Why Tubectomy is Not Haram For a Muslim Woman
C.J Ahmed-10.05.2023
Tubectomy is a permanent contraceptive method where the Fallopian tubes are blocked so that the female eggs are prevented from reaching the uterus. Although permanent, tubectomies are almost always reversible using surgical intervention . This kind pr contraception is not haram in Islam due to the general permissibility of contraception in Islam. Sometimes permanent contraceptive interventions such as tubectomies and vasectomies are compared to castration but what needs to be understood is that castration is not only taking away the ability to have offspring, it also removes the ability to have sexual feelings or to engage in sexual activity which has been prohibited in several hadiths.
There are several authentic hadiths which permits cotraception. Below are four main hadiths on why birth control is halal.
Hadith number-1
Abu Sirma said,
to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (rali): 0 Abu Sa'id, did
you hear Allah's Messenger (sal) mentioning al-'azl?
He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger (sal) on the expedition to the Bi'l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid-conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we
asked Allah's Messenger (sal), and he said: It does
not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up
to the Day of Resurrection will be born. (Muslim)
In the above hadith it is clear that the prophet (sal) approved azl (withdrawal of the penis from the vagina before semen shoots up) and he only disliked it. This could be understood from the below hadiths.
Hadith number-2
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allah's Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) whereupon he said: Why do you practise it? They said: There is a man whose wife has to suckle the child, and if that person has a sexual intercourse with her (she may conceive) which he does not like, and there is another person who has a slave-girl and he has a sexual intercourse with her, but he does not like her to have conception so that she may not become Umm Walad, whereupon he (the Prophet) said: There is no harm if you do not do that, for that (the birth of the child) is something pre- ordained. Ibn 'Aun said: I made a mention of this hadith to Hasan, and he said: By Allaah, (it seems) as if there is upbraiding in it (for 'azl) (sahih Muslim)
The above hadith clearly shows that the sahaba practised coitus interruption as a way of contraception on their wives and slaves and the prophet(sal) did not forbid it. Rather, he only desliked it.
Hadith number-3
Jabir(rali) reported: We used to practice 'azl during
the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). This (the
news of this practice) reached Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him), and he did not forbid us. (Muslim)
Hadith number-4
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (rali) reported:
We took women captives, and we wanted to do 'azl with them. We then
asked Allah's Messen- ger (may peace be upon him) about it, and he
said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do it, verily you do it, but
the soul which has to be born until the Day of judgment must be born.
(Muslim)
The above hadiths proves that the prophet(sal) did not forbid the sahaba to practice coitus even after knowing that it was done to stop the women from conceiving. If contraception is completely forbidden the prophet(sal) would have forbidden the companions from engaging in coitus interruption. The only known method of contraception during that time was coitus interruptus. From this,it is clear that contraception is completely halal in Islam.
Tubectomy is a permanent contraceptive method where the Fallopian tubes are blocked so that the female eggs are prevented from reaching the uterus. Although permanent, tubectomies are almost always reversible using surgical intervention . This kind pr contraception is not haram in Islam due to the general permissibility of contraception in Islam. Sometimes permanent contraceptive interventions such as tubectomies and vasectomies are compared to castration but what needs to be understood is that castration is not only taking away the ability to have offspring, it also removes the ability to have sexual feelings or to engage in sexual activity which has been prohibited in several hadiths.
There are several authentic hadiths which permits cotraception. Below are four main hadiths on why birth control is halal.
Hadith number-1
Abu Sirma said,
to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (rali): 0 Abu Sa'id, did
you hear Allah's Messenger (sal) mentioning al-'azl?
He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger (sal) on the expedition to the Bi'l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid-conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we
asked Allah's Messenger (sal), and he said: It does
not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up
to the Day of Resurrection will be born. (Muslim)
In the above hadith it is clear that the prophet (sal) approved azl (withdrawal of the penis from the vagina before semen shoots up) and he only disliked it. This could be understood from the below hadiths.
Hadith number-2
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allah's Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) whereupon he said: Why do you practise it? They said: There is a man whose wife has to suckle the child, and if that person has a sexual intercourse with her (she may conceive) which he does not like, and there is another person who has a slave-girl and he has a sexual intercourse with her, but he does not like her to have conception so that she may not become Umm Walad, whereupon he (the Prophet) said: There is no harm if you do not do that, for that (the birth of the child) is something pre- ordained. Ibn 'Aun said: I made a mention of this hadith to Hasan, and he said: By Allaah, (it seems) as if there is upbraiding in it (for 'azl) (sahih Muslim)
The above hadith clearly shows that the sahaba practised coitus interruption as a way of contraception on their wives and slaves and the prophet(sal) did not forbid it. Rather, he only desliked it.
Hadith number-3
Jabir(rali) reported: We used to practice 'azl during
the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). This (the
news of this practice) reached Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him), and he did not forbid us. (Muslim)
Hadith number-4
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (rali) reported:
We took women captives, and we wanted to do 'azl with them. We then
asked Allah's Messen- ger (may peace be upon him) about it, and he
said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do it, verily you do it, but
the soul which has to be born until the Day of judgment must be born.
(Muslim)
The above hadiths proves that the prophet(sal) did not forbid the sahaba to practice coitus even after knowing that it was done to stop the women from conceiving. If contraception is completely forbidden the prophet(sal) would have forbidden the companions from engaging in coitus interruption. The only known method of contraception during that time was coitus interruptus. From this,it is clear that contraception is completely halal in Islam.