Is it permissible for a man to stipulate in his marriage that the woman be barren?

The questioner : He says he is married to a woman and has about four children from her. He says: I cannot bear her, and she seems to feel this. He wants to marry another woman over her. He asked me, saying: I now want to look for a barren woman who does not bear children. I said to him: Why this condition? He said: I am afraid that if she comes and bears children, it will cause problems between the children in the future. And I am a man of weak financial means; after that, if she bears children, I will not be able to open two separate households. So he asks me: Is it permissible for me to look for a woman with this condition? Please advise us of the answer.

The Shaykh : In terms of permissibility, it is permissible, but the matter may be disliked (makruh) for him, especially if the other reason he mentioned—and which I think is the real reason, not the first reason he gave—is that he is poor. Being poor is a reason that prevents marriage if one is driven or motivated by that reason. However, if the first reason is a reasonable and acceptable viewpoint, that is different. But citing poverty as an excuse is not Islamic.

The questioner : Allah the Mighty and Majestic provides for him from His bounty. Yes, may Allah reward you with good.

Another questioner : O our Shaykh, regarding consulting astronomical knowledge in the issue of determining the new moons, especially recently, there was a seminar at the College of Sharia at the university, attended by some specialized doctors in astronomy. They spoke about the previous Ramadan and elaborated on this topic. Naturally, the summary of the research was that our fasting—starting the fast—was a mistake, and that we advanced the fasting by two days. The correct day for fasting was Friday, and that we also broke our fast before the end of Ramadan, and that the day of the festival was a day of Ramadan. Naturally, they argued for this with evidence, including Dr. Sharaf al-Qaddah, who is with us.

The Shaykh : Which doctor?

Another questioner : Dr. Sharaf.

The Shaykh : Sharaf.

Another questioner : He said: I saw it with my own eyes on Thursday at dawn in the Abu Nasir area, which is a high area. I saw it after dawn and stayed for about forty-four minutes. He said: So naturally, the moon did not appear between [the times], and it is known that here they fasted 30 days, so they did not observe the crescent. What is the ruling now regarding the fasting? For example, Dr. Sharaf said: I fasted on the day of the festival. His fasting was naturally questioned, and he said: As for me, I saw the crescent, so I am like one who saw the crescent at the beginning of Ramadan, and his testimony was not accepted. I mean, what is it called, verification? Naturally, there is a rule in astronomy. They said in astronomical science that if the crescent appears at dawn, it is very rare, or even impossible, for some to say that it appears after sunset, but rather it appears... and so they said it does not appear after sunset. So now, regarding the fasting of one who is certain that the day of the festival was a day of Ramadan, does he have to make it up? This is one point. The second point is the ruling of one who fasted on the day of the festival believing it was Ramadan, and some supported him. This is the third question, which is the ruling of one who broke his fast.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed, do you want to make me work this old brain of mine? All the questions are... and then I am the Imam al-Bukhari who was sitting in a session and was asked about a hadith and its chain of narration, and the chain of another hadith, and you know the story. No, we are not there. May Allah bless you. Ask the question and take the answer. Ask the question and take the answer, and do not burden us with excess.

Another questioner : Repeat the first question.
AThe Shaykh : The first one.