Regarding Birth Control

From His Eminence
Shaikh Abdul-'Aziz bin 'Abdullah Bin Baz

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks be to Allah and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his family and Companions. As for what follows:

Some local newspapers have recently published an article which states that the Head Mufti in Jordan has delivered a verdict declaring that birth control is permissible, and that if the government so determines, it must be acted upon.

This news has spread among the people, and the talk in their meeting places has been of surprise at this, and how the Muslims can object to it. Due to this, questions have proliferated regarding the ruling on this matter, and whether this verdict is correct or not.

Therefore, I consider it to be essential for those like myself to make clear what is proven by the Law of Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful regarding this matter. I say:

O reader! You should know may Allah preserve me and you in attaining the Truth that I have examined the aforemen- tioned verdict and I have considered the evidence depended upon by His Excellency, the Head Mufti in Jordan in his issuing of this verdict which contains the view that birth control is permissible, and that if the government so determines, it must be acted upon, and his verdict has concentrated upon the Words of Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful:
"And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them out of His bounty.

and the words of the Prophet:
"O you young men! Those among you who can afford it should marry, for it restrains the eyes (from casting evil glances) and preserves one from immorality, but he who cannot afford it should observe fasting, for it is a means of controlling the sexual desire."

And (he has depended) upon the Hadiths which prove the permissibility of coitus interruptus.

These are evidences upon which the Mufti has depended in this important verdict. There is another matter which the verdict has introduced, which is his saying at the beginning of the verdict (which I transmit) word-for-word:

"The fear of the world has increased due to the increase in population everywhere, and the experts have come to consider this a warning of disaster, ruin and terrible things."

Then at the end of his verdict, he said:

"And if the government so determines, it must be acted upon, because it is agreed upon that if the person in authority says something insignificant, it becomes mandatory."___end of quote.

And all of those possessing knowledge and those with insight and discernment who reflect on the evidences upon which the Mufti has depended know that he has strayed far from the truth, contradicted what is correct and missed the target completely.

And it is certain that the evidence which he has cited is not an evidence for his opinion in any way whatsoever. In fact, it is on one side and the verdict is on another side, as the poet says:

She went east and I went west, And how different is east from west!

As for the noble Verse, Allah, Most Glorified has mentioned it after the Words of Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful:
"And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sälihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people).

then He, Most High says :
"And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them out of His bounty, So He, Most Glorified has commanded us to marry and encouraged it, and He has promised the one who marries wealth if he is poor, in order to persuade him to marry and to encourage him to embark upon it, trusting in Allah and depending upon His Bounty." the broadness of His Generosity, and His Knowledge of the affairs of His creatures. This is why Allah, Most Glorified, Most High ends the Verse with His Words:
"And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)."

Then He commanded the one who has not the wherewithal to marry to keep themselves chaste until Allah enriches them from His Bounty. So what evidence is there in this Verse to support not having children or limiting their numbers? And His Eminence the Mufti has claimed that Allah's Command to those who have not the means to marry to remain chaste is evidence for not having children, and limiting them, because delaying marriage due to inability leads to delay in having children or childlessness if he dies before marrying.

This is a very strange argument, and an odd inference which is unconnected with the Verse; indeed, it is the strangest of inferences, and the oddest of arguments. And Allah is the One from Whom help is sought.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir may Allah have mercy on him said, in his explanation of these two Verses (and I quote):
"This is a command to marry, and a group of the scholars hold that it is obligatory upon everyone who is able to do so. They cite as evidence, the clear meaning of the words of the Prophet SAW:
"O you young men! Those among you who can afford it should marry, for it restrains the eyes (from casting evil glances) and preserves one from immorality; but he who cannot afford it should observe fasting, for it is a means of controlling the sexual desire"

Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Ibn Mas'ud.

It has been reported on the Sunan from more than one source that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Marry productive loving women and multiply, that I may be proud of you before the other communities on the Day of Resurrection.

Another version has it:
"even by miscarriage."

And the word: Al-Ayama is the plural of Al-Ayyim which is said of a woman who has no husband and of a man who has no wife - whether he or she had married then parted, or never been married this was reported by Al-Jawhari from the scholars of Arabic Language: It is said of a man Ayyim and of a woman Ayyim. And the Words of Him, Most High:
"If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty."

'Ali bin Abu Talhah reported on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas: 'Allah encourages them to marry and ordered the free and the slaves to do so, and He promised them that He will enrich them if they do so, saying:
"If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty."

Ibn Abi Hatim said: 'My father narrated to us: Mahmud bin Khalid Al-Azraq narrated to us: 'Umar bin 'Abdil-Wahid narrated to us, from Sa'id that is, Ibn 'Abdul-'Aziz, that he said:

"I was informed that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'Obey Allah in what He has commanded you to do regarding marriage, and He will fulfill for you the promise of enrichment which He made to you; Allah, Most High says:
"If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty."

This was narrated by Ibn Jarir [At-Tabari], and Al-Baghawi mentioned something similar to it.

