Contraceptives, also known as contraception and fertility control, are methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy. Over the past 50 to 60 years, the discussion about birth control or population control has increased so much that it has become a talking point on television, radio, the Internet, and all other platforms.
Ahmad Y Abu dawood reported on the authority of Ma’qil ibn Yasar (May Allaah be pleased with him) who narrated that a man came to the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) and said:
“I have found a woman of rank and beauty, but she does not give birth. Should I marry her?” He said no. “She went back to him, but forbade it. She came to him a third time, and he (the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:” Marry women who are loving and very prolific, because I will outnumber the peoples with you. “
This Hadith indirectly calls for abstaining from contraception and similar practices.
Consequences of contraceptive methods on the health of the mother
It has been scientifically established that the use of contraceptive methods has dire consequences for the health of the mother. The female reproductive system controls a group of reproductive hormones secreted by the frontal lobe of the pituitary gland and the ovary. In the normal state, these hormones are produced in measured degrees. Any increase or decrease in this could lead to illness. Therefore, medical scientists admit that all contraceptives adversely affect their users. This is the result of many investigations carried out in this regard. Some of the dire consequences of contraceptive use are as follows:
1. Imbalance of body hormones
2. Weight gain and fluid retention in the body.
3. Severe inflammation in the female reproductive system.
4. Increased vulnerability to fatal heart attacks for those over thirty years of age, even more so for those over forty.
Death of a woman who took birth control tablets
News agencies once reported the case of a British woman who died as a result of using birth control pills. She had been using the tablets known as Valdan for eight years before switching to another known as Mitochlore on medical advice. After a few weeks of the change, she became ill and was bedridden. Later, his health deteriorated and he died.
Lately, it was established that the use of contraceptives, especially tablets, can lead to some cases of cancer.
The most balanced advice
The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had wanted to forbid breastfeeding a child if the mother became pregnant if he had not known that the Romans were doing it. This is because such breastfeeding could damage the suction and inhibit the growth of the baby.
If we reflect deeply on this prophetic guide, we would realize that the gap between one pregnancy and another takes three years, especially if we go back to Allah’s statement:
“Mothers will breastfeed their children for two full years, (that is) for those (fathers) who wish to complete the lactation period.” (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2: 233)
We would then discover that giving a mother the opportunity to fully regain her health (after childbirth) is a matter that religion commands, as opposed to the absolute prevention of pregnancy through contraceptive methods.
Situation in Arab and Muslim countries
It is strange that most Muslim countries have been swept away by the so-called birth control campaign under the pretext of facing economic and social challenges. Huge amounts of money are earmarked for this campaign that could be used for more useful economic and social projects. Here it is very important to note that the real problem is not the scarcity of resources, but the unequal distribution of resources among people. Today, wealth and resources circulate and are concentrated among the rich, so that the masses of the population cannot do their part.
Reports classified in one of the Arab countries confirm that what is spent on birth control campaigns in a single year in terms of vehicles purchased, doctors and nurses hired, drugs and other materials purchased, operations performed and hospitals used was enough to care for more than a million children at a time when the birth rate in that country did not exceed half a million births.
In addition to this, there are some Muslim countries that have projects and job opportunities where there is not enough manpower, forcing these countries to import workers from Asian and European countries to help them execute their projects.
On the other hand, there are other Muslim countries that are overcrowded but lack sufficient capital to establish projects in which their abundant population can find gainful employment. Can’t these countries benefit from the former to foster the brotherhood of humanity? In fact, human resources are the basis of progress and development if they are used properly instead of lamenting that there are not enough potentialities.
Contraceptive failure rate
The saying of the Prophet in the Hadith, “If Allah wanted to bring something into existence, nothing can prevent it”, is also a perfect miracle that can only be understood by those who have studied contraceptive methods and their success rate. Despite all these different methods, pregnancies still happen sometimes, if Allah (SWT) so he wishes and decrees it.
One gynecologist said: “A patient came to me and informed me that she had a tubal ligation in London and yet became pregnant a few months later.”
The failure rate of these contraceptives is 55 percent if they are barrier and intrauterine methods, and the rate drops to 1 percent only if they are performed by surgical operations and by an experienced surgeon. However, many researchers still record a failure rate of up to 37 percent in operations performed even by experienced surgeons. There are even cases of pregnancy after removal of the uterus. Therefore, the noble Prophetic Hadith is a perfect miracle to establish this scientific fact. And Allah (SWT) tastes better.
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