sjan@hpcuha.hp.com (Shabeena Jan) (05/25/90)
Hello netters, Assalam-u-Alaikum I'd like to know what Islam says about birth control. I was wondering if its use is allowed or discouraged? Thanks in advance. Shabeena -------------------------------- Hewlett-Packard, Cupertino CA email: sjan@hpda.hp.com
beekun@unssun.nevada.edu (R. I. Beekun) (05/26/90)
In article <13094@wpi.wpi.edu> sjan@hpcuha.hp.com (Shabeena Jan) writes: > > >Hello netters, > >Assalam-u-Alaikum > >I'd like to know what Islam says about birth control. >I was wondering if its use is allowed or discouraged? > >Thanks in advance. > > >Shabeena >-------------------------------- >Hewlett-Packard, Cupertino CA >email: sjan@hpda.hp.com There are several hadith (look up Sahih Muslim) where it is reported that coitus interruptus was practised by the Prophet (PBUH). I asked this question from A. Ahmed, the brother of Khurshid Ahmad, who is extremely knowledgeable about Islam and who used to be director of education for the Islamic Society of North America. This is what he answered me: (1) Yes for coitus interruptus (because of the example of the Prophet-PBUH). (2) Yes for condoms - similar to number 1. (3) No for the pill because it is an uncertain technology, and can hurt the woman. (4) No for IUD such as rings, etc -- same reason as number 3. (5) Yes for diaphragm ( similar to number 1. (6) I did not ask him about contraceptive jelly (7) Abortion -- prohibited unless the life of the mother is in danger. This opinion was given to me by somebody else, not A. Ahmed. Abu Syed Marwan ............................................................................ :... We decreed for the children of : : :Israel that whosoever kills a human : : :being for other than manslaughter or : / | "" | : :corruption in the earth, it shall be : / | | | | : :as though he had killed all mankind, : | | __| | | | : :and whoso saves the life of one, it : ____|___| | <__|__|__| | : :shall be as though he had saved the : | * : :life of all mankind. (Qur'an 5: 32) : _ / : :.....................................:....................................:
jzubairi@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Junaid Ahmed Zubairi) (05/28/90)
============================================================= I think proven safe methods of birth control are allowed. This is not from me but I read it in a Question-Answer article. I also read somewhere that Abortion is only allowed when mother's life is in danger. Other ways and means are strictly to be asked from scholars. Please correct me if I am wrong and also please ask a local Sheikh or someone learned in Fiqh to get complete answer. Junaid Zubairi
khan@cs.purdue.edu (Muhammad Farrukh Khan) (06/02/90)
Abu Syed Marwan writes in <8389@accuvax.nwu.edu> "... There are several hadith (look up Sahih Muslim) where it is reported that coitus interruptus was practised by the Prophet (PBUH). I asked this ... Abu Syed Marwan ... " As far as I researched the above, I could not verify it. On the contrary, I found in Sahih Muslim a whole chapter titled "Permissibility of intercourse with a suckling lady and disapproval of 'Azl", which, among other things states in hadith 3392 " ... Then they asked him (i.e. the Prophet) about 'azl, whereupon he said: That is secret (way of) burying alive ... ". (Ref. Sahih Muslim tr. A. H. Siddiqui; S. M. Ashraf, Lahore 1978, pp. 735) Here I am not stating any position on birth control, which should properly be discussed with scholars of Quran, Hadith and Fiqh: my point is that we as muslims need to be *extremely* careful in attributing any words or actions to Prophet Muhammad sallahu alaih wassalm. Farrukh
paul@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (06/02/90)
>(1) Yes for coitus interruptus (because of the example of the Prophet-PBUH). >(2) Yes for condoms - similar to number 1. >(3) No for the pill because it is an uncertain technology, and can hurt the >woman. >(4) No for IUD such as rings, etc -- same reason as number 3. >(5) Yes for diaphragm ( similar to number 1. >(6) I did not ask him about contraceptive jelly >(7) Abortion -- prohibited unless the life of the mother is in danger. This >opinion was given to me by somebody else, not A. Ahmed. Since pregnancy holds more risks for the woman than use of the pill, UIDs, or even a properly performed abortion (U.S. Surgeon General's Report), pregnancy would be prohibited because of "danger to the woman", by the above logic. The "coitus interruptus" ahadith which, I quoted in an ealier posting, expounds upon the inevitability of the children being born, essentially says that "coitus interruptus" is not desirable. Hence I called this an "oblique reference".