It is reported from Al-Laith; from Muhammad bin 'Ajlan; from Sa'id bin Al-Maqbari, from Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: 'Allah's Messenger said:

"There are three who have the right to Allah's Help: The suitor who wishes to remain virtuous, the slave who wishes to purchase his freedom, and the warrior who fights in Allah's Cause."

And the Prophet married a man who did not possess anything except his waist wrap, and could not even afford an iron ring and in spite of this, he married him to that woman and fixed his dowry to her that he would teach her what he knew of the Qur'an. And it is well known of Allah's Generosity and Kindness that He blesses him with that which contains sufficiency for him and for her.

As for the saying which many of the people narrate in the belief that it is a Hadith, in which it says: 'Marry the poor and Allah will enrich you it is baseless, and I have not seen it narrated until now with a strong chain of narrators, nor with a weak one. And in the Qur'an there is sufficient for us to do without that. As in these Hadiths which we have narrated, all praise and thanks are due to Allah and from Him proceeds all Grace. And the words of Allah, Most High:
"And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them of His bounty."

This is a Command from Allah, Most High to those who do not find the means to marry, to restrain themselves from commit- ting forbidden deeds, as the Prophet said:
"O you young men! Those among you who have the means and the ability should marry, because it restrains the eyes (from evil glances) and preserves the private parts (from immorality). And whoever is unable to do so, should fast because it is a protection for him."

Based upon what we have mentioned above, and what we have copied from Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir from his explanation of the two Verses, their true meaning is clear to the readers and (it is clear) that they prove the lawfulness of marriage and the encourage- ment to do it. This is due to its great benefits, including; controlling desire, preserving the private parts (from illegal sexual intercourse), averting the eyes and increasing the population.

But as for citing them as evidence for the permissibility of preventing pregnancy and restricting birth, it is the ultimate in oddity and far from the truth. As for the Hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, which states that the Prophet SAW said:
"O you young men! Those among you who have the means and the ability should marry, because it restrains the eyes (from evil glances) and preserves the private parts (from immorality). And whoever is unable to do so, should fast because it is a protection for him.

This proves the same thing as was proved by the two Verses, which is an encouragement to marry, and an explanation of some wisdom behind it, and its secrets.

It is also a proof that it is legislated for one who is unable to marry to occupy himself with fasting. Because fasting reduces desire and narrows the pathways of Satan, and it is one of the means of maintaining chastity and averting one's eyes. But there is no evidence in it in any way whatsoever for allowing the prevention of pregnancy or restricting birth. There is only (permission) in it for delaying marriage from when one is unable to do so until one is able to do so, and the lawfulness of undertaking the means of chastity, so that one does not fall into the commission of forbidden deeds.

As for citing the Hadiths about coitus interruptus, as evidence for birth control, it falls into the same category as the former. It is far from the truth and opposed to the meanings of the Islamic Law. Because Al-'Azl is the ejaculation of sperm outside the vagina in order to prevent the woman from becoming pregnant, and this is done by a man only when there is a need for it. Like when the woman is ill, or breast-feeding, and he fears that the pregnancy may harm her, or harm her child. So he withdraws for this reason or another similar plausible and lawful reason - as a practice for a certain period of time, then he abandons it, and it neither prevents pregnancy nor limits births. It is merely the undertaking of certain means to delay pregnancy for a lawful reason, and there is nothing one should beware in this, according to the most correct opinion of the scholars. This is proven by the Hadiths about coitus interruptus.

Also, coitus interruptus does not ensure that pregnancy will not occur, because all of the sperm or some of it might be ejaculated before he withdraws, impregnating the woman by Allah's Permission. This is why the Prophet said, in one Hadith narrated from him regarding Al-'Azl:
"There is no created being who was not created by Allah."

And it is narrated from him that he said:
"Every liquid (i.e., every sperm) does not contain a pregnancy."

So what evidence is there in the Hadiths relating to Al-'Azl to support birth control for anyone who examines the situation and gives it due consideration, remaining impartial from other factors? We ask Allah that He grant us and His Eminence the Head Mufti of Jordan success in arriving at the truth and preserving us from errors in understanding, verily, He is the Best of those who are asked.

Whoever examines what we have mentioned, and what we have copied from the scholars, knows that the view that birth control is permissible is opposed to the perfect Islamic Law which has brought the (means of) achieving those things which are beneficial and their perfection, and preventing and decreasing the causes of corruption. He also knows that it is contrary to the unimpaired innate instinct, because Allah, Most Glorified created the worshippers with a love of children and granted. the means to increase the birthrate. Allah has shown this in His Book and made it an adornment in the life of this world. Allah,

Most High says:
"And Allah has made for you Azwāj (mates or wives) of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed on you good provision."

and He, Most High says:
"Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world."

One who examines the case, also knows, that the opinion in support of birth control opposes what is beneficial to society.

according to the Words of Allah, Most Glorified:
"but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one".

May Allah grant success to all of the Muslims in attaining that wherein lies rightness for them and salvation in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.