What is your opinion about the use condoms and oral contraceptives?

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.

The Sharee'ah ruling concerning contraceptives is different from one kind to another of such methods and means. So, there is no harm in using condoms provided it is with the wife's consent and as long as such use does not cause any harm.

As for using other contraceptives such as tablets, injections and loops, those are not to be used except in case of necessity or dire need. For example, for a woman whose delivery is not normal or one who is subject to unbearable hardships while pregnant. Here, one is allowed to follow what is safer and easier taking into consideration health and religious prohibitions, such as displaying and looking at the ‘Awrah.

Perhaps one can avoid all that is harmful or prohibited by planning his sexual life with his wife.

So, it is recommended to avoid having sex with his wife in her period of fertilization in order to avoid pregnancy. One is to avoid sex with his wife during menses and then to have sex during the remaining days of the first ten days that start with her monthly period.

Then, it is recommended to stop having sex for the next ten days to avoid pregnancy. After that, he can have sex during the last ten days of the month.

Thus, if one follows the above-named way, Allah willing, his wife will not be pregnant; according to general practice.

For more benefit on the use of condoms with one’s wife, please refer to Fataawa 146315 and 86946.

For more benefit on the use of other contraceptives, please refer to Fataawa 81836, 211732, 15099, 99184, 395155, and 87724.

Allah knows best.