A woman asks: I am a woman with seven children, and I am currently taking birth control pills to take a break, but my husband refuses.

The questioner : This questioner, Shamah, says that she is a woman with seven children. She says she is currently taking a contraceptive to take a break, but the husband insists on her not taking these pills. She has continued taking them without his knowledge. Is this permissible for me, even though he loves having children very much, O honorable Shaykh?

The Shaykh : I am with this husband who loves having children very much, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the loving and fertile woman. The more the Muslim community increases, the more honored it becomes and the more its needs are met. What some people imagine, that having many children leads to narrowness of provision, is a false illusion that does not come from one who believes in the saying of Allah the Exalted: So I thank the husband of this woman who loves having many children, and I ask Allah the Exalted to increase the number of his like. And I say to this woman that it is not permissible for her to take a contraceptive without the husband’s permission and consent. She must fear Allah Mighty and Majestic, and she must stop taking these pills out of love for what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) loved, which is having many children, and out of obedience to her husband. Her husband has a right to have children, just as she also has a right to have children. Therefore, if the husband wanted to practice coitus interruptus with his wife so that she would not become pregnant, that would be forbidden for him except with her permission. For example, if the husband wanted his wife not to become pregnant and he practiced coitus interruptus with her, meaning if he wanted to ejaculate, he would withdraw and ejaculate outside, then that is not permissible for him unless the wife agrees to it. The reason for this is that the wife has a right to children, so it is not permissible for the husband to prevent her from this right without her consent.
Then, on this occasion, I warn women against dealing with their husbands in this manner, which is injustice against the husband. And even if the husband were to consent to it, I advise both the husband and the wife against this action. I say that having many children is among the blessings that deserve gratitude to Allah Mighty and Majestic, as Allah made that clear in His saying to the Children of Israel: And as Shu'ayb reminded his people of that, saying: So I advise both spouses to strive to have many children, because that is better for them and better for the Muslim community. The more the Muslim community increases, the more honored and noble it becomes. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.