I need to know about birth control (permanent contraception). Is it permissible for the following reasons? A) My wife is weak (40-kg. weight) and suffer from many diseases during pregnancy period.B) We don't have our own home yet (we live in my uncle's home).C) I am 32 years old only and now we have 3 kids. We are poor.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Dear Brother, you should know that Allah, The Great and Al-Mighty, has guaranteed livelihood to all creatures as He Says (what means):

• {And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision...} [Quran 11:6]

• {And how many a creature carries not its [own] provision. Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.} [Quran 29:60]

Allah has also prevented us from doing what polytheists do, such as killing their children lest they become poor and needy.

Allah Says (what means): {And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.} [Quran 17:31]

He has also dishonored the polytheist due to such an above-mentioned action, and told them that it is an action of Satan. Allah Says (what means): {And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.} [Quran 6:137]

So, a Muslim is not allowed to think bad of Allah as the polytheists do; rather, he is required to rely on Him and have trust in His Promise.

Allah Says (what means):

• {And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty, and Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.} [Quran 24:32]

• {And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness.} [Quran 20:132]

In reality, there are so many Quranic verses and Prophetic Ahadeeth that state the above-mentioned point.

Based on the above, you should know that contraception is forbidden; i.e., preventing conception due to false reasons, such as poverty or unavailability of housing. This way of thinking is a devilish one.

As for your wife's weakness and becoming subject to illnesses due to pregnancy, we say that if pregnancy causes unbearable confirmed hardship to her, then she is allowed to use some easy means to stop pregnancy for some period of time. For example, she can start with contraceptive tablets, which is the easiest method. She is not allowed to use a loop as long as there is another substitutive method, since seeing/exposing the ‘Awrah (private parts) is forbidden.

The above ruling applies only when there is an unbearable hardship in case of pregnancy. For sure, troubles of pregnancy are natural and normal for pregnant women.

Allah Says (what means):

• {His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship,…} [Quran 46:15]

• {And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness…} [Quran 31:14]

Allah knows best.