Is Contraception Permitted for Valid Reasons?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam’aleykum,

Is it permissible for the wife of a sudent of knowledge to exercise birth control so that it doesn’t affect his studies (as having children might distract him)?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

Yes, reversible contraception is permitted and not disliked when it is mutually agreed. [Kasani, Bada`i al-Sana`i; Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar]

This is particularly the case when there is a need to delay having children, or some level of hardship in starting a family at the present time, as the jurists pointed out and contemporary scholars have affirmed.

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “We used to practice coitus interruptus (`azl) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). The Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) came to know of it and he did not forbid us from practising it.” [Muslim]

Please also see: Is Contraception Permissible? and: Permanent Contraception (Female Sterlisation) – Does Intention affect Permissibility?

And Allah alone gives success.

في البدائع: وَيُكْرَهُ لِلزَّوْجِ أَنْ يَعْزِلَ عَنْ امْرَأَتِهِ الْحُرَّةِ بِغَيْرِ رِضَاهَا ؛ لِأَنَّ الْوَطْءَ عَنْ إنْزَالٍ سَبَبٌ لِحُصُولِ الْوَلَدِ ، وَلَهَا فِي الْوَلَدِ حَقٌّ ، وَبِالْعَزْلِ يَفُوتُ الْوَلَدُ ، فَكَأَنَّهُ سَبَبًا لِفَوَاتِ حَقِّهَا ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْعَزْلُ بِرِضَاهَا لَا يُكْرَهُ ؛ لِأَنَّهَا رَضِيَتْ بِفَوَاتِ حَقِّهَا ، وَلِمَا رُوِيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : { اعْزِلُوهُنَّ أَوْ لَا تَعْزِلُوهُنَّ إنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى إذَا أَرَادَ خَلْقَ نَسَمَةٍ ، فَهُوَ خَالِقُهَا } إلَّا أَنَّ الْعَزْلَ حَالَ عَدَمِ الرِّضَا صَارَ مَخْصُوصًا اهـ.

wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani