Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
There is some difference of opinion regarding contraception. The position of the Hanafi Madhab is that it is permitted to use contraception. However, it must be done in consultation with one’s spouse.
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: كُنَّا نَعْزِلُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ نَبِيَّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمْ يَنْهَنَا
(Sayidina) Jabir (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said, ‘We used to practise al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This reached the Prophet of Allah ﷺ but he did not forbid us.’ (Sahih Muslim, 1440 – 138).
The Sahih Hadith above is clear regarding the issue of al-Azl (coitus-interruptus) being permissible. If it was prohibited, then the Prophet ﷺ would have informed them of the prohibition. Azl (coitus-interruptus) was a form of contraception or birth control present in the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
If the Hadith is clear and authentic, then why is there a difference of opinion? As always, differences that exists between the Madhaahib (schools of jurisprudence) of Ahl al-Sunnah, between credible classical scholars, have evidence for both sides.
ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ عَنِ الْعَزْلِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ذَلِكَ الْوَأْدُ الْخَفِيّ»، زَادَ عُبَيْدُ اللهِ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: عَنِ الْمُقْرِئِ، وَهِيَ: وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ
Then they asked him ﷺ about al-Azl (coitus-interruptus). So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘That is the subtle infanticide.’ Ubaydillah added in his narration from al-Muqri, and it is ‘When the infant, buried alive, is asked.’ (Surah al-Takweer, 8). (Sahih Muslim, 1442 – 141).
The Hadith above is cited as evidence by those who did not consider al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) to be permitted. Other scholars reconciled the Hadith narrations that seem to prohibit with the Hadith narrations that seem to permit in a number of ways. One suggestion made was that the Hadith in Muslim above has been abrogated. Therefore, the established ruling is that of permissibility as found in the other Hadith narrations.
وَهَذَا دَلِيلٌ لِمَنْ لَمْ يُجَوِّزِ الْعَزْلَ. وَمَنْ جَوَّزَهُ يَقُولُ هَذَا مَنْسُوخٌ أَوْ تَهْدِيدٌ أَوْ بَيَانُ الْأُولَى وَهُوَ الْأَوْلَى. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)
And this is evidence for those who did not permit contraception (al-Azl, coitus-interruptus). Those who permitted it said this is abrogated, or a warning, or a clarification of what is most preferable, and that is most fitting. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).
The following Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari is also important to consider when discussing the issue of contraception. However, it is not decisive. Rather there is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning. As mentioned by Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr.
فَأَرَدْنَا أَنْ نَعْزِلَ، وَقُلْنَا نَعْزِلُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا قَبْلَ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ، فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: مَا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا، مَا مِنْ نَسَمَةٍ كَائِنَةٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ القِيَامَةِ إِلَّا وَهِيَ كَائِنَةٌ
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that we wanted to practice al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception). We said, (how can we) practice al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) whilst the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is amongst us before we ask him. So, we asked him ﷺ about it. He ﷺ said, ‘There is no harm in you not doing so. There is no soul that will exist until the day of judgement, except that it will exist.’ (Sahih, al- Bukhari, 4138).
فَقَدِ اخْتُلِفَ فِي مَعْنَاهُ. فَقِيلَ مَا عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْعَزْلِ وَلَا فِي امْتِنَاعِكُمْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ فَاعْزِلُوا أَوْ لَا تَعْزِلُوا فَقَدْ فُرِغَ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ وَإِعْدَادِهِمْ وَمَا قُضِيَ وَسَبَقَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَا محالة. قال الله عز وجل (وكل شيء أحصينه كتبا) وَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ (وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مُسْتَطَرٌ). وَقِيلَ بَلْ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ لَا تَفْعَلُوا أَيْ لَا تَفْعَلُوا الْعَزْلَ كَأَنَّهُ نَهَى عَنْهُ. (الاستذكار)
They differed regarding the meaning. It was said that the meaning is that there is no issue with you practicing al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) or refraining from it. Therefore use contraception or do not use contraception (it is all the same). Indeed the issue of creation and its number has been concluded, decreed and established in the knowledge of Allah (Most High). Thus it will certainly take place, there is no escape.
Allah Mighty and Majestic said: We have recorded all things in a book. (Surah al-Naba, 29). And He Mighty and Majestic said: And everything they do is in the record. Every minor and major (deed) is inscribed. (Surah al-Qamar, 52 -53).
And it has been said that the meaning of his ﷺ saying, ‘in you not doing so,’ is do not practice al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception). It seems to be a prohibition. (Imam Abu Umar bin Abd al-Barr, al-Istidhkaar).
Despite this difference of opinion, which should be respected, it can be argued that the Prophet ﷺ would have been more explicit and used stronger language if al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) was prohibited (Haram).
When it comes to the Sahabah we find differing narrations, which continues to allow for the difference of opinion that exists.
قَالَ ابْنُ الْهُمَامِ: وَصَحَّ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: هِيَ الْمَوْءُودَةُ الصُّغْرَى وَصَحَّ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا كُنْتُ أَرَى مُسْلِمًا يَفْعَلُهُ، وَقَالَ نَافِعٌ: عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ضَرَبَ عُمَرُ عَلَى الْعَزْلِ بَعْضَ بَنِيهِ، وَعَنْ عُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا يَنْهَيَانِ عَنِ الْعَزْلِ اه. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ النَّهْيَ مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى التَّنْزِيهِ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)
(Imam) Ibn al-Humaam said that it was authentically narrated from Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) that he said, ‘It al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) is the lesser infanticide. It is verified from Abu Umamah that he was asked about it, so he said, ‘I did not know of a Muslim engaging in it.’ Nafi’ narrated from Ibn Umar that Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) struck one of his sons for to al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception). It is narrated that Umar and Uthman used to prohibit al-Azl (coitus-interruptus). The apparent meaning is that the prohibition is to be understood as (Makruh) Tanzeehi. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).
وَقَدْ اتَّفَقَ عُمَرُ وَعَلِيٌّ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا – أَنَّهَا لَا تَكُونُ مَوْءُودَةً حَتَّى تَمُرَّ عَلَيْهَا التَّارَاتُ السَّبْعُ. أَسْنَدَ أَبُو يَعْلَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: جَلَسَ إلَيَّ عُمَرُ وَعَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَسَعْدٌ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَتُذَاكَرُوا الْعَزْلَ فَقَالُوا لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ: إنَّهُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ الصُّغْرَى، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: لَا تَكُونُ مَوْءُودَةً حَتَّى تَمُرَّ عَلَيْهَا التَّارَاتُ السَّبْعُ. (فتح القدير)
And indeed Umar and Ali (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) agreed that it (the foetus) is not a victim of infanticide unless it has experienced seven stages. Abu Ya’la and others narrated from Ubaydillah bin Rifa’ah, from his father that a number of Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were sat with him, amongst them Umar, Ali, Zubair and Sa’d (May Allah Most High be pleased with them all), and they discussed al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception). They said there is no harm in it. So, a man amongst them said, they claim that it is minor infanticide. So (Sayidina) Ali said, ‘It is not infanticide until it has passed seven stages.’ (Imam Ibn Humaam, Fath al-Qadeer).
The position Imam Ibn Humam narrated from these great Sahabah is supported by a Hadith narration in Tirmidhi:
عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّا كُنَّا نَعْزِلُ، فَزَعَمَتِ اليَهُودُ أَنَّهَا المَوْءُودَةُ الصُّغْرَى، فَقَالَ: كَذَبَتِ اليَهُودُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ
(Sayidina) Jabir (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated: We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we practice Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception), but the Jews claim that it is minor infanticide. ‘So he ﷺ said, ‘The Jews have lied. If Allah (Most High) wants to create it, nothing can prevent Him (Most High).’ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1136).
Despite the above Nusoos (texts), there are claims that all scholars consider al-Azl (coitus-interruptus) to be permissible. However, these claims are not upheld. Rather there does exist a difference of opinion. Although such claims from great scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah do indicate that a great majority of scholars held the position of permissibility.
واتفق أئمة الفتوى على جواز العزل عن الحرة إذا أذنت فيه لزوجها. (شرح البخاري لابن بطال)
The Imams of Fatwa (legal rulings) are in agreement regarding the permissibility of al-Azl (coitus-interruptus, contraception) with a free wife if she permits it for her husband. (Imam Abu al-Hasan Ibn Battaal, Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).
The Hanafi Madhab took the position of permissibility regarding the issue of contraception. However, they did mention the stipulation of consulting one’s spouse and gaining permission.
وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ سَدُّ الْمَرْأَةِ فَمَ رَحِمِهَا كَمَا تَفْعَلُهُ النِّسَاءُ لِمَنْعِ الْوَلَدِ حَرَامًا بِغَيْرِ إذْنِ الزَّوْجِ قِيَاسًا عَلَى عَزْلِهِ بِغَيْرِ إذْنِهَا. (البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق)
It should be considered prohibited for a woman to seal the passage to her womb without the permission of her husband, as is practiced by some women in order to prevent pregnancy. Just as it is prohibited for him to practice al-Azl (coitus-interruptus) without her permission. (Imam Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Raiq).
And Allah Most High Knows Best
-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (07.12.2022)
-With special thanks to Sidi Yusuf Asghar for assisting with nusoos translation
See also:
Is abortion permitted in Islam? What is the ruling?
Respecting difference of opinion.
See also video:
