Source: Excerpt from the book “Aḥkām wa Masāʾil: Kitāb o Sunnat kī Roshnī meṅ” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī ḥafiẓahullāh
Alḥamdulillāh, I have five children. One child was delivered through major surgery, and the rest through minor surgical procedures. Each delivery has been very difficult and high-risk. Currently, my wife is pregnant again, and doctors are advising us to opt for another operation.
What should we do?
Is it permissible to go for a surgical delivery?
And should we adopt any method for long-term birth control?
Kindly provide guidance in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Upon reflection of the texts and evidences from the Qur’an and Sunnah, it becomes clear that birth control (ضبطِ ولادت) can fall under one of three categories:
Modern methods of birth control will fall under one of these three types.
This involves permanently altering the reproductive organs — of either the husband or wife — internally or externally, in such a way that they become forever incapable of bearing children.
In earlier times, this was done by castrating men, and today it is practiced through vasectomy or tubal ligation.
This permanent method is impermissible and ḥarām.
Evidence from Hadith:
Sayyidunā Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه narrated:
❝The Messenger of Allah ﷺ rejected ʿUthmān ibn Maẓʿūn's desire to refrain from marriage (celibacy). Had he permitted him, we would have become castrated (to prevent children).❞
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه reported:
❝We used to participate in battles with the Prophet ﷺ, and we had nothing (no wealth). We asked: “Should we not get ourselves castrated?”
The Prophet ﷺ forbade us from doing that, and then gave us permission to marry temporarily (with a dowry of a garment).
Then he recited the verse:
﴿ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحَرِّمُوا۟ طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ﴾
“O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you.”
(Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 87) ❞
From these authentic narrations, we understand that permanent sterilization, whether through surgical procedures or other means that permanently terminate one’s ability to have children, is unlawful and forbidden.
However, in rare and critical medical cases, where a woman’s reproductive system is no longer fit for natural delivery and childbirth is only possible via cesarean, and if, after two or three operations, doctors declare her incapable of safely delivering again, with a real danger to her life — then under such dire necessity, if a competent Muslim physician gives a definitive medical opinion, it would be permissible to adopt a method that ends childbearing.
In such emergency and unavoidable situations, having a surgical operation would be allowed based on the principle of necessity.
This refers to any temporary method that prevents conception while the person’s reproductive system remains intact and functioning.
There are examples of this even during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. One common method in that time was known as ʿazl (withdrawal method).
Summary of related hadiths:
✦ ʿAzl was considered permissible,
✦ But not preferred.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ discouraged it in tone, calling it a hidden form of female infanticide (as it blocks the creation of life secretly).
So while it is allowed, it is not ideal, and should only be used with the wife’s consent, and in justified situations.
Abortion is a separate category and occurs either:
① Before the soul is breathed into the fetus,
② Or after the soul has entered.
Each of these stages has distinct rulings, and their detailed discussion is reserved for another time, in shāʾ Allāh.
In the case under question:
✔ If qualified Muslim doctors advise that childbirth poses a serious risk to the mother’s life, and her reproductive health is deteriorating,
→ Then it is permissible to undergo cesarean delivery.
✔ In the long term, instead of sterilization, one may adopt non-permanent methods like ʿazl, which was practiced in the Prophet’s time.
✔ However, permanent birth control (e.g. tubal ligation, vasectomy) remains impermissible except when absolutely necessary and confirmed by reliable Muslim medical professionals.
✿ Preserve life, as Islam prioritizes the protection of life (ḥifẓ al-nafs)
✿ Use temporary means over permanent ones whenever possible
✿ Take action only under medical necessity and expert guidance
❖ Question:
Alḥamdulillāh, I have five children. One child was delivered through major surgery, and the rest through minor surgical procedures. Each delivery has been very difficult and high-risk. Currently, my wife is pregnant again, and doctors are advising us to opt for another operation.
What should we do?
Is it permissible to go for a surgical delivery?
And should we adopt any method for long-term birth control?
Kindly provide guidance in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
Upon reflection of the texts and evidences from the Qur’an and Sunnah, it becomes clear that birth control (ضبطِ ولادت) can fall under one of three categories:
① Permanent Sterilization (قطعِ نسل)
② Preventing Pregnancy (منعِ حمل)
③ Abortion (اسقاطِ حمل)
Modern methods of birth control will fall under one of these three types.
❖ Permanent Sterilization (قطعِ نسل)
This involves permanently altering the reproductive organs — of either the husband or wife — internally or externally, in such a way that they become forever incapable of bearing children.
In earlier times, this was done by castrating men, and today it is practiced through vasectomy or tubal ligation.
This permanent method is impermissible and ḥarām.
Evidence from Hadith:
Sayyidunā Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه narrated:
❝The Messenger of Allah ﷺ rejected ʿUthmān ibn Maẓʿūn's desire to refrain from marriage (celibacy). Had he permitted him, we would have become castrated (to prevent children).❞
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5073; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1402
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه reported:
❝We used to participate in battles with the Prophet ﷺ, and we had nothing (no wealth). We asked: “Should we not get ourselves castrated?”
The Prophet ﷺ forbade us from doing that, and then gave us permission to marry temporarily (with a dowry of a garment).
Then he recited the verse:
﴿ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحَرِّمُوا۟ طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ﴾
“O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you.”
(Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 87) ❞
Reference: Bukhārī: 5075
From these authentic narrations, we understand that permanent sterilization, whether through surgical procedures or other means that permanently terminate one’s ability to have children, is unlawful and forbidden.
However, in rare and critical medical cases, where a woman’s reproductive system is no longer fit for natural delivery and childbirth is only possible via cesarean, and if, after two or three operations, doctors declare her incapable of safely delivering again, with a real danger to her life — then under such dire necessity, if a competent Muslim physician gives a definitive medical opinion, it would be permissible to adopt a method that ends childbearing.
In such emergency and unavoidable situations, having a surgical operation would be allowed based on the principle of necessity.
❖ Preventing Pregnancy (منعِ حمل)
This refers to any temporary method that prevents conception while the person’s reproductive system remains intact and functioning.
There are examples of this even during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. One common method in that time was known as ʿazl (withdrawal method).
Summary of related hadiths:
✦ ʿAzl was considered permissible,
✦ But not preferred.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ discouraged it in tone, calling it a hidden form of female infanticide (as it blocks the creation of life secretly).
So while it is allowed, it is not ideal, and should only be used with the wife’s consent, and in justified situations.
❖ Abortion (اسقاطِ حمل)
Abortion is a separate category and occurs either:
① Before the soul is breathed into the fetus,
② Or after the soul has entered.
Each of these stages has distinct rulings, and their detailed discussion is reserved for another time, in shāʾ Allāh.
❖ Guidance for the Present Case
In the case under question:
✔ If qualified Muslim doctors advise that childbirth poses a serious risk to the mother’s life, and her reproductive health is deteriorating,
→ Then it is permissible to undergo cesarean delivery.
✔ In the long term, instead of sterilization, one may adopt non-permanent methods like ʿazl, which was practiced in the Prophet’s time.
✔ However, permanent birth control (e.g. tubal ligation, vasectomy) remains impermissible except when absolutely necessary and confirmed by reliable Muslim medical professionals.
❖ Final Advice
✿ Preserve life, as Islam prioritizes the protection of life (ḥifẓ al-nafs)
✿ Use temporary means over permanent ones whenever possible
✿ Take action only under medical necessity and expert guidance
