A couple agreed to delay having children for a year or more because the wife wishes to complete her education; is there anything required of them in this?

The questioner : The questioner says: A couple agreed to delay having children for a year or more because the wife wishes to complete her education; is there anything required of them in this?

The Shaykh : It is better for the couple to have many children, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning one who gives birth to many children. He encouraged marrying a woman who gives birth to many children for the sake of having many children, and having many children is a source of strength for the Muslim community, as Allah the Exalted said regarding Shu'ayb: He said this to his people. And Allah the Exalted said, expressing His favor upon the Children of Israel: So the more children there are, the better it is for the man and the woman. If there is a need to reduce the number of children because the woman is physically weak and cannot bear it, there is no blame on the couple agreeing to delay pregnancy for a specific period. The evidence for this is the hadith of Jabir that they, meaning the Companions, practiced coitus interruptus during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Qur'an did not come down prohibiting it. As for cutting off the lineage entirely, such as removing the uterus, it is not permissible unless there is a dire necessity, such as tumors in the uterus that lead to death; in that case, there is no harm in removing it.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.