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Islam & Family Planning

This booklet in an easy to read Question & Answer form provides answers on everyday questions on issues relating to reproductive health and rights, sexuality, family planning and the use of contraception. It is jointly authored by Sisters in Islam and the Kelantan Family Planning Association.

Introduction to The Booklet

The rights of Muslim women to attain a high standard of sexual and reproductive health, make their own decisions regarding marriage, motherhood, contraception, abortion and sexuality free of coercion, discrimination and violence encompassed by basic principles of Shari’ah. Yet, Muslim women the world over lack the power to express views on sexual relations, child bearing, contraception and other areas of reproductive and sexual health. Muslim women must be able to claim control over these are issues as they have a direct impact on the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of women, and consequently on the entire family.

Deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth (maternal mortality) remain high, access to safe and legal termination of pregnancies is limited, family planning and contraceptive use is low, and safe, consensual and satisfactory sexual relations continue to elude most women. In addition, domestic violence and sexual coercion contribute to health problems such as the risk of miscarriage and the contraction of STD and HIV/AIDS.

While it is true that most of these problems are common to women from all walks of society, Muslim women are often observed to be further hindered in their quest for claiming rights over their own bodies and their sexuality by alleged religious dictate. Serious discussions on the reproductive and sexual rights of Muslim women are rare and these issues have seldom been analysed within the bounds of religion by progressive Muslim scholars, or dealt with in the context of the local situation in Asia.

It was in order to address these concerns that Sisters in Islam organised a Southeast Asian workshop on Islam, Reproductive Health and Women’s Rights in 1998. The timing of the workshop was occasioned by the concern that the caveat respecting cultural relativity in the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 might reinforce the areas of constraints in the matter of reproductive health and right, and marriage and family in Muslim communities. The goal of the workshop was to put forth progressive understandings of Islamic teachings on reproductive health and women’s rights through an exchange of perspectives, analyses and experiences of scholars and activists working in the area.

Forty-three participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Egypt, Pakistan and the USA attended the four-day workshop. They included five international Islamic scholars, activists in the areas of women’s health and women’s rights in Islam, Shari’ah lawyers and policy makers. A report of proceedings of the workshop was published in 1999 and a book comprising the papers presented was published in 2000.

This Question and Answer booklet is the third publication that resulted from the workshop. Sisters in Islam collaborated with the Kelantan Family Planning Association as we intended this booklet to be a source of easily accessible and readable information on the varied perspectives on Islam and family planning. This is to fulfill the urgent need of service providers on the ground for such information and to assist Muslim men and women make more informed decision on the use of contraception. We hope this booklet will be particularly useful to health and family planning service providers and to women and men interested in the issues of reproductive health and women’s rights.

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the late Dr Abdel Rahim Omran, who was the Chief Population Advisor to al-Azhar University in Cairo, whose paper on Contraception, Abortion and Reproductive Issues in the Legacy of Islam presented at the workshop provided the bulk of the theological answers in this booklet. We would also like to thank the Federation of Family Planning Associations of Malaysia and the National Population and Family Development Board for their input into this booklet.

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Paperback, 2001, 20 pp. Price: RM3 / USD1.50

"A thorough review of the Qur'an reveals no text (nas) prohibiting the prevention of pregnancy or diminution of the number of children, but there are several traditions of the Prophet that indicate its permissibility" (fatwa issued in 1979 and 1980 by Sheikh Jadel Haq Ali Jadel Haq, former Mufti of Egypt and Grand Imam of al-Azhar Univ.)

"We used to practise al-azl (withdrawal, coitus interruptus) during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. The Prohet s.a.w came to know about it, but did not forbid us [doing it]." (Hadith authenticated by Muslim)

"And when you have made a decision, rely on Allah s.w.t [for achieving your objective]." (Surah al-Imran, 3:159)

"A man who came to pray in the mosque asked the Prophet s.a.w whether to tie his camel or just put trust in Allah s.w.t, the Prophet s.a.w replied, 'Hobble her and rely on Allah s.w.t'." (Hadith authenticated by al-Tarmidhi)

"Sometimes the concept of mutual consultation and consent may pose a problem when a conflict arises between the husband and wife, and especially when the wife is regarded as unequal to her husband...the Hanbali school holds the position that a wife can bypass consent of the husband in extraordinary situations, eg. for the welfare of the family. Thus, if having another child will adversely affect the woman's mental and physical wellbeing or the family's ability to provide adequately for the children, then a woman has the right to use contraception without the consent of the husband." (Dr Abdel Rahim Omran, former Chief Population Adviser to al-Azhar Univ., Cairo)