What is the ruling of Islam regarding family planning?
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This questioner is also from Egypt and asks: What is the ruling of Islam regarding family planning?
Answer: Family planning involves a distinction: The original ruling is that one does not limit offspring, and it is not permissible. Neither a state nor any individual has the right to intervene in limiting offspring; rather, this is left to people. It is not for a state to say: "Offspring must be four, five, or three." No, this is forbidden, an evil, and injustice; it is not permissible. However, if a woman has difficulty due to an illness in her womb or an illness in herself that makes pregnancy harmful to her, as certified by doctors, it is permissible to postpone pregnancy to another time, until the doctors permit it and say that it will not harm her. Likewise, if she is carrying one child after another and the children have multiplied, making their upbringing difficult for her due to the large number of children, there is no harm in using what limits offspring for one or two years, until she is able to raise them and able to perform what is obligatory for her children in terms of upbringing, excellence, and supervision, such as the period of breastfeeding, which is two years or one year. She uses what prevents pregnancy until she has the leisure to raise her young children. As for limiting it absolutely, it is not permissible. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: Family planning involves a distinction: The original ruling is that one does not limit offspring, and it is not permissible. Neither a state nor any individual has the right to intervene in limiting offspring; rather, this is left to people. It is not for a state to say: "Offspring must be four, five, or three." No, this is forbidden, an evil, and injustice; it is not permissible. However, if a woman has difficulty due to an illness in her womb or an illness in herself that makes pregnancy harmful to her, as certified by doctors, it is permissible to postpone pregnancy to another time, until the doctors permit it and say that it will not harm her. Likewise, if she is carrying one child after another and the children have multiplied, making their upbringing difficult for her due to the large number of children, there is no harm in using what limits offspring for one or two years, until she is able to raise them and able to perform what is obligatory for her children in terms of upbringing, excellence, and supervision, such as the period of breastfeeding, which is two years or one year. She uses what prevents pregnancy until she has the leisure to raise her young children. As for limiting it absolutely, it is not permissible. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.