What is the ruling on family planning and limiting the number of children?
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The questioner : What is the ruling of the Shari'ah, in your view, regarding the practice of family planning and limiting the number of children?
The Shaykh : I say that the idea of family planning and limiting the number of children originates from a concept hostile to Islam, contrary to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged marrying women who are loving and fertile, and informed that we will outnumber the prophets with our children on the Day of Resurrection. There is no doubt that having many children is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), just as Allah bestowed this blessing upon the Children of Israel in His saying:[Al-Isra 17:6] And Shu'ayb reminded his people of it in his saying: [Al-A'raf 7:86] Therefore, what a person should do is to have as many children as he is able. Yes, if a woman suffers harm from consecutive pregnancies because her body cannot bear it, she may do what reduces the number of pregnancies to avert the harm that befalls her from pregnancy. However, if her condition is stable and her constitution is sound, there is no doubt that the more children there are, the better and more preferable it is.
As for family planning, the reality is that planning is not in the hands of man, but in the hands of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:49-50] Even if we assume that a person can plan his pregnancies at the beginning or plan his offspring at the start, if we assume that, he cannot plan it at the end. It is possible that it is decreed that he has a child every two years, but the children die before the two years are up, or after two years have passed, but they die before four years. And so on. So, family planning, in reality, even if we assume it is possible at the beginning, is not possible at the end. For this reason, we see that a person should strive to do what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) advised, which is to have many children.
As for limiting the number of children to a specific number that one does not exceed, it is forbidden, as some scholars have explicitly stated. This is because it leads to the actual cutting off of one's lineage. If he limits it, and then it is decreed that these children, by whom the number was limited, perish, the man's lineage is cut off completely. So my advice to all men and women is to strive to have many children, in order to realize the boasting of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about his Ummah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. This listener is from the Eastern Region, Jubail. He has coded his name as D M J Al-Shamri. He says:
The Shaykh : I say that the idea of family planning and limiting the number of children originates from a concept hostile to Islam, contrary to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged marrying women who are loving and fertile, and informed that we will outnumber the prophets with our children on the Day of Resurrection. There is no doubt that having many children is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), just as Allah bestowed this blessing upon the Children of Israel in His saying:
and made you more numerous in manpower
وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًاAnd remember when you were few and He increased you
وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلًا فَكَثَّرَكُمْAs for family planning, the reality is that planning is not in the hands of man, but in the hands of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as Allah the Exalted said:
(49) 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. (50) Or He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent.
لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ الذُّكُورَ * أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَانًا وَإِنَاثًا وَيَجْعَلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ عَقِيمًا إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌAs for limiting the number of children to a specific number that one does not exceed, it is forbidden, as some scholars have explicitly stated. This is because it leads to the actual cutting off of one's lineage. If he limits it, and then it is decreed that these children, by whom the number was limited, perish, the man's lineage is cut off completely. So my advice to all men and women is to strive to have many children, in order to realize the boasting of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about his Ummah. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. This listener is from the Eastern Region, Jubail. He has coded his name as D M J Al-Shamri. He says: