Fatwa #151311 November 2000Pakistan
My wife has enough children,she wants to make it permanent so that she doesn't get anymore kids, is this haram?
Question
Wife has three kids but wants no more.
Answer
Contraception (Azl) is permissible on a limited scale for valid reasons -%0D%0Areasons considered by the Shari%E1h to be valid. The circumstances which will%0D%0Apermit reversible and permanent contraception differ.%0D%0A%0D%0AREVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION%0D%0AAmong the reasons accepted by the Shari%E1h as valid for practising reversible%0D%0Acontraception are:%0D%0A? Physical weakness.%0D%0A? Sickness.%0D%0A? The wife maintaining her beauty or figure for the sake of her husband.%0D%0A? The couple being on a journey or in a distant land.%0D%0A? Adverse political conditions, e.g. children are forcibly separated from%0D%0Atheir parents as is advocated by communism; etc.%0D%0A? The couple decide to separate in the near future.%0D%0A? The wife is an immoral person.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere are valid grounds for practising reversible contraception. Poverty or%0D%0Athe fear of poverty are not valid reasons for contraception. It is not%0D%0Apermissible to practice contraception on account of a fear of not being able%0D%0Ato provide for a large family. Such a fear is an attribute of non-Muslims.%0D%0AAccording to the Qur%E3n Shareef: 'There is not a living creature, but its%0D%0Asustenance is the responsibility of Allah.'%0D%0A%0D%0ASimilarly desire to curb sexual desire which may stem out of piety is not a%0D%0Alawful ground for contraception. If practised for any reason which is%0D%0Aunlawful in Islam, then contraception will likewise be unlawful, e.g. for%0D%0Aindulgence in illicit sex.%0D%0A%0D%0APERMANENT CONTRACEPTION%0D%0APermanent contraception is permissible only if the woman's life is in danger%0D%0Aor her health is seriously threatened.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd Allah Ta%E3la Knows Best.%0D%0A%0D%0AWas salaam%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0A