The Ruling on Family Planning
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His Eminence the Shaykh: What is the ruling on family planning, and are there cases that oblige a person to practice family planning if he has few children? And what is the ruling on terminating a pregnancy before four months?
Family planning is not in the hands of man, but rather in the hands of the One who owns the dominion of the heavens and the earth.As Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Shura: 49] And He said: [Surah al-Shura: 50] For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding coitus interruptus: "If Allah had willed to create it, you could not have prevented it" He said this or its meaning. So the matter is in the hands of Allah. Is family planning for the expected future or for the present offspring? All of that is in the hands of Allah. Perhaps a person wants to practice family planning based on the fact that he currently has three children, but then an incident befalls these children that wipes them all out, and he is left with no child, despite his intention to regulate his offspring. However, in some cases, a woman may be compelled to delay pregnancy for one reason or another, such as her illness, her weakness, or her inability to care for her children. In this case, there is nothing wrong with her taking what delays pregnancy, provided that this is with the husband's consent.
As for the fetus, if a woman becomes pregnant with it, it is as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Surah al-Mu'minun: 13] It is not permissible to terminate it; because from the moment it was a drop of fluid, its formation began. And if the scholars differed on coitus interruptus, how much more so for something whose formation has begun? So it is not permissible to terminate the pregnancy from the time of its formation, except if dire necessity calls for it; because the mother cannot bear the pregnancy due to a disease in her heart, or in her health, or in her abdomen, or otherwise. In that case, it is terminated until the completion of four months,Meaning: until the soul is breathed into it. Once the soul is breathed into it, it is never permissible to terminate it under any circumstances; because once the soul is breathed into it, it becomes a human being, and it is not permissible to kill a human being under any circumstances.
Family planning is not in the hands of man, but rather in the hands of the One who owns the dominion of the heavens and the earth.As Allah the Exalted said:
To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what he wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males.
لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنَاثاً وَيَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ الذُّكُورَOr He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren
أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَاناً وَإِنَاثاً وَيَجْعَلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ عَقِيماًAs for the fetus, if a woman becomes pregnant with it, it is as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: