FAMILY PLANING
Objectives:
To understand family planning services and different contraceptive methods
To understand Islamic perspective of family Planning
Preamble
Family is the foundation of any society. This foundation is laid by taking into
account the human nature. Every society comes into existence on the basis of family,
which means that family is the basic unit of society.
Planning for any thing that matters in life is necessary and so is planning for
family life, which is called „family planning‟. When a man and a woman marry and lay
the foundation of a family, they should keep balance in their resources and expenditures.
Within this strategy comes the decision as to when should a couple have their first baby
and the next one. They should also plan for providing basic needs, education, health care,
entertainment and other needs of the children. Therefore family planning as commonly
misunderstood, does not only mean having a specific number of children.
Pakistan is facing great socio-economic challenges. Rapid growth rate is a major concern.
Many factors have contributed to the high growth rate, important among which are low
literacy, low status of women in the society, social cultural taboos/ low male participation
and poor access to quality family planning services:
Situation Analysis
Pakistan, the sixth most populas country in the world currently with a population of over
157 million and a growth rate of around 1.9 percent per annum. The population of
Pakistan grows by 3 million annually, due to this annual addition, Pakistan is facing great
challenges to attain socio-economic development and break the vicious cycle of poverty.
This annual addition to the population not only dilutes the results of development efforts
but also creates unbearable demand on limited resources. It is estimated that at current
growth rate, the population of Pakistan will touch 217 million by 2020. Based on these
growth patterns and trends, the economy will be unable to sustain the growing
population, with hardly any scope for improvement in the quality of life even under most
favorable circumstances. This situation is, therefore, a matter of deep concern and
becomes a central issue in the overall planning perspective as well as poverty alleviation
strategy of the country.
After periods of slow growth, contraceptive use in Pakistan has increased steadily in
recent years, and now 28 per cent of women of reproductive age use modern family
planning methods. But many more couples would practice family planning if services
were more widely available. The Government's population policy aims to increase
voluntary contraceptive use to 40 to 50 per cent of couples by 2007. In Pakistan, the
contraceptive usage rate is considered low at about 34 percent, while the average fertility
rate stands at 4.1 percent, according to National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS).
Experts are divided on what role religion plays in low contraceptive use and low take-up
of family planning services in Pakistan. Pakistan has one of the highest population
growth rates in the world. Since 1950, its population has more than tripled to 153.5
million, and it is expected to reach 350 million by 2050. The average family size is
decreasing but still exceeds five children per woman, and maternal mortality remains
high.
Introduction
Definition:
WHO defined family planning as:
“A way of thinking and living that is adopted voluntarily upon the basis of knowledge,
attitudes and responsible decision by individuals and couples in order to promote the
health and welfare of the family group and thus contributes effectively to the social
development of a country.
Family planning prevents unwanted pregnancies, brings about wanted births, regulate
interval between births, ensure births occur at correct reproductive age and limits the
family size
Objectives of Family Planning
The main objectives of family planning services are to:
Safeguard individual‟s rights to make free & informed choice
Raise the level of current and continuous family planning practice
Reduce the number of unsafe abortion
Provide reproductive health care services to mother & child
Increase men‟s commitment and joint responsibility
Better quality of life for family and country
Counseling
Counseling is one of the most important components in family planning. It is the
responsibility of service providers at all levels to offer good counseling on family
planning methods Counseling is a process by which a person is helped in exploring
feelings and values, offered available choices to make a well informed decision. Family
planning counseling is the process of helping clients to make informed and voluntary
decisions about the choice of contraceptives. Counseling focuses on client‟s situation and
needs.
Elements of counseling
Family Planning Counseling has six elements (GATHER):
G: Great the client in a friendly and polite manner
A: Ask about family planning needs, wants and any doubts, concerns or questions of
the client
T: Tell the client about available family planning methods with the hope of samples,
flip charts, and leaflets.
H: Help the client choose a method.
E: Explain the use of the chosen method. This would include how it should be used,
its effectiveness, its advantages and limitations, possible side effects, warning
signs and follow up regime.
R: Return for follow up. At the follow up visit, inquire if the client is still using the
method, any problem or side effects. Give appropriate advice about any minor
side effects, and refer for treatment if side effects are severe.
In discussing contraceptive options with clients, counselor should briefly review
all available methods, even if a client knows about the methods of choice she wants.
Good counseling will yield more satisfied clients and confidence in family planning.
Methods of family planning
I Temporary Methods (Reversible methods)
1. Barrier Methods
a. Physical methods
Condoms
Diaphragm
b. Chemical methods
Foams
Creams
Suppositories
2. Intra Uterine Devices
3. Hormonal Methods
Contraceptive Pills
Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs)
Progeston only pills (POP)
Injectables
Depo-provora/megetlron.
NET.EN (Noriest)
Mesigyna
II Permanent Methods (Irreversible)
1 Vasectomy (male sterilization)
2 Tubal Ligation(female sterilization)
Oral Contraceptives Pills
Policy:
Pills are advised as a method of spacing pregnancy rather than as a method
for long term or permanent use
Pills are not to be given to a woman who is pregnant or is suspected to be
pregnant
Combined pills are not to be given to a lactating mother before 6 months of
childbirth.
POPs are not to be given to a lactating mother before 6 weeks of childbirth.
Oral pills are not to be recommended approximately four weeks before and
six weeks after major surgery, which requires long-term immobilization.
Pills should only be given to those who meet the medical eligibility criteria.
Advantages:
Highly effective when used correctly
Used at an age from adolescence to menopause
Reduce menstrual cramps
Regularized menstruation
Used as long as a woman wants to prevent pregnancy
Immediate fertility return soon after stopping
Cost effective
Limitations
Taken every day
Drug interactions
Post partum limitation; not recommended for breast feeding women
Minor side effects; some women may have side effects especially in the first few
months of pill taking i.e.nausea ,vomiting ,mild headache, breast tenderness
Condition Requiring Precautions
Pregnancy
Breast feeding
Unexplained vaginal bleeding
Jaundice (symptomatic, viral hepatitis)
Smoker and age > 35
Diabetes (>20 years duration)
Liver tumor
Breast Carcinoma
Hypertension (mild & moderate)
Headache (migraine)
Drugs (Rifampacin, Epileptic drugs)
Missed Pills
One pill missed
Take as soon as she remembers; continue taking pills from same pack.
Missed two or three consecutive pills
Backup method
Take 2 pills per day till she catches up
Missed more than 3 consecutive pills
Back-up method
Stop pills until next period.
Caution
A….Abdominal Pain (Severe)
C….Chest Pain (Severe, cough, shortness of breath)
H….Headache (Severe) dizziness
E…. Eye Problems (blurring)
S….Severe Leg Pain (Calf or thigh
Injectable Contraceptive
(Progestin Only Contraceptives)
DMPA (Depoprovera)
at 12 weeks interval
NET.EN (Norigest)
at 8 weeks interval
Policy
Injectable will be given to women who need a long term method.
Injectable will not be given to:
A woman who is pregnant or suspected to be pregnant.
Postpartum women before 6 weeks of childbirth if breastfeeding
Injectables will be given to women immediately after abortion.
Advantages
Highly effective-99.9%
Long active/Keep privacy
Can be given to lactating mothers; does not affect the quantity and quality
of breast milk estrogen related side effects.
limitaions
Delayed fertility return after stopping the injection.
Menstrual changes like spotting, irregular bleeding
Amenorrhea may occur after prolonged use
Need trained provider
No protection against STIS including HIV/AIDS
Barrier Methods.
Condoms
A condom is sheath or covering made of thin latex rubber that fits aver a man‟s
erect penis. A condom works by creating a barrier that keeps sperms out of the vagina
thus preventing pregnancy
Advantages
Prevents sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS
Easy to use, usually easy to obtain
Effective back-up method
Cost effective
Safe and have no hormonal side effects.
Limitations Latex condoms may cause itching in some people who have latex
allergy may decrease sensation, making sex less enjoyable
High failure rates
Re supply must be available.
Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD)
Policy
IUCD will be inserted by a medical or paramedical health care provider who is
trained in its insertion technique
IUCD insertion will be done in a facility that has acceptable standerds for asepsis
and infection control.
Advantages
Do not interfere with sex
Limitaions
Menstrual irregularities.
Longer and heavier periods
More cramps or pains during periods (first few months)
Pain, bleeding or spotting may occur immediately after IUCD insertion, lasting for a day
or two.
May come out of the uterus without woman‟s knowledge
IUCD strings needs to be chocked after every menstrual period
Does no protect against STIS including HIV/AIDS
Islamic Perspective
Planning in Islam
For nations, communities and individuals, planning is essential in their growth
and ultimate success. For a Muslim, planning is a Sunnah that will help establish him or
her firmly in their work thereby yielding its blessed and successful fruit. The setting of
goals, making plans and designing strategies to assure the accomplishment of objectives
are all Islamic Sunnah. This is according to the Qur'an and the practice of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him). Planning, therefore, must be at the center of a Muslim's
life, in all his or her moral, political, social and economic activities. Unfortunately, this
precious Sunnah, however, is not apparent in the lives and activities of the Muslims
today. It is the absence of this Sunnah that has contributed much to our failures and
suffering.
Planning in the Holy Qur'an
The Holy Qur'an teaches the Muslims to be strategists and planners in their
affairs. It shows this in a number of ways: through the stories of the prophets, the law of
Allah in nature, and in praising the people of vision and foresight.
An illustration of this can be seen in the story of Prophet Moses (p) and his
strategies in approaching the Pharaoh of Egypt. When Allah commanded Moses to go to
Egypt and call the Pharaoh to God, Moses accepted the order and spelled out his plans as
can be seen in Surah Taha, Verses 25-32.
"Moses said: Oh my Lord! Expand my chest (with faith, knowledge and affection);
ease my task for me; and remove the impediment from my speech, so they may
understand what I say: and give me a minister of my family, Aaron, my brother; add to
my strength through him, and make him share my task." Qur'an, 20:25-32
The structure and life cycle of a typical plan is very much similar to the example of the
"goodly word" given in the above verses. In fact a plan functions just like a tree in many
ways. First of all, an action is based on a plan, just as are the roots for a tree. Then, a plan
in its results is like a tree and its fruits. Some plans are design to yield short-term results,
while others are made for the long-term. Finally, like the branches of a tree reaching to
heavens, a well-thought-out and properly-executed plan can bring about a successful
conclusion with far-reaching consequences.
On the other hand actions taking without proper planning or little or no planning at all are
as useless as an uprooted tree. It will fail to yield any fruit, just as unplanned,
directionless and "unstable" work will fail to achieve its objectives. But the truth is that
Allah (swt) establishes in strength those who believe in the "goodly word", or "plan" that
stands "firmly fixed" or "based on vision and insight." This is the truth here in this world
and in the Hereafter.
For nations, communities and individuals, planning is essential in their growth and
ultimate success. For a Muslim, planning is a Sunnah that will help establish him or her
firmly in their work thereby yielding its blessed and successful fruit. Muslim councils
supported by research institutions and think-tanks must be established to resolve crisis,
draw and design plans for all Muslims to follow. In the book, The Solution to the Muslim
Crisis, the concept of Islamic research institutions, think-tanks, the Sunnah of
Preparation, Consistency, Prerequisite, Maturity, and Punctuality are studied as
indivisible parts of Muslim prosperity and success.
Family Planning in the Light of Islam
Planned Family
What does family planning mean? It means to jointly decide how many children to have
and when to have them through mutual consultation, cooperation and joint decision
making between the husband and wife. The decision making process about when and
how many children to have requires physical and mental preparation, taking into
consideration the family economic situation and the family maturity in being able to take
care of child adequately.
