Why birth control is not haram in Islam: 4 hadiths
C J Ahmed-07.03.2023
Long term or short term birth control is not haram in Islam. 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)
Using birth control and contraception is completely halal. There are several authentic hadiths which says that it isn't haram. 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)
While contraception is permissible, using permanent methods such as vasectomy for males or tubectomy for females, which permanently prevent conception, might be considered extreme. However, such methods are not explicitly forbidden in Islam.
In conclusion, birth control, including temporary methods like withdrawal, is permissible in Islam, as evidenced by the teachings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Long term or short term birth control is not haram in Islam. 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)
Using birth control and contraception is completely halal. There are several authentic hadiths which says that it isn't haram. 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)
While contraception is permissible, using permanent methods such as vasectomy for males or tubectomy for females, which permanently prevent conception, might be considered extreme. However, such methods are not explicitly forbidden in Islam.
In conclusion, birth control, including temporary methods like withdrawal, is permissible in Islam, as evidenced by the teachings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).