 2:286)
3. It is a religion for quality. The Qur’ān says: Say: the evil and good should not be valued equal, even though the abundance of evil may dazzle you. (Al Maida, 5:100)
4. It is a religion which has emphasised on planning: We have created everything according to a law. (Al Qamar, 54:49)
According to these precepts, family planning is allowed as frequent pregnancies can cause hardship for parents. Due to many children born in quick succession quality can be affected. In the same manner Islam appreciates planning and preparation for family formation. There are many families who can raise many children; others may not due to cultural, socio-economic and physical abilities.
Though there is no direct text of permission or prohibition of birth control in the Qur’ān but both opponents and proponents of family planning use Qur’ānic texts to justify their respective opinions.
Many opponents of family planning argue that any practice that prevents pregnancy is infanticide, which is prohibited in Islam. The Quran says: Kill not your children on a plea of want. We provide sustenance for you and for them. (Al Anaam, 6:151)
We find the same in other verses also, Surah Al Isra: 31, Sura al Takweer: 8,9 etc.
OPPONENTS’ VIEW
So opponents consider these verses indirect prohibition of family planning. According to proponents, biological killing occurs when a live born child is slain or buried alive or when a formed foetus is aborted. All these practices are forbidden in Islam without any shred of doubt. But spacing of children, limiting them and using methods that prevent pregnancy involve no killing. These verses condemn killing of born children or formed foetuses, not those who neither exist nor are even conceived.
Opponents of family planning consider the use of contraception means to be negation of basic reliance on Allah, which is the most necessary part of the belief of Muslims, that everything happens according to the will of Allah.
But you shall not will except as Allah wills, Master of the Universe. (81:29)
Another argument of the opponents is that provision (rizq) has been granted by Allah for all His creations.
There is not a creature on earth, but its sustenance depends on Allah. He knows its habitation and its depositary. All is in a clear record [book]. (11:6)
So family planning means we mistrust in the ability of Allah to provide for children.
Opponents also believe that as Muslims we should have to rely on Allah for ourselves and for our children as well. The Qur’ān says: [They prayed]: Our Allah! On You we rely, and to You we turn in Repentance, and to You is our final journey. (60:4)
PROPONENTS’ VIEW
Proponents argue that a man asked the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) whether to tie his camel or just put his trust on Allah. The Blessed Messenger said: Hobble her and rely on Allah.
Contraception is not against the reliance of Allah but it is only a method used by human beings and of course the result is in the hand of Allah.
Allah will provide [rizq] for every creature but it does not mean that we sit idle and wait for food. We all plan for future, struggle for getting success, work hard for best results, and leave the things on Allah’s will.
Proponents also find indirect evidence of family planning in the issue of breast feeding which is up to two full years: Surah 2:233, Surah 31:14, and Sura 46:15.
During this period new pregnancy is discouraged by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him).
Asma bint Zayd Ibn al Sakan said, ‘I heard the Prophet say: “Do not kill your children unconsciously. For al-ghayala (suckling of a child by a pregnant mother) will have in the future the same effect as when a horseman is overtaken [by an opponent] and thrown off his horse”. (Abu Dawood)
It is not possible that the couples abstain completely from sex in the two years interval of the birth of a child. The alternative is to use methods to avoid pregnancy.
GUIDANCE FROM SUNNAH
The hadith literature also supports family planning. There is no doubt that al-azl (coitus-interruptus) was being practised by Muslims as a contraceptive measure at the time of the Prophet.
Jabir Ibn Abdullah said, ‘We [the companions of the Prophet] used to practise al-azl during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) while the Qur’ān was being revealed. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja and Ibn Hanbal)
There are several traditions in which the Prophet did not prohibit al-azl but moved directly to the question of predestination.
Abu Saied said: The Prophet was queried about al-azl and he said, ‘Not out of all the semen a child is formed, and if Allah willed to create something, nothing would stop Him from doing it.’ (Muslim)
All four great Imams, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Ibn Hanbal and Imam Shafii have approved the family planning with the permission of the wife.
Many prominent contemporary Ulama have also issued fatwas in favour of birth control. They maintain that the purpose of marriage in Islam is not only to satisfy sexual impulse, but also multiplication of and contribution to the maintenance and growth of human population. Therefore, the resort to birth control cannot be permitted arbitrarily. But Islam can hardly be expected to shut its eyes to hard facts of life. Though birth control is not permissible without genuine reason yet where there is a genuine reason calling for such a step, it may be regarded as not merely permissible but even compulsory.
There is a broad distinction between contraception and abortion. Abortion is allowed only in the cases in which child birth may endanger the physical and mental health of the prospective mother.
So through this discussion in the light of the Qur’ān and Sunnah, we find that family planning or birth control is not objectionable in Islam, when it has a moral purpose and is beneficial for parents, children and for society as a whole.