A FAMILY IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAM
In Islam a family is a very important institution where parents play a vital role and they
establish the foundation for a family. In Islam it is not sufficient to ensure that the basic
needs of family members such as food, clothing, education, accommodation, and health
care are met. Islam also advocates that with in the families both husband and wife should
maintain good physical and mental health and ensure a close and intimate relation ship
between them. All discrimination and distances between them should be eliminated. They
should make sure that their family is not larger then they can handle.
We can now understand that a model family means:
A family which has been formed is a planed way
A family in which its members are granted their basic human rights.
A family where rights, prestige and position of the member are established without
discrimination.
A family where the development of individual family members and the family as a
Whole is encouraged and facilities for such developments are provided readily.
Where basic demands, and rights of children adolescents, adult‟s man and woman are
consider with the importance regardless of the nature of the issue.
Environment of a family
Cleanliness is the first and foremost issue regarding a family environment. A neat and
clean family environment directly affects the mentality of the family members. Peace of
mind is also very important for a peaceful and happy family life.
Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Cleanliness is half of the Iman”. (Tirmizi)
A husband and wife‟s relationship can influence the family environment:
Husband are directed to play there roles with care.
ALLAH (SWT) said:
“(Consort) with them in kindness, for if you hate it may happen that you hate a thing
where is Allah has placed much good.”
In this verse we can see how Allah tells couples to take care of their relationship.The
father has to provide his children and there mother with sustenance. Allah says “father
has to provide them (child and mother) with sustenance and clothing in a decent manner”
(2:233)
Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Childs right upon his father is to be taught well behavior and to be given a fine name”
Young children need to be taught lessons on what to do and what not to do.
In this regards Our Prophet (PBUH) said”
“Children right upon the father is to be taught about how to write, how to swim and how
to throw arrow and not being fed but good food”
A healthy family environment, cleanliness, peaceful living and a responsible life style are
essential for welfare of the family and society.
Family Planning in Islam
Birth control is permissible according to Islam, which recognizes that the sexual act is
more than just a means of procreation.
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the most commonly practiced
method of birth control was 'azl or the withdrawal method If repeated pregnancies have
weakened the woman's body or becoming pregnant would threaten her life, such birth
control may be construed as a necessity, Modern scholar Shaykh Ahmad al-Sharabassi of
Egypt has pronounced the following as genuine reasons for practicing contraception:
1. So that the woman may rest between pregnancies.
2. If either partner has a transmittable disease.
3. For the sake of the woman's health. For example if she is already breast-feeding a
child it would be damaging for both her and the child to have another pregnancy.
4. If the husband can not afford to support any more children.
Since most "modern" methods of birth control have the same aim as the withdrawal
method --- to frustrate the attempt of the sperm to fertilize the egg --- we can by analogy
assume that modern birth control is also permissible.
Reverse able Methods:
Among the methods that work by preventing fertilization of the egg by the sperm are: the
"Pill", IUD, diaphragm, condom, sponge, spermicides, and the rhythm method.
IUD (Intrauterine Device:
Of these the most questionable is the IUD (Intrauterine Device), since if a woman
becomes pregnant while using this device, there is a higher likelihood that the pregnancy
will occur outside the womb (ectopic) or be aborted during the second term. This method
is best for women who have already had at least one child.
Pill:
The Pill is a very effective method if the woman can remember to take the pill at the
same time everyday, and can tolerate the side effects that sometimes effect pill users.
This method is generally considered safe for women who are under the age of 35 who do
not smoke.
Diaphragm:
The diaphragm is a barrier method which is most effective when the woman has
experience with inserting the device and her partner has the patience to wait.
Condom and sponge:
The condom and sponge are easily available barrier methods that don't require a visit to
the doctor. Again, patience is needed on the part of both partners while the condom is put
on or the sponge is inserted.
