What is the ruling on women taking birth control pills on the grounds that they are unable to bear children?
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The questioner : Now, there are women who take pills to prevent pregnancy, saying that they are unable to bear children. Is this permissible?
The Shaykh : This requires detailed inquiry into each woman who wants to take these pills, because the matter differs from one woman to another. For example, one woman has had many children.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And she makes this claim, while another has only one or two children.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And she makes this claim.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And a third, a fourth, and a fifth.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we address them in general terms.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That childbearing is a matter that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has made obligatory upon women.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh :[Al-Ahqaf 46:15] .
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So pregnancy and childbirth are not a leisure activity.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So a woman must bear the effects of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal bleeding, and the like, and seek the reward from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for doing so. As for a woman who is ill with a certain disease, it is permissible for her to take these pills. But there is a major problem, which is what they call the IUD.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Taking the pills has one problem, which is reducing the population of the Muslim community. As for inserting the IUD.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It exposes the woman to revealing her 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), even before her female doctor. For a woman to reveal her 'awrah to another woman is forbidden.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And committing this forbidden act is not permissible except for a dire necessity. Now, although I am pleased with these scholarly jurisprudential questions, I say: this is enough for you, so that we can free up time for others who are waiting very eagerly for their turn. And peace be upon you.
The questioner : e : And upon you be peace.
The Shaykh : Is this a girl or a boy?
The student : A girl. It seems she is from the Emirates.
The Shaykh : She said she might be from the Emirates, she did not say for sure.
The student : Her voice.
The Shaykh : This requires detailed inquiry into each woman who wants to take these pills, because the matter differs from one woman to another. For example, one woman has had many children.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And she makes this claim, while another has only one or two children.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And she makes this claim.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And a third, a fourth, and a fifth.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we address them in general terms.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That childbearing is a matter that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has made obligatory upon women.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh :
His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship
حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًاThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So pregnancy and childbirth are not a leisure activity.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So a woman must bear the effects of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal bleeding, and the like, and seek the reward from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for doing so. As for a woman who is ill with a certain disease, it is permissible for her to take these pills. But there is a major problem, which is what they call the IUD.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Taking the pills has one problem, which is reducing the population of the Muslim community. As for inserting the IUD.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It exposes the woman to revealing her 'awrah (part of the body that must be covered), even before her female doctor. For a woman to reveal her 'awrah to another woman is forbidden.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And committing this forbidden act is not permissible except for a dire necessity. Now, although I am pleased with these scholarly jurisprudential questions, I say: this is enough for you, so that we can free up time for others who are waiting very eagerly for their turn. And peace be upon you.
The questioner : e : And upon you be peace.
The Shaykh : Is this a girl or a boy?
The student : A girl. It seems she is from the Emirates.
The Shaykh : She said she might be from the Emirates, she did not say for sure.
The student : Her voice.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.