4 Super Strong Hadiths on Why Birth Control Is Halal
By C J Ahmed
15/09/2016 Update-23/07/2020
There are various opinions put forward by Muslims on the subject of contraception or in other words, using birth control. Islam although encourages having children, does not forbid contraception. There is no direct clear evidence indicating that birth control is forbidden in Islam.
Prophet (sal) said,
'Marry the child-bearing, loving women for I shall outnumber the peoples by you on the Day of Resurrection
( Abu Dawud and Nasai graded sahih by Albani in Irwa)
In the above hadith the prophet(sal) encouraged the muslims to marry child bearing women and the below hadith also emphasizes this importance.
Ma’qil ibn Yasaar said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I have found a woman who is from a good family and is beautiful, but she does not bear children; should I marry her?” He told him not to. Then he came to him a second time and said something similar and he told him not to marry her. Then he came to him a third time and said something similar and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers.” (Abu Dawud-classed as sahih by Albani)
The prophet (sal) forbade the man to marry the women and told him to marry the one who is fertile and loving. The above mentioned hadith also gives the importance of having a large population. The larger the population the stronger it is. Allah(swt) says in the Quran
"And We helped you with wealth and children and made you more numerous in man-power” (Al Quran 17:6)
Having many children is a gift from Allah and it is also something for a Muslim to be proud of. Based on these hadiths it is evident that Islam encourages a Muslim to have children but some try to argue using these verses and hadiths to try to forbid contraception which is a totally unacceptable argument. Having many children is not a must but only encouraged in Islam. Allah(swt) says
"And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin"(17:31)
This verse was revealed with regard to the infanticide practiced by the polytheists back then and has nothing to do with contraception. Below is an interactive video proving why birth control is halal in Islam.
Using birth control and contraception is completely halal. There are several authentic hadiths which says that that it isn't haram. Below are four main hadiths on why birth control is halal.
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 desliked it. This could be understood from the below hadiths.
2. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allaah'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.
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)
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. Using permanent methods of birth control such as using vasectomy for males and tubectomy for females which will permanently take away the ability to give and conceive a child is something which is going in to extremes and although such a thing is not explicitly haram, avoiding them is better due to the fact that Islam encourages having children and such permanent methods causes serious complications such as bleeding, infection organ damage and blood clots. Allah(swt) says in the Quran
"So set you your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (Establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made humankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.”(30:30)
From all the above evidences,it is clear that Islam does not forbid contraception. Birth control is completely halal in Islam.
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 desliked it. This could be understood from the below hadiths.
2. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allaah'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.
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)
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. Using permanent methods of birth control such as using vasectomy for males and tubectomy for females which will permanently take away the ability to give and conceive a child is something which is going in to extremes and although such a thing is not explicitly haram, avoiding them is better due to the fact that Islam encourages having children and such permanent methods causes serious complications such as bleeding, infection organ damage and blood clots. Allah(swt) says in the Quran
"So set you your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (Establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made humankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.”(30:30)
From all the above evidences,it is clear that Islam does not forbid contraception. Birth control is completely halal in Islam.