Spermicides
Spermicides are usually used in conjunction with another method (such as the sponge,
diaphragm, or condom) to increase the contraceptive effectiveness of that method. Some
people have allergic-type reactions to the chemicals in these jelly-like substances, and
must discontinue using them.
Douching:
Douching is considered to be a very ineffective way to prevent a pregnancy, since it
actually forces the sperm up towards the uterus.
The Rhythm Method, also called Fertility Awareness, involves avoiding intercourse on
the days when the women is most fertile.
Irreversible methods
Other methods of birth control are called "irreversible" methods, and include
Vasectomy
Tubal ligation
Hysterectomy
All three involve surgical procedures to permanently end the fertility of the man or
woman. Sometimes these procedures are reversible, but it is not guaranteed.
Islamic scholars usually say that such irreversible methods of contraception are
forbidden, based upon a hadith of the Prophet (SAW) forbidding some early Muslim men
to castrate themselves. In addition, such surgical intervention into the human body
without need alters the true nature of our bodies as Allah (SWT) created them. Again,
such methods become permissible in the case of necessity.
Occasionally even reversible birth control can become unlawful. This can happen on a
temporary basis if the issue of population control is politicized. For example, if a non-
Muslim government tries to impose birth control on its Muslim citizens in order to
deplete their numbers, a sheikh could issue a fatwa (ruling) saying that birth control is
forbidden, until that situation passes. Many of the Muslims who opposed the Family
Planning conference in Egypt in 1994 did so because they saw birth control being used as
a weapon against Muslims, to control the Muslim population, which is growing faster
than that of any other religion.
After a woman gives birth, she is temporarily unable to become pregnant, while her body
recovers from the pregnancy. If she is breast-feeding the new baby, she is even less likely
to become pregnant. This breast-feeding "method" of birth control is NOT guaranteed to
prevent pregnancy, but it has been shown that if a woman is breast-feeding regularly, like
every 4 hours, without giving supplemental feedings, then she is unlikely to ovulate. If a
woman goes 10-12 hours or longer without breast feeding her infant, then her cycle is
likely to return.
For a nursing mother there is a 1% chance that she will become pregnant within the first
3 months after delivering a baby, a 5% chance within the first 6 months, and a 10%
chance within the first year. For a non-nursing mother, the percentages are 3% for the
first 3 months, 15% for 6 months and a 25% chance she will become pregnant again
within a year. These figures assume that no other method of birth control is being used.
A Muslim has three sources of knowledge to obtain answers to the questions
pertaining to various aspects of human life. These sources are:
1. The Holy Qur'an;
2. Sayings (hadith) and acts (Sunnah) of the Holy Prophet (pbuh); and
3. The views of the leaders of juristic schools qualified to interpret the teachings
of Islam.
1. The Holy Qur'an
No Qur'anic text forbids prevention of conception. There are, however, some
Qur'anic verses which prohibit infanticide and these are used by some Muslims
to discourage birth control.
But contraception does not amount to killing a human being. These verses in fact
were revealed to forbid the pre-Islamic Arab practice of killing or burying alive a
newborn child (particularly a girl) on account of the parents' poverty or to refrain
from having a female child. Perhaps in those days, people did not know safe
methods of contraception and early abortion.
2. Hadith
The principle of preventing conception was accepted in those sayings of the
Prophet (pbuh) which allowed some of his followers to practice 'azl or coitus
interruptus. These ahadith embodied the earliest legal reasoning of Muslims on
contraception and were essential instruments of argument in later Islamic thought
on contraception. There is a sufficient number of ahadith on contraception. The
most commonly quoted ones are the following.
1. According to Jabir, "We used to practice 'azl in the Prophet's (pbuh) lifetime
while the Qur'an was being revealed." There is another version of the same
hadith, "We used to practice coitus interruptus during the Prophet's (pbuh)
lifetime. News of this reached him and he did not forbid us."
2. According to Jabir, "A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, 'I have a
slave girl, and we need her as a servant and around the palm groves. I have sex
with her, but I am afraid of her becoming pregnant.' The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'Practice 'azl with her if you so wish, for she will receive what has been
predestined for her.'"
3. According to Abu Sa'id, "We rode out with the Prophet (pbuh) to raid Banu al-
Mustaliq and captured some female prisoners . . . we desired women and
abstinence became hard. [But] we wanted to practice 'azl; and asked the Prophet
(pbuh) about it. He said, 'You do not have to hesitate, for God has predestined
what is to be created until the judgment day.'"
4. According to Abu Sa'id, "The Jews say that coitus interruptus is minor
infanticide, and the Prophet (pbuh) answered, 'The Jews lie, for if God wanted to
create something, no one can avert it (or divert Him).'"
5. According to 'Umar Ibn Khattab, "The Prophet (pbuh) forbade the practice of
'azl with a free woman except with her permission."
6. According to Anas, "A man asked the Prophet (pbuh) about 'azl and the
Prophet (pbuh) said, 'Even if you spill a seed from which a child was meant to be
born on a rock, God will bring forth from that rock a child.'"
These ahadith reflect two points: first that the Prophet (pbuh) knew about the
practice and did not prohibit it (no. 1), and second, that the Prophet (pbuh)
himself permitted the practice (no. 2 & 3).
The hadith from Judhamah (no.7) was an approximation to the homicide
traditions of the Jewish and Christian traditions. This hadith provided support for
Ibn Hazm's minority view that 'azl was prohibited by the Prophet (pbuh). But
medieval jurists used the hadith about the Jews (no. 4) to refute the argument for
prohibition. They claimed that how the Prophet (pbuh) could have maintained
that the Jews lied by calling 'azl akin to infanticide and then have maintained the
same opinion himself.
Two of these (Qur'an and Sunnah) are religious sources. The other two principles
include analogical reasoning (qiyas) and the consensus of the 'ulama (ijma').
The most detailed analysis of Islamic permission of contraception was made by
the great leader of the Shafi'i School of jurism, al-Ghazzali (1058-1111). He Al-
Ghazzali stated that there was no basis for prohibiting 'azl. For prohibition in
Islam was possible only by adducing an original text (nass, an explicit provision
in the Qur'an or hadith) or by analogy with a given text. In the case of
contraception, there was no such text, nor was there any principle on which to
base prohibition.
In his view, coitus interruptus was permitted absolutely (mubah) and this
permission could be ratified by analogical reasoning. A man could refrain from
marriage; or marry but abstain from mating or have sexual mating but abstain
from ejaculation inside the vagina--'azl. Although it was better to marry, have
intercourse, and have ejaculation inside the vagina, abstention from these was
by no means forbidden or unlawful.
Al-Ghazzali made a distinction between infanticide and contraception. He said
that a child could not be formed merely by the emission of the spermatic fluid, but
by the settling of semen in the woman's womb; for children were not created by
the man's semen alone but of both parents together. So contraception could not
be compared with infanticide which was the killing of an existing being while
contraception was different.
In the process of contraception, the two (male and female) emissions are
analogous to two elements, 'offer' (ijab) and 'acceptance' (qabul) which are
components of a legal contract in Islamic law. Someone who submits an offer
and then withdraws it before the other party accepts it is not guilty of any
violation, for a contract does not come into existence before acceptance. In the
same manner, there is no real difference between the man's emission or
retention of the semen unless it actually mixes with the woman's 'semen'.
Al-Ghazzali accepts prevention or contraception if the motive for the act is any of
these: (1) a desire to preserve a woman's beauty or her health, or save her life;
(2) desire to avoid financial hardship and embarrassment; (3) avoidance of other
domestic problems caused by a large family. He did not accept avoidance of
female birth as a legitimate motive for contraception.
Some other scholars of the Prophet's (pbuh) tradition, like Ibn Majah and Ahmad,
agreed that coitus interruptus was permitted by the Prophet (pbuh).
This in brief is the review of juristic opinion about contraception. There is no
doubt that the earliest followers of the Prophet (pbuh) practised 'azl. This practice
was within his knowledge and he did not forbid it.
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY PLANNING
Family Planning for Social Reasons:
Islam does not sanction family planning to meet with the demands of present day fashion
or social reasons e.g., it is fashionable to have small families: having a large family may
curtail the social activities of the wife having many children may spoil her “figure”
although Islam encourages a woman to look well and to beautiful herself for the sake of
her husband, it does not sanction the same for sake of public approbation, which is the
present trend. The Holy Quran: “And tell the believing woman to lower their gaze and
guard their modesty: that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except that
what (must ordinarily) appear there of: that they should draw their veils over their
bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands…” (Al-Noor-31)
Family Planning for Professional Reasons:
As far as the practicing of family planning for professional reason to facilities a wife to
pursue a career is concerned, it should be made clear that Islam place no burden on the
shoulders of a woman or any responsibility for her to earn a living. Her maintenance
before marries is the responsibility of her father, after marriage her husband, and in old
Age her children. Islam does not want that a woman works like a laborer in markets or be
exploited economically. The general rule, therefore, is that it is not permissible to control
the birth of on children on account of professional reason.
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that there are cases where a woman is forced to seek
employment to maintain her children or family on account of desperate circumstances.
Under such circumstances it would be permissible for the couple to adopt reversible
methods of birth control.
This relaxation, however, does not apply to those women who merely try to
maintain a very high standard of living; or who try to earn and accumulate as much
wealth as possible in order to keep in step with the current fashionable trends. This would
defeat the object of the creation of woman and destroy the family unit, which is the
foundation of every society.
It is against the spirit of Islam that women leave their homes in pursuit of professional
careers, money and social status. Allah advices Muslims women in Quran as follows:
“stay in your houses and do not go about displaying your fineries as women used to do in
the days of ignorance.” (AL-Ahzab-33)
But another important point needs a special mention here. Islam says great stress a
providing education and health facilities to all citizens. To provide these services to the
female population the female educationists and health personal will have to come
forward
To run the women educational and health institutions. It will therefore he imperative for
the female teachers, doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff to leave their houses.
There may be some other outdoor professions where the services of female workers
would be required. An Islamic society and the country administration will have to make
special arrangements to facilitate their works and also allow them special concession.
These working women will have to abide be all rules of “hijab” as mentioned in Quran
and Sunnah.
Family Planning for Spacing Children:
The concept of spacing children means the practice of contraception in order to
allow a reasonable time period between the births of any two children: the purpose being
that each child receives adequate attention of the mother in its upbringing. In the difficult
task of nourishing, training and educating a child, the full attention of a mother is
required. If a baby is born every year, then it is extremely difficult to provide the
necessary care and attention for each child. From the discussion in Raddul Mohtar and
other books of Islam jurisprudence, it can be deduced, that if another pregnancy would
seriously affect the care and upbringing of the exciting child, then reversible methods of
birth control may be practiced.
Thus family planning towards the spacing of children, so that each child receive
adequate attention, would be permissible in Islam. However, it must be emphasized that
even this concession should be treated wit respect. It must be made clear that spacing of
children should not be used as a pretext for continuing family planning for an indefinite
period, for this will b contrary to the injunction of our Holy Prophet(S.A.W) who said:
“Marry and procreate”
Family Planning for Medical Reasons:
There might be a number of situations where contraception may have to be considered for
medical reasons. For instance, if having children endangers mother physical health
,mental health or even her life, or a women is physically crippled and is unable to care of
herself, or a women suffers from a psychiatric illness, incompatible with the
responsibilities of bearing and caring for a baby or she is suffering from a fatal disease
with limited life expectancy.
If an experience doctor in all honesty and sincerity, is of opinion that having children
would endanger mother health e.g. if she is suffering from cardiac disease, renal disease
or her life would be threatened, then it is permissible for the couple to adopt reversible
method of contraception.