Sex in Islam, - Is Family Planning Allowed in Islam?

The question of family planning and birth control was discussed in
detail by the Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaami. They had twenty three scholars
research this topic and present their findings on this matter. The
participants involved represented many different trends and schools of
thought. Among the participants were Muhammad Ali al-Baar, Ali
al-Saaloos, Muhammad Saeed Ramadhan al-Booti, Abdullah al-Basaam,
Hasan Hathoot and Muhammad Sayid Tantaawi. Their proceedings, papers
and discussions may be found in Part One of the Fifth Volume of
Majallah Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaami (1988/1409 A.H.). These proceedings
are 748 pages all about the question of birth control and related
issues.
The following are important points related to the issue of birth
control in Islam. These were mentioned by some of the participants in
the above program:
The institution of marriage and the want to have children was the
custom of the best of creation, the prophets and messengers chosen by
Allah. Allah says about them
"And indeed We sent messengers before you and made for them wives and offspring"
(al-Raad 38)
The best example for the believers is the example of the prophet
Muhammad (saw), who married and had children. These prophets and
messengers are the people whom Muslims should look to emulate. Allah
says
"They are those whom Allah has guided. So follow their guidance"(al-Anaam 90)
They should be emulated and not the disbelievers of the West, whose
new lifestyles - mostly out of concern for enjoying this life or
obtaining as many worldly goods as possible - discourage women from
having more children.
Islam has forbidden celibacy, monasticism and castration for such
purposes. The prophet (saw) made this clear when he told those
companions who were considering acetic forms of life:"I pray and I
sleep; I fast and I break my fast; and I marry women. Whoever turns
away from my way of life is not from me."
The prophet (saw) not only encouraged marriage but he encouraged
marrying those women who are child-bearing. He stated:"marry the
loving, child-bearing women for I shall have the largest numbers among
the prophets on the day of Resurrection."(Recorded by Ahmad and ibn
Hibban.)
From the Islamic perspective, children are a gift and a blessing from
Allah. Allah mentions some of the bounties that He has bestowed upon
mankind in the following verse:"And Allah has made for you spouses of
your own kind and has made for you, from your wives, sons and
grandsons, and has bestowed upon you good provisions."(al-Nahl 72)
Allah also said:"Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of
this world."(al-Kahf 46)
The only true provider for all mankind is Allah. If Muslims follow
what Allah has prescribed for them, Allah will provide for them. Allah
has warned about killing one's children out of fear of poverty for
either parents or the child. Allah says:"Kill not your children
because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for
them"(al-Anaam 151)
Allah also says:"And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We
shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them
is a great sin"(al-Isra 31)
Hence, Muslims should never abort or kill their children out of fear
of poverty. It is Allah who provides for them.
Based on the above points and numerous others, the scholars who
participated in the research on this question came up with the
following resolution:
*.It is not allowed to enact a general law that limits the freedom of
spouses in having children.
*.It is forbidden to "permanently" end a man's or a woman's ability to
produce children, such as by having a hysterectomy or vasectomy, as
long as that is not called for by circumstances of necessity according
to its Islamic framework.
*.It is permissible to control the timing of births with the intent of
distancing the occurrences of pregnancy or to delay it for a specific
amount of time, if there is some Shariah need for that in the opinion
of the spouses, based on mutual consultation and agreement between
them. However, this is conditioned by that not leading to any harm, by
it being done by means that are approved in the Shariah and that it
not do anything to oppose a current and existing pregnancy.

Fathwa, - How to protect my reputation when people know Im not a virgin

Question:
I have had sex in the past, and I am aware that it was a sin. My
intention is to now wait until I am married before engaging in
intercourse again, but people are already aware that I am not a
virgin. Is there anything I can I can do to redeem my reputation from
an Islamic perspective, as I am worried that potentially marriageable
prospects will not consider me due to my past.
Answer:
In the name of Allah Most Merciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.
You should make a sincere tawba and when the time is right Allah can
send you someone that your past won't matter to, only who you are
today and what you want to be tomorrow. So ask Allah for a righteous
husband and pray the Prayer of Need everyday until He does.
And Allah alone gives success.

Fathwa, - Female genital mutilation and the Koran

Question:
Are female genital mutilation and honor killing 2 practices that are
in any way advocated, condoned, or tolerated by Islam and the Koran?
Answer:
In the name of Allah Most Merciful Most Compassionate
I pray you are well and in the best of health and iman.
Absolutely not. As for female genital mutilation if the girl knew who
did this to her, she could sue that person for damages even if it was
after she had grown up.
As for honor killing, this must go through the courts, the Sacred Law
doesn't give individuals the right to kill someone like this and if
they do so, then they have committed a major sin and should be taken
to court for it. And Allah alone gives success.

Fathwa, - Impermissible seclusion (khalwa)& disability

Question:
I have a question on the issue of khalwa (seclusion). I would like to
know if there would be any dispensation on the ruling of khalwa in the
case of a person who has a disability. I suffer from a spinal
deformity which substantially impairs my agility and physical
capabilities. Taking this into account I would like to know if it
would still be haram for me to work with a non-mahram woman in a
shop/store where there may be considerable periods of time when I
would be alone with my non-mahram female colleague. The door of the
shop/store would be shut though unlocked and therefore accessible to
the general public. Please note that the extent of my disability is
such that I am not even capable of overpowering a mature child let
alone and adult female and I therefore honestly feel that I would pose
no physical threat to my non-mahrem colleague. I would however be
working in the same area of the shop/store as my colleague.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
Firstly, I pray that Allah Most High cures you and all of us from the
physical and spiritual ailments, and that he blesses you with the
quality of Sabr and records great reward in your book of deeds in
return of this disability that you have unfortunately been inflicted
with, Ameen.
As far as your question is concerned, it would be prohibitively
disliked (makruh tahriman) to remain alone (khalwa) in an enclosed
area/shop with a non-Mahram woman, even in your situation.
The meaning of being alone (khalwa) is when a man and a woman who are
not immediate family members (mahram) remain alone in a room or place
in a way that a third person is not easily able to enter upon them, or
it is not usually accessible to others. This also (according to the
scholars) includes a room/area, the door of which is closed, even if
it may not be locked. Yes, if the door remains open, then that would
not, in of itself, be considered Khalwa.
You state that you suffer from a spinal deformity which substantially
impairs your agility and physical capabilities, and that you are
incapable of overpowering an adult woman, but this, however, will not
legitimize remaining in Khalwa.
The reason being is that, the injunctions of Shariah are not based on
their legal wisdoms (hikma), rather on the legal reason (illah). As
such, even if one was sure of not falling into the unlawful, the act
will still remain unlawful.
Yes, if one�s disability has a direct connection with a particular
injunction, such as not being able to stand in prayer, etc, then one
will be permitted to take the dispensation (rukhsa) given by Shariah.
And Allah knows best