gpatel@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Gautam Patel) (06/03/90)
This is a note from a user who does not have direct access to the net: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mary Ann Danner, 855-9885" <GOLD::DANNERM> X-To: SILVER::GPATEL X-Cc: DANNERM Subject: Re: Islam on birth control To: GPATEL Status: RO This is to Shabeena regarding her question. As far as I know, in medieval times birth control was practiced regularly. All sorts of methods have been described and the reasons for birth control were as numerous as they are today. Islam did not necessarily discourage it as the fundamentalist Muslims today think. In fact, abortion was also allowed. If I can find the title of the book I am thinking re this matter, I 'll send you a message. Do you read Arabic? Mary Ann Danner Middle Eastern Librarian, IU
beekun@ncar.UCAR.EDU (R. I. Beekun) (06/04/90)
In article <13209@wpi.wpi.edu> paul@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes: > >>(1) Yes for coitus interruptus (because of the example of the Prophet-PBUH). >>(2) Yes for condoms - similar to number 1. >>(3) No for the pill because it is an uncertain technology, and can hurt the >>woman. >>(4) No for IUD such as rings, etc -- same reason as number 3. >>(5) Yes for diaphragm ( similar to number 1. >>(6) I did not ask him about contraceptive jelly >>(7) Abortion -- prohibited unless the life of the mother is in danger. This >>opinion was given to me by somebody else, not A. Ahmed. > >Since pregnancy holds more risks for the woman than use of the >pill, UIDs, or even a properly performed abortion (U.S. Surgeon >General's Report), pregnancy would be prohibited because of "danger to >the woman", by the above logic. Not necessarily. Pregnancy and birth are part of the nature of things, and in the Qur'an, represent two of the signs of Allah's Omnipotence (Chapter 56, verses 57-59). No woman is going to die unless Allah Wills it. No contraceptive method is going to work unless Allah Wills it. There is a sister here who apparently became pregnant twice on the pill. Pregnancy is part of the order of things, and as such is not prohibited. Otherwise, Allah would have said something about it either in the Qur'an or in the sunna of the Prophet. The problem with the pill and other "dangerous" methods of contraception springs from the fact that a woman is putting herself and/or her baby at risk (of contracting cancer, etc) by using them. Her potential ill-health or death is almost self-induced. If a woman were to die because of her pregnancy or while giving birth, then her death would not be self-induced but rather predetermined by Allah. I guess the distinction I am making is the same distinction between death through suicide and death through natural causes. >The "coitus interruptus" ahadith which, I quoted in an ealier posting, >expounds upon the inevitability of the children being born, >essentially says that "coitus interruptus" is not desirable. Hence I >called this an "oblique reference". I do not interpret the "coitus interruptus" ahadith as saying that it is not desirable. Rather, my understanding is that Allah will cause a birth to take place whether one uses this method or not. This does not mean that one should not use any birth control method. One should take certain precautions (e.g. coitus), and if Allah decides to bless the couple with a child, so be it. Otherwise, it would be like crossing a busy highway, and saying "If Allah does not want me to die, I will not." You have got to tie your camel first, and then rely on Allah. Abu Syed Marwan ............................................................................ :... We decreed for the children of : : :Israel that whosoever kills a human : : :being for other than manslaughter or : / | "" | : :corruption in the earth, it shall be : / | | | | : :as though he had killed all mankind, : | | __| | | | : :and whoso saves the life of one, it : ____|___| | <__|__|__| | : :shall be as though he had saved the : | * : :life of all mankind. (Qur'an 5: 32) : _ / : :.....................................:....................................: