Is it permissible to take birth control pills?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. A questioner asks: Is it permissible for him to give his wife birth control pills because she suffers from pregnancy?
The Shaykh : First: We advise men and women not to use these pills, because these pills are known to be harmful according to the words of doctors and in reality. They disrupt the normal cycle, cause a decline in a woman's strength, and may affect the uterus. They may also affect the fetus if one of them happens to become pregnant.
Second: Do not use the pills, because what is required of this community is to increase the number of offspring, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The fertile woman" means one who gives birth frequently. If this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) desires, then we should not deviate from what the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) desires. As for the woman suffering from pregnancy, is this a valid excuse?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes? How? What does he say? What is not valid is not valid. It is not valid for the woman to suffer from pregnancy. Rest. What do you say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, okay, rest. The woman's suffering from pregnancy is a natural matter. Allah the Exalted said:[Luqman 31:14] And the Exalted said in the second verse: [Al-Ahqaf 46:15] This is something that must happen. Is it possible for a child to be in a woman's belly, growing and developing, without her being tired? That is impossible and contrary to the fitrah (innate natural disposition). There must be weakness, frailty, and aversion. But we give the woman good news that she will not be afflicted with any fatigue, laziness, sluggishness, or weakness from this pregnancy without being rewarded for it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah forgives a man's sins even for a thorn that pricks him. So we say to this woman: Be happy with good news. The harm that befalls you from pregnancy is an expiation for the sins you have committed. And if you seek reward for it, it becomes an expiation and a reward. For this reason, we do not advise using these pills.
As for the husband, it is not permissible for him to force his wife to take the pills, as some foolish young married men do. He says: "I will give her pills so that she does not become pregnant for a year or two." This is a mistake. It is not permissible for him to force her to take the pills, and she is not obligated to obey him if he says: "Take the pills" and she says: "No." She has that right because she has a right to childbirth. For this reason, the scholars have forbidden a man to practice coitus interruptus with his wife unless she consents. Do you know what coitus interruptus is? An unmarried person does not know coitus interruptus, but a married person knows it. It is when a man has intercourse with his wife and, as he is about to ejaculate, he withdraws from the intercourse so that the fluid comes out outside the place, so that she does not become pregnant. The scholars of knowledge said: "It is forbidden for the husband to practice coitus interruptus with his wife unless she consents" They reasoned this by saying that she has a right to what? A right to a child. Therefore, the correct opinion is that if it is established that the man is sterile, the wife has the right to annul the marriage if she wishes. Why? Because she has a right to a child. Some women do not marry except for the sake of a child. If we derive the answer so that we do not stray: It is not permissible for the husband to force his wife to take birth control pills, and she is not obligated to obey him. This is one point.
Second: We do not advise the husband or the wife to take these pills because of the harm they contain. As for suffering from pregnancy, this is not a valid excuse. Every woman suffers from pregnancy.
The Shaykh : First: We advise men and women not to use these pills, because these pills are known to be harmful according to the words of doctors and in reality. They disrupt the normal cycle, cause a decline in a woman's strength, and may affect the uterus. They may also affect the fetus if one of them happens to become pregnant.
Second: Do not use the pills, because what is required of this community is to increase the number of offspring, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Marry the loving and fertile women
تزوجوا الودود الولودThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes? How? What does he say? What is not valid is not valid. It is not valid for the woman to suffer from pregnancy. Rest. What do you say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, okay, rest. The woman's suffering from pregnancy is a natural matter. Allah the Exalted said:
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْأِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْناً عَلَى وَهْنٍHis mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship
حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهاً وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهاًAs for the husband, it is not permissible for him to force his wife to take the pills, as some foolish young married men do. He says: "I will give her pills so that she does not become pregnant for a year or two." This is a mistake. It is not permissible for him to force her to take the pills, and she is not obligated to obey him if he says: "Take the pills" and she says: "No." She has that right because she has a right to childbirth. For this reason, the scholars have forbidden a man to practice coitus interruptus with his wife unless she consents. Do you know what coitus interruptus is? An unmarried person does not know coitus interruptus, but a married person knows it. It is when a man has intercourse with his wife and, as he is about to ejaculate, he withdraws from the intercourse so that the fluid comes out outside the place, so that she does not become pregnant. The scholars of knowledge said: "It is forbidden for the husband to practice coitus interruptus with his wife unless she consents" They reasoned this by saying that she has a right to what? A right to a child. Therefore, the correct opinion is that if it is established that the man is sterile, the wife has the right to annul the marriage if she wishes. Why? Because she has a right to a child. Some women do not marry except for the sake of a child. If we derive the answer so that we do not stray: It is not permissible for the husband to force his wife to take birth control pills, and she is not obligated to obey him. This is one point.
Second: We do not advise the husband or the wife to take these pills because of the harm they contain. As for suffering from pregnancy, this is not a valid excuse. Every woman suffers from pregnancy.