What does Islam say about having children?

Friday, 01 July 2011 00:00

Sayyed Roohullah Musavi

09192530560

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ويرايش متن، تغيير سؤال و ويرايش کلمات کليدي و نگارش کلمات مرتبط

Amateur

couple, child, husband, divorce, reproduction, marriage, sustenance, happiness, law of nature
unwise husband, family problems, marital life, prosperous family, happy family, population control, philosophy of life, long life, ideal family

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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\ltrpar\fi720\lang1033\f0\fs28 One of the possible problems that may arise for some married couples is having a child. That is, a woman may want to have a child but her husband disagrees, or vice versa. This problem sometimes becomes very serious and a couple may resort to divorce as a result of their disagreement.
\par \pard\ltrpar ab 'Mrs _____ made a complaint to the court and said, "I married at the age of twenty-seven. My husband had just graduated from university. He was a lecturer in one of the universities and I felt that I was a lucky woman. However, my husband disagrees with our having a child. I do not understand him because we are both healthy and have enough money to bring up at least two children. He does not dislike children and treats his nieces and nephews well. I am thirty years old and naturally I wish to be a mother. He understands my feelings but says that a child would be a cause of inconvenience in our lives, and so on." This woman is confronted with a problem which is so serious that the couple has decided to get a divorce, so that she could remarry and he would have enough time for his scientific research.' [1]
\par ab Love for children and reproduction is a natural desire of human beings and even of animals. Children are the fruit of life and the best legacy of mankind. The life of one who has children will not end when he dies, but rather it would be continued as if with an extended life. A person without a child or children would feel lonely and forlorn throughout their life, and would feel even worse in old age. A house without children is a place of boredom and would lack warmth and love. A marriage would always be in danger of breaking down if there were no children. Thus children are the source of family warmth and survival.
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\par \pard\ltrpar\fi720\li720 Imam Sadiq (as) said: 'One's happiness is in having children.' [2]
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\par \pard\ltrpar\li1440 The Prophet of Islam (sa) said: 'Give birth to many children because on the Day of Judgment I will take pride in your numbers over the other Ummahs (nations).' [3]
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\par \pard\ltrpar\fi720 Love for a child is a natural desire, but some people are deviated from their natural 'self' and are affected by a type of illness whereby they offer different excuses, such as the lack of money, for not having children. However, Allah guarantees that He would give sustenance to all His creatures.
\par \pard\ltrpar ab 'Bakr ibn Saleh said, "I wrote a letter to Imam Abu al-Hasan (as) saying that I had been taking preventive measures against having a child for five years because my wife had been reluctant to have a child, and she was saying lack of money would make it difficult for us to bring up a child. I asked Imam Abu al-Hasan his opinion on this matter. He replied, "Do not prevent [yourself from] having a child because Allah Almighty will provide him sustenance."' [4] Allah will even increase a family's sustenance due to the blessings of children. There are many people who were in great difficulty before having their children, but found a comfortable life afterwards.
\par ab Some people regard children as inconvenient. This is not true. \b As a matter of fact, children are the best source of enjoyment and amusement for parents.\b0 Of course, taking care of children is not without difficulty and trouble, but since it conforms with the law of nature, one can cope with all the difficulties and as such it is worth taking the trouble involved. How narrow-minded are those men and women who for the sake of not having children resort to divorce!
\par ab Is it not really surprising that a man, and an educated one at that, should disagree with the laws of nature so persistently that he would even be prepared to divorce his wife?
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\par ___________
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\par References
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\par [1] \i Ittela'at\i0 , 28th Bahman, 1350 Solar Hijri.
\par [2] \i Wasa'il al-Shi'a\i0 , vol. 15, p. 97.
\par [3] Ibid., p. 96.
\par [4] Ibid., p. 99.
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Principles of Family Ethics by Ayatullah I. Amini

Principles of family ethics

121

121-09192530560-203

Kawther Rahmani

Pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy and childbirth 30%

Motherhood (caring for children)
Nutrition and hygiene

Motherhood (caring for children) 50%
Nutrition and hygiene 50%