Muslim Beliefs about Life and Death » Childlessness, Contraception and Celibacy in Islam

Childlessness: a gift and a test

Childlessness, Fertility Treatment and Genetic Engineering explained why some couples cannot have children and what treatments exist. This lesson gives the Muslim teaching. Muslims believe that children are a gift from Allah. Qur'an 42:49-50 says that Allah gives daughters or sons to whomever he wills, gives both to some, and makes others childless. So children are not something a couple can demand, and a couple without children is not seen as worth less.

Many Muslims also see childlessness as a test, like the other tests in Life as a Test: Evil and Suffering in Islam. The response taught there is sabr (patience) and trust in Allah, together with du'a (prayer of request). The Qur'an says that the prophet Zakariyya prayed to Allah for a child when he was very old, and Allah answered by giving him a son, Yahya. Qur'an 18:46 reminds believers that wealth and children are the "adornment" of this life, but lasting good deeds are better in Allah's sight.

Key terms:

• Nasab: a child's family line, the link to their birth mother and father. Islam protects it carefully.

Fertility treatment

Islam encourages marriage and children, and it also encourages seeking medical help, because a hadith says that Allah has sent down a cure for every illness. So most scholars accept fertility treatment. The key question is whose sperm and eggs are used.

Genetic engineering

Muslim scholars separate treatment from vanity. Using genetic science to prevent or treat a serious disease is accepted by most, because it protects life and health. Changing a child to suit a parent's wishes, for example choosing height or eye colour, is not accepted. Some Muslims link this to Qur'an 4:119, where Shaytan says he will lead people to change Allah's creation. Many Muslims also say that Allah made humans in the best of forms, so no one should be treated as a product to be designed.

Contraception

Contraception, Celibacy, Adoption and Fostering explained the general ideas. Here is the Muslim teaching. Most Muslim scholars allow reversible methods of contraception for good reasons, such as protecting the mother's health, spacing out births so each child can be cared for, or the strain of a very large family. They point to a report from the early Muslim community that men practised a form of birth control while the Qur'an was still being revealed, and were not stopped.

• Accepted by most: reversible methods such as condoms or the pill, if they prevent conception and do not end an existing pregnancy. A method that does end a pregnancy is treated as abortion (see Sanctity of Life and Abortion: Islamic Views).
• Discouraged: permanent methods such as sterilisation, because they go against the encouragement to have children. Most scholars allow them only for serious medical need.
• Not a good reason: fear of poverty alone. Qur'an 17:31 forbids killing children for fear of poverty, because Allah provides for them. Many scholars take this to mean that fear of poverty alone is not a good reason to avoid having children.

A few Muslims go further and say that all contraception should be avoided, because a child is Allah's decision. Most reply that planning is not the same as refusing Allah's gift.

Celibacy

Celibacy means choosing not to marry or have sexual relationships. Islam rejects it as a way of life. Muslims often say that there is no monasticism in Islam, meaning living apart as monks or nuns, usually unmarried. Muslims point to Qur'an 57:27, which says that monasticism was introduced by people and was not prescribed by Allah. Marriage is the sunnah of the Prophet. A well-known hadith tells of three men who planned to give up marriage, fast every day or pray all night. The Prophet said that he fears Allah more than they do, yet he fasts and eats, prays and sleeps, and marries, and that whoever turns away from his sunnah is not one of his people.

Muslims give three main reasons. Muslims teach that:

1. marriage is part of faith and brings love and mercy (see Muslim Marriage: Nikah, Mahr and Choosing a Partner).
2. marriage is the lawful place for sexual desire, so it protects chastity (keeping sexual relationships for marriage) (see Love, Sex and Relationships in Islam).
3. family life is a way to worship Allah, since raising children and caring for others is a good deed.

This does not mean that every Muslim must marry. Qur'an 24:33 tells those who cannot yet find a way to marry to keep themselves chaste until Allah provides for them. Being unmarried, for example through illness or lack of money, is accepted. Rejecting marriage as a holier path is not.

Caring for orphans

Adoption and fostering were explained in Contraception, Celibacy, Adoption and Fostering. This is the Muslim view. Some Muslims, including couples who cannot have children, care for a child who needs a family. Caring for an orphan (a child without a parent) is a great good deed. A hadith says that the person who looks after an orphan will be as close to the Prophet in paradise as two fingers of one hand. Qur'an 93:9 tells believers not to oppress the orphan.

The Islamic form is often called kafala, which means sponsoring and caring for a child. However, Qur'an 33:4-5 says that adopted children are not to be treated as the couple's own by birth: they are to be called by their fathers' names. So the child keeps the birth family's name and nasab, and does not automatically inherit like a birth child, though the carers may leave a gift in a will. Fostering for a time, or adoption in the UK, can be seen as a good deed when these rules are respected.

Exam-style question

Paper 1 style. Choose one religion and answer for Islam.

(a) Identify three Muslim attitudes or teachings about contraception, childlessness or celibacy. [3 marks, AO1]

(b) Choose one religion. Outline two Muslim teachings about fertility treatment. [4 marks, AO1]

(c) Choose one religion. Explain why celibacy is rejected in this religion. [6 marks, AO1, AO2]

(d) "Couples who cannot have children should adopt rather than use fertility treatment." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks, AO1, AO2]