Birth Control & Family Planning

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Birth-Control (Family Planning) Following, my dear reader, are the reasons for birth control: 1. Fear for the life of the mother or her health, if it has been established through experience or by the statement of a reliable doctor that either the pregnancy or delivery may adversely affect her. 2. Fear of falling into worldly difficulty, which may lead to difficulty in religion, ending up in sin and transgression as a result of the children. 3. Fear for the children, that their health or care and training may be affected. 4. A fear for the infant from the new baby. Imam Ahmad and others have confirmed that (birth control) may be practiced if the wife agrees since she has a right to (sexual) pleasure and birth... but it was reported from Umar that he prevented people from practicing coitus-interruptus except with the wife’s permission. My dear reader, the following are the fataawaa of eminent scholars on birth control (family planning): Question: Is there any text in the Qur’aan or the Sunnah that prohibits the use of pills, such as contraceptive pills? What is your opinion on birth control (family planning), and what are its consequences when we consider the fact that population growth supersedes the food availability ratio. Thus, should we say that there is consensus amongst the scholars and doctors (on prohibiting it) as was the case in the time of the companions (if there was any such thing)? Please kindly explain this to me. Answer: The decision of the Committee of Eminent Scholars at its eighth sitting held in Riyadh dated Rabiul Auwal, 1396H on the ruling of preventing, controlling or planning birth, the meaning of which is that: 1. It is forbidden to practice birth control (or family planning) in all forms because • • • •

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it is contrary to human fitrah1 which loves and encourages childbirth, because it leads to weakening the defence of the Muslims, by reducing their numbers, because it bears similitude with the habit of the people of Jahiliyyah2, and because it involves harbouring evil thoughts towards Allaah.

Inbuilt, pure and unadulterated nature. Pre-Islamic period of ignorance in Arabia.


2. In addition, it is completely forbidden to practice birth control (or family planning) if the motive behind it is the fear of poverty, since that involves harbouring evil thoughts towards Allaah, and He – the Glorious and Exalted – has said: “Certainly Allaah is the (continual) Provider, the firm Possessor of Strength, the Most Powerful.”3 and He said: “There is no living thing on earth save that its sustenance is with Allaah.”4 3. But, if pregnancy is prevented due to a necessity, then it is permissible, such as a situation where the lady does not deliver normally, but has to undergo surgery (Caesarean section) to deliver the child. 4. Similarly, taking pills to delay pregnancy by a certain interval, due to a certain benefit that may accrue to the wife is permissible, such as due to her weakness, such that she cannot be able to bear the pregnancy and may even fall into harm. •

In fact, in some instances, pregnancy must be delayed, till she regains her strength, or even completely prevented, if there is certainty about the harm, because the religion of Islam leads to the realisation of benefits and the eradication of harm, through giving preference the highest of two benefits and avoiding the worst of two evils/ harms, whenever they are in contradiction.

May the Salaat and Salaam be with our leader Muhammad (saw), his family and his companions. Signed: The Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwaa: Abdul Aziz bin Abdillah bin Baaz Abdur Razzaq ‘Afeefiy Abdullaah bin Hasan bin Qa’ud

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Surah Ath-Thariyaat: 58 Surah Hood: 6

Head Deputy Member


Decision of the Conference for Islamic Researches in Cairo: During its 2nd meeting, held in 1385H (1965) the Conference ruled as follows:•

That Islam encourages procreation and giving birth to several children, because the number of children increases the Muslim nation socially, economically, during times of war and provides it with immunity and strength.

That if there is a cause which necessitates birth control, then it is permissible for the couple to do so, within limits of the necessity, and determining the extent of this necessity is left to their conscience and fear of Allaah.

It is forbidden, in Islam, to enact laws that force people to observe birth control, in whatever form.

Abortion with the intent of birth control and the use of those means which lead to infertility for such purpose is forbidden to all, be they couples or not.


Decision of the Muslim World League: In its 16th sitting, the League ruled that birth control is forbidden. Following is the full text of the ruling:“The conference studied the issue of Birth Control (or planning, as its proponents prefer to call it) and the members agreed unanimously that the idea could adversely affect the Muslim nation, that some of those who support it amongst Muslims have fallen prey to some misunderstanding of religious principles, and that birth control could possible lead to adverse consequences, politically, economically, socially and in terms of defence, for Muslim countries. Various reliable and eminent scholars, prohibiting birth control, issued several fataawaa and that it goes against the principles of Islam. This is because all Muslims are unanimously agreed upon the fact that one of the goals of Islam in marriage is procreation, and there are authentic narrations from the Prophet (saw) to the effect that a woman who delivers is better than one who is barren, because he said: “Marry loving and fertile women, for verily I shall be proud of you in front of (other) nations on the Day of Ressurection.” Similarly, there is no difference of opinion among the scholars of jurisprudence on the fact that terminating pregnancy after the sperm has taken form is a crime and a forbidden action which is included in the saying of Allaah: “And kill not your children because of poverty, We provide sustenance for you and for them.”5 “And kill not your children in fear of poverty, We it is Who provide them and you…”6 It is also a kind of infanticide that was practiced by people of Jahiliyyah. In addition, most of them ruled that it is forbidden to abort (fertilised) spermatozoa even if it is yet to take any form.

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It has been medically established that taking contraceptives or any chemical that prevents pregnancy causes terrible harm to the woman or their children if the effort is not successful in preventing the pregnancy and she delivers.

Therefore attention should not be made to the baseless reasons mentioned by proponents of birth control such as the fear of overpopulation, food shortage or being unable to train children. In fact, the noble verse answers these. Provision is with Allaah, and is taken care of; natural resources are in many Muslim countries; the fields of work are wide; and the places for resettling people are extensive;

Surah Al-An’aam: 151. Surah Al-Israa: 31


â€œâ€ŚAnd whosoever fears Allaah, He will provide an exit for him. And provide him from whence he does not expect‌7 Furthermore, this (birth) control is a transgression against religion, against personal freedom and human rights. Thus, the conference feels sad at the fact that some Muslim countries have possibly been deceived, leading them to support (birth) control, and have permitted the sale of contraceptive pills or those leading to abortion in their markets, and that developed countries are not merely content with their own children, but open their gates freely for many to take their nationality. Thus, the conference hereby advises the General Secretariat to take all means possible in counteracting such an erroneous idea.

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Surah At-Talaaq: 2-3


Ruling of the Committee of Eminent Scholars in Saudi Arabia (Ruling no.42 dated 13/4/1396) In consideration of the fact that Islamic law encourages procreation and increasing it, and that progeny is considered a great favour and blessing from Allaah, which He bestows upon His servants, and it is (in accordance with) the example of the Prophet (saw). Furthermore, having gone through the research presented to it by its Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwaa, and considering the fact that the call for birth-control or preventing pregnancy goes contrary to the Fitrah (pure, unadulterated, innate nature) of man; and contrary to Islamic Shariah which was chosen and approved of by Allaah for His worshippers, and considering that those calling for birth-control are a group whose goal is to plot against the Muslims in general, and in particular the Muslim Arabs, so that they can have the ability to colonise the land and people, and since taking such a step is a kind of agonistic attitude, harbouring bad thoughts about Allaah and weakening the strength of Islam, which is made up of the multitudes of human bocks, strongly attached to one another. Because of all the preceding, the Committee rules as follows: •

It is forbidden to practice birth control at all, nor is it permissible to prevent pregnancy if the motive behind that is fear of poverty, because Allaah the Exalted is certainly the (continual) Provider, the firm Possessor of Strength, the Most Powerful, for no animal is there on earth, save that its provision lies with Allaah.

But if the prevention of pregnancy is as a result of a verified harm, such as where the woman cannot deliver normally, but needs a surgical operation to remove the child;

Or if the delay in pregnancy is called for by a benefit the couple expect, then there is nothing wrong with delaying the pregnancy or preventing it, in accordance with what was stated in authentic Hadeeth and what was reported by a lot of the Companions (may Allaah be pleased with them), that it is permissible to practice coitus-interruptus, and in accordance with what was stated by some scholars that it is permissible to take medication aimed at ejecting the fertilised spermatozoa before it is forty days old. In fact it may become compulsory to prevent the pregnancy when it is certain that there is harm in it.

Shaikh Abdullaah bin Gudayyaan was undecided on the issue of the exception. May the Salaat and salaam be with our Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his family.

Thus, dear reader, I – the Author – say that the call for birth-control, especially in Muslim countries, is a Zionist campaign, aimed at destroying Islam and its followers. So,


you should not be deceived by these campaigns, have confidence in Allaah, and know that Allaah has power over all things.


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