Reproductive health and social gender from the perspective of Islamic texts

General Health and Reproductive Health

1. General Health

1.1. Taking Good Care of One’s Health is a Religious Duty :

Islam attaches great importance to health and ordains that the human being take good care of it. Health is therefore one of the most sacred graces which Allah has bestowed on the human being ; this is why he must always remember it and thank God for it in preservation of it and in the hope that it will not fail him in his life.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has demonstrated that he whom Allah has given good health to and for whom He has granted social and economic security even if it is for one single day is like someone who owns the whole world. The Prophet guides us to consider that these matters constitutes the fundamentals of life, while all other matters take a secondary position, when he says : “He who gets up in the morning and finds that he is in good health, that his life is safe, and that he has his daily sustenance should consider himself as if he owns the whole world”(43).

1.2. Appreciating the Value of Good Health :

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has taught us to always ask God to give us good health as he says :“Ask forgiveness, good health and healing from God ; for none has been granted anything after faith that is better than good health” (44).

Pondering over this Hadith reveals that what man asks from God is forgiveness for past evil deeds, bestowal of the grace of good health in the present, and a granting of a permanent state of immunity from illness. According to Ibn al-Qayyim, this request incorporates a permanent and continuous state of being in good health.

Abu-Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said : “I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: ‘Ask God for Faith and good health(45) ; for none has been given anything after faith that is better than good health.”

In His Holy Book, Allah, the Great and Almighty, praised some of those on whom He has bestowed good physical and mental health as he says : “He said : "Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess : Allah granteth His authority to whom He pleaseth. Allah is All-Embracing, and He knoweth all things”(46). 

Likewise, God has praised His Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) through the daughter of the righteous man in the people of Madyan when she says : “Said one of the (damsels) : "O my (dear) father! engage him on wages : truly the best of men for thee to employ is the (man) who is strong and trusty”(47). She described him as being strong and well-bred. God has praised many Prophets (peace be upon them), referring to their physical and mental prowess in these words : “Have patience at what they say, and remember Our Servant David, the man of strength : for he ever turned (to Allah)”(48).  Ibn Kathir says : “Allah, be He exalted, mentions his Servant and Messenger David (PBUH) as being a man of ayaad (strength) ; that is, ‘strength in terms of knowledge and work.” Ibn al-Abbas (may God be pleased with him) and others hold that ayaad means ‘strength’. Mujahid maintains that ayaad is ‘strength in obedience’ ; and Qatada says : ‘He (God) granted David (PBUH) strength of worship and knowledge of Islam.”

Allah, be He exalted, says : “And commemorate Our Servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, possessors of Power and Vision. Verily We did choose them for a special (purpose), proclaiming the Message of the Hereafter. They were, in our sight, truly, of the company of the Elect and the Good”(49).

In his commentary on these verses, Ibn Kathir says that what Allah, be He exalted, means when He says about the virtues of his servants whom He sent as Messengers and pious Prophets (And commemorate Our Servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, possessors of Power and Vision) is the good deed, the useful knowledge, the power of worship, and the perceptive vision.

1.3. Health is One of God’s Graces for which the Human Being Will Account :      

General health is a grace from God that must be received with thanks. The best way to express these thanks to Allah, the Great and Almighty, is to utilize health in that which He has ordained that it be, or not be, used, for this is the only way to preserve it and allow it to continue, develop and prosper. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has stressed the human being’s health responsibility for which he will have to account on the Day of Judgment. Abu-Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) says : “Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) said : ‘On the day of Judgment, the first question that the servant will be asked about the graces Allah has bestowed on man is : Didn’t we make your body strong and provide cold water for you to drink from?” (50)

Ibn Masoud reports that the Prophet (PBUH) explained God’s words :  “Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy (ye indulged in !)”(51) as “security and health” (52).

In his commentary about “Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy (ye indulged in!)” Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) says that “joy” means good physical health, and sound vision and hearing. God will ask his servants how they have used them, even though He knows better that they, as He says : (For every act of hearing, or of seeing, or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning)”(53). 

1.4. Preserving Health is One Way of Giving Thanks to God for Bestowing this Joy on His Servants :

Because being in good health is one of the most, if not the most, venerable graces that Allah has bestowed on the human being, it becomes incumbent on anyone who enjoys it to do his best to preserve it from harm; however, many people, when they become too accustomed to something, take it for granted and therefore forget about their duty towards it. They only remember it when they no longer have it, as the common proverb says : “Health is a crown on the heads of the healthy that is seen only by the sick.” God’s Apostle (PBUH) has warned against allowing oneself to reach the stage of poor health as he says : “There are two graces for which many people are not thankful : health and free time”(54) . The Messenger of Allah repeated these last two words several times.

Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “There are two graces for which many people are not thankful:   health and free time”(55). (ni‘matani maghbun fihima kathriun min an-nas: as-sihha wa al-faragh). Ghubn (root of maghbun) means “scarcity, weakness and loss”. In another Hadith, he says : “Security and health are two graces for which many people are not thankful” (56).

In his explication of Surat at-Takathur, Ibn- Kathir says that what this means is that these people are not thankful enough for being endowed with these graces, and that they have failed to pay these two favors due attention;   and anyone who does not do this is maghbun ; that is, he is not doing his duty towards these two graces.

In fath al-bari, it is reported that Ibn Battal said that the meaning of the Hadith is that a person does not use his free time well until he is physically strong. Anyone who enjoys this, should not forget to give thanks to God for the favors He has bestowed on him. One way of presenting thanks is to obey His orders and shun all prohibitions. Anyone who neglects this duty is maghbun (that is, he is not doing his duty towards these two graces ; he is not being thankful enough).

Ibn al-Jawzi is reported to have said : “A person may be healthy, but not necessarily devoted to his work, just as he may be wealthy but not healthy. If he has both health and wealth, and he is too lazy to show obedience to God, he is maghbun (that is, he is not doing his duty towards these two graces ; not being thankful enough). What this means is that this world is the ‘farm’ of the Hereafter, it is in it that prospers the commerce whose profit is reaped in the Hereafter. Anyone who spends his free time and health showing obedience to Allah is maghbut (envied by all others) ; and he who wastes them disobeying Him is mahgbun (not being thankful enough), because free time goes along with work, and health is followed by illness and old age.”

Tayibi says : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) gives the example of the merchant who has a capital and who strives to realize a profit and preserve his capital. The way to realize this is to attend to the person he is dealing with and to be honest and skillful so as not to fail his duties. Health and free time constitute a capital ; to reap the benefits of this world and the Hereafter, the person must demonstrate his strong belief in God and show self-abnegation for him to come close to God’s Words : “O ye who believe ! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty ? That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your persons : that will be best for you, if ye but knew !”(57)

Likening deeds to commerce and recompense to profit, Tayibi says : “The person must avoid yielding to one’s whims and allying himself with Satan so as not to lose his capital and the profit” (58).

1.5. The Human Being’s Responsibility towards His Own Body and Forbidding Him from Denying it its Natural Needs :

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has underlined man’s responsibility towards his own body when he said to one of his companions : “Fast and eat, sleep and get up, for your body has a right over you, and your eyes have a right over you” (59).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) has guided the human being towards assuming his responsibility in preserving his health through adhering to the natural rights of his own body over him. He must not deny it any of these rights or push it over the limit of endurance even if the matter concerns one form of worship or another.

Anas (may God be pleased with him) reported that a group of the Prophet’s companions had secretly asked the wives of God’s Apostle (PBUH) about his activities in private. The Prophet said : “One of them said that I don’t marry women. Another said that I don’t eat meat. A third said that I don’t sleep in my bed. The Prophet thanked and praised God and said : “Why did some people say this and that ; but I pray, sleep, fast, eat, and marry women. He who rejects my Sunnah is not part of me” (60).

Aicha (May God be pleased with her) said : “A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad came to visit me. God’s Apostle (PBUH) came in and said : “Who is she ?” I said : “She’s so and so. She does not sleep at night, for she spends it praying.” He said : “You are to perform the acts which you are able to do ; for God is never tired of something until you are tired of it” (61).

Abdullah Ibn ‘mru Ibn al-'As (may God be pleased with him) said : “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) asked me : “Haven’t I been informed that you have been praying all night and fasting all day ?” I said : “Yes, indeed !” He said : “By so doing, your eyes will sink in and your vision will weaken, and your body will grow weak. Your body has a right over you, as does your family. Fast and eat, and pray at night and sleep” (62).

Ibn-Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said : “While God’s Apostle (PBUH) was giving a speech, a man from the audience stood up. When he inquired about the man, he was told “It is Abu-Israel. He has vowed to stand up in the sun, not to sit in the shade or talk, and to fast.” God’s Apostle said :    “Order him to talk, to sit in the shade, to sit down and to finish his fast.”(63).

From this Hadith and the previous one, it becomes clear that denying the body its share of its natural needs can harm the body, which God’s religion will not tolerate. It is no obedience of Allah, be He exalted, to harm oneself even if the symptoms of this harm become visible only afterwards. This is exactly what the Holy Book and the Sunnah have warned against, even if person has vowed to perform more frequently the acts of worship of Allah, the Great and Almighty.

1.6. Rules for Preserving Health from an Islamic Perspective :

a) Rule One : Maintaining and Protecting it from Becoming Weak :

To protect and preserve the human being’s health, Islam has decreed three rules :

The first rule is the preservation of health through protecting it against illnesses and harms that can weaken and damage it. That is why Islam has given the traveler, the sick or the old person, and the suckling mother, if she thinks fasting can harm her or her baby, leave to eat during Ramadan. Likewise, Islam has ordered the human being to eat food, strongly recommending that the food be balanced in terms of quantity and quality in accordance with God’s Words :  “Eat and drink : but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters”(64).

Allah, be He exalted, also says : “O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good ; and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil One, for he is to you an avowed enemy”(65).

Gods’ Apostle (PBUH) says : “Eat, give alms and dress up but waste not by excess or vanity”(66).

He also says : “The worst utensil a man can fill up [with food] is his stomach. It is enough for him to eat a few bites to keep his body in good shape ; if he has to eat, let it be one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for himself”(67).

b) Rule Two : Preserving and Taking Good Care of One’s Health :

Islam has linked the protection of health to lightening the human being’s worship load as yet another health protective measure in obedience to God’s Command. The Holy Qur’an says : “But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands”(68).

In this Holy Verse, God, be He exalted, has allowed the sick person to use clean sand instead of water, to perform wudu’ (ablution), to protect his body from harm. This is calling attention to protecting the body from harm, be it from the inside or the outside.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had sent ‘Amru Ibn al-'As (may God be pleased with him) to take part in the conquest of Dhat as-Salasil. As he was in a state of ceremonial impurity as a result of a wet dream he had on a cold night ; and as he could not bathe his whole body, he resorted to tayammum (dry wudu’), then he led the morning group prayer. When Ibn al-'As’s companions returned home, they told the Prophet (PBUH) about the incident. God’s Apostle asked Ibn al-'As about it, and he said :“I remembered God’s Words : “nor kill (or destroy) yourselves : for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful !”(69)  and I resorted to tayammum and prayed.” Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) laughed and said nothing(70). 

The Prophetic tradition contains details and directives that stress this point.

To shed more light on this rule, reference should be made to the Amman Declaration on the consolidation of health through adopting Islamic modes of life. The Amman Declaration contains many preventive details.

c) Rule Three : Evacuating Harmful Substances from the Body : 

The third rule in looking after one’s health is evacuating the bad vaporous substances and everything that can harm the human body. Scientists have explained God’s Words with regard to the forbidden deeds in the Hajj or Umra :  “And if any of you is ill, or has an ailment in his scalp, (necessitating shaving), (he should) in compensation either fast, or feed the poor, or offer sacrifice”(71). Allah, be He exalted, has permitted the sick person and anyone who suffers from an ailment in his head to shave it off during Ihram, a deed that is originally forbidden, to allow the pores to open up and to evacuate the harmful vaporous substances.

The lofty Prophetic directives abound in astonishing and amazing detailed explanations of how to look after our health, which confirms that the religion of God, the Great and Almighty, encompasses all conditions, and seeks to ensure the human being’s happiness and to secure his life and vitality at all times and in all places.

c) 1. Solid Waste Evacuation :

With regard to the wastes that can harm the human body if not evacuated, God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “If any of you wants to defecate, let him do it before prayer”(72).

He also said : “No prayers are to be performed when food is served or when one must answer the two calls of nature”(73).

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has prohibited people from retaining urine and the like, even if that means misconduct on the part of the individual.

Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that God’s Apostle (PBUH) saw a countryman urinating in the mosque, and told his companions to let the man finish urinating ; then he asked for some cold water and poured it over him. In another narration, God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Don’t rush him!” and they left him alone(74).

These protective measures are, of course, time and place bound, which means using the appropriate means without harming the human being’s health, especially that of children.

It is reported that Hassan or Hussein urinated on the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) who said : “Don’t rush my son ; let my grandson finish urinating,” and then he asked for water which he poured over him(75). He even considered evacuation as one of the graces that warrant giving thanks to Allah.

c) 2. Evacuating Harmful Materials from Upper Outlets :

Islam has also insisted on the evacuation of harmful materials that pile up in the upper part of the body, through blowing one’s nose and the like. God’s Apostle (PBUH) is reported to have said : “If any of you performs his wudu’, let him snuff up water and clean his nose”(76) .

He also said : “If any of you wakes up from his sleep. Let him snuff up water in the nostrils three times.”(77) And he said : “ Cleanse your nose well (after snuffing up water) twice or thrice”(78).

Likewise, The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) permitted shedding tears when one feels very sad to relieve the soul of its pains. Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) said : “A member of the Prophet’s household passed away, and the women gathered to weep over his loss. Then Omar (may God be pleased with him) ordered them to stop crying and he began to kick them out of the house. Then God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : ‘Let them weep, Omar ! The eye is tearful, the heart wounded, and the loss is still fresh”(79).

Ummu Abdullah, the wife of Abu-Moussa al-Ash‘ari (may God be pleased with them both) said : “Abu-Moussa was taken ill, and she cried in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). When I was asked to stop weeping, he said : ‘Let her weep to fill up one pail or two with tears”(80).

When Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH), passed away, the women broke out in tears. As Omar began to restrain them with a whip, God’s Apostle (PBUH) grabbed his arm and said : “Hold it, Omar !” Then, turning to the weeping women, he said : “Weep to your heart’s content, but be ware of the cawing of Satan”. Then he added : “If the weeping is from the heart and the eye, it is from God, the Great and Almighty, and from mercy. If it is from the heart and the tongue, it is from Satan”(81).

c) 3. Getting Angry Feelings out of One’s System :

God’s Apostle (PBUH) strongly recommends getting angry feelings out of one’s system through the remembrance of Allah, the Great and Almighty. The Prophetic tradition relates : “Two men insulted each other in the presence of God’s Apostle (PBUH). As one of them heaped insults on the other, his face turned red. The Prophet (PBUH) said : “I know of a word if he utters it, his anger will dissipate : I seek refuge from the Evil One, the Rejected.”(82) One can also channel one’s anger through wudu’. On this point, one Hadith says : “Anger is from Satin. Satin is created from fire. Fire is put out with water. If any of you is angry, let him perform wudu’.” (83)

One can also allay one’s anger through changing the position in which the person finds himself, as God’s Apostle says : “If any of you is angry while he is standing up, let him sit down or lie down”(84).

c) 4. Evacuating Harmful Materials through Incisions and Cupping if Necessary  :

In the absence of a natural opening for evacuating harmful materials, or if some obstacle hampers evacuation, God’s Apostle (PBUH) has drawn attention to the human being’s responsibility to seek treatment through cupping to draw blood to the surface. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used cupping himself.(85)  He even recommends it strongly as he says : “Cupping is one good treatment”(86).  He also says : “If any medicine really reaches an illness, cupping does”(87).  He gives as prescriptions some substances, such as honey, and other materials that are mentioned in the chapters on medicine in Hadith books.

c) 5. Evacuating Body Fluids whose Retention May Prove to be Harmful:

  One body fluid that may harm the body if retained is semen. God’s Apostle (PBUH) has recommended that it be wisely evacuated according to Sahria laws (the Holy Book and the Sunnah) for the sake of the human being’s safety and righteousness, and for society’s security and protection.

There is also the Hadith related to the man who went to see God’s Apostle (PBUH) and said : “O’ Messenger of Allah teach me an incantation to protect myself against evil deeds. God’s Apostle (PBUH) took the man by the hands and said : “Say O’ God, I seek refuge from the evil of my hearing, the evil of my seeing, the evil of my tongue, the evil of my heart, and the evil of my sex” (88).

1.7. Islam’s Advice and Guidance to Practise Sports and to Pray During the Night so as to be in Good Health :

If Islam is keen on keeping the human body in good shape through the evacuation of harmful materials which are emptied through some body organs, it is equally keen on evacuating the harmful materials through work, movements and sports as warm-up exercises that induce body sweat and keep the body fit and in good shape. Sports help each body part to grow strong and to carry out its function, and the physical strength to increase with hard work and perseverance. No doubt, prayer plays a part in preserving body health ; for in addition to the movements which help to dissolve the materials and wastes into liquids, it also offers peace of mind and boosts up faith. Standing to prayer by night is one of the best ways to preserve one’s health and one of the best activities to invigorate the body, energize the soul and strengthen the heart. The Prophetic Tradition contains sayings that confirm the rewarding aspects of standing to prayer by night. God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “When one of you is sleeping, Satin ties three knots on his head, each one of the knot represents a long night of sleep. If he wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot unties itself ; if he performs wudu’, a second knot undoes itself; and if he prays, all his knots become undone, and in the morning he feels full of energy and happy ; otherwise, he feels in bad mood and lazy”(89).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “Stand to prayer at night, for it was a common practice among your pious ancestors before you ; it brings you closer to God, and it keeps you away from sin. It is atonement for sins and expulsion of ailment from the body”(90).

