Family Planning in Islam - Dr Zakir Naik

Family Planning in Islam - Dr Zakir Naik

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Questioner: My name is Laxmi, I am a journalist. I have two questions the first one is on family planning. I was told by another Muslim friend of mine that you don’t encourage family planning. Now I’m sure probably my grandmother’s generation were more than happy to produce 10-15 children but given the state of affairs today I mean how is it possible to put a stop if you don’t have family planning?

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked 2 questions. Very good questions but long answers. First question is family planning that she said that, the sister, in my grand mother’s time, produce more children, good but now the world is changing. Let see whether your grandmother is right or you are right.

Now is Islam as far as family planning is concerned, family planning is a big word but there is unanimous agreement that as far as permanent method is concerned all the Islamic scholars everyone agreed that it is Haram, Tubectomy, Vasectomy its prohibited. Even abortion it’s prohibited unless it is to save the life of the mother, in that case you can do a permanent method, you can do abortion. For example the doctor tells you that that the lady has heart problem and if she conceives again it may be a danger to her life or if she has multiple cesarean sections 3, 4, 5 one more child will be detrimental to her health then any method is permitted. So as far as permanent methodis concerned, abortion is concerned, unanimous agreement it is Haraam because Qur’an says in Surah Anam in ch. No. 6 verse no. 151 that

“Kill not your children for want of sustenance for its Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), All Mighty God who will give sustenance to you and your children.”

The message is repeated in Surah Isra Ch. No. 17 verse no. 31

“Kill not your children for want of sustenance for it is Allah Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), All Mighty God who gives sustenance to you and your children.”

Here we realize based of this verse of the Qur’an killing children is prohibited.

Further more as far as temporary method is concerned I being a medical doctor, as far as contraception is concerned the most common is the Copper T and we learnt in the Medical College that it’s a contraception but we realized that its not a contraception, it’s a contra implantation. The Ovum and the sperm has already met, they formed the Zygote but it is a very early abortion. It’s called as contraception, the right technical word is Contra Implantation. And if you let your imagination a bit ahead it is nothing but an early abortion. So this too is prohibited. The difference of opinion as far as temporary method is concerned. But our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) one person approached the Prophet and said that he used to do Azal i.e. coitus interruptes breaking the act and preventing the fluid of the male to enter the female’s body. The Prophet was silent. Now one group of scholars said that because the prophet was silent he permitted. The other group of scholars said because he was silent he prohibited. Difference of opinion but let’s get back to the main reason...