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) urged frequent walks to the mosque(91). He said : “The farther the mosque, the greater the reward”(92).

Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the tribe of Bani Salama wanted to move out of their houses so as to be closer to God’s Apostle (PBUH). The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) resented the town becoming uninhabited, and said : “Don’t you want to be rewarded for your steps in the Hereafter ?(93) 

In his Hadith, Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that God’s Apostle (PBUH) told them : “It has come to my knowledge that you want to move closer to the mosque ?” They said : “We do, indeed, O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said : “O Bani Salama! Live in your houses, for your steps are recorded. Live in your houses, for your steps are recorded.” They replied : We could not be more delighted even by moving (near the mosque) as we were delighted (on hearing these words from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)(94).

Abu-Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “Any of you who purifies himself in my house and goes to the House of God to perform one of God’s religious duties, one of his steps will efface a sin, and the other will raise the reward a degree for it”(95). 

God’s Apostle (PBUH) urged people to walk when running errands for other people, visiting them or walking in funeral processions.

A careful examination of such worship rites as fasting, Hajj and Jihad, reveals that they all enhance physical health, in addition to enhancing the power of faith. God’s Apostle (PBUH) has recommended a number of sports activities that can do the individual and the community a lot of good, such as marksmanship and horsemanship, as he says :“Shoot and ride horses ; but marksmanship is better than horsemanship”(96).

1.8. Sports Competition that Can Bring Lasting Benefits to the Body, the Soul and the Community :

God’s Apostle (PBUH) encourages competition that is beneficial to the human being and to the Ummah. He said : “Wages are allowed only for racing camels or horses, or for shooting arrows”(97).

Salama Ibn Al-Akou’ (may God be pleased with him) said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) went to see a group of people competing in archery, and he said to them : “Shoot your arrows, O’ Bani Ismail, for your father was an archer. Shoot, I will be with Bani so and so.” Salama said : “As one of the groups refused to shoot, the Prophet (PBUH) said : “Why don’t you shoot ?” they said : “How can we shoot while you’re with them ?” God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : ‘Just shoot ; I’m with you all”(98).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Anything that is not said in remembrance of Allah, the Great and Almighty, is amusement or distraction, except four qualities : a man’s walking between the two religious duties, training his horse, playing with his wife, and teaching swimming”(99).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) raced Aicha (may God be pleased with her) and she beat him ; he raced her again, and he beat her, then he said laughing : “Now we’re even”(100). 

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to encourage children and young men to race. Abdullah Ibn al-Harith said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) used to line up Abdullah and Ubaydallah and many people from Banu-al-Abbas and say : He who gets to me first will have this and this.” Ibn al-Harith said :“They would race one another to the Prophet (PBUH) fall on his back and chest, and he would kiss them and keep them company”(101).

1.9. Islam’s Paying Attention to all Forms of Body Hygiene and to the Cleanliness of the Spot in Various Situations  :

General cleanliness is a pillar of health which Islam has commanded. The Holy Qur’an says : “For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean”(102).

God, to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty, says : “Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety ; it is more worthy of thy standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified ; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure”(103). This commendation of those who make themselves pure does not concern only men, even though they are mentioned in the text, because every ruling addressed to men also involves women. This is well explained in Ibn-Abbas (may God be pleased with him) as he says : “When this verse “In it are men who love to be purified” was revealed, God’s Apostle (PBUH) sent to ‘Awim Ibn Saaida inquiring : “What is this purification that Allah has praised you for ? They said : “O Messenger of Allah, when a man or a woman from among us defecates, they always wash their sex, or he said their bottom”. The Prophet (PBUH) said : “That’s it !”(104) In another Hadith, they said : “We perform wudu’ and when in a state of major general impurity, we bathe our whole bodies. He said : “What else ?” They said : “If any of us defecates, they wash themselves.” He said : “That’s it ! You should do it”(105).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Cleanliness is half of faith”(106).

Aicha (may God be pleased with her) said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Islam is clean; therefore, be clean, for only the clean shall enter Heaven”(107) .

God’s Apostle (PBUH) commanded that the spot or place which one uses be cleaned as he says : “Purify your courtyards”(108).  Another version says : “Clean your courtyards”.

Likewise, the Holy Qur’an commands cleanliness of garment. Allah, be He exalted, says : “And thy garments keep free from stain !”(109) God’s Apostle (PBUH) also commanded it as Ibn Omar (may God be pleased with him) reports : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “God shall honor the believer for his cleanliness of garment and his being satisfied with very little.”(110) He also commanded cleanliness and purification of the body, and made washing and bathing a regular duty to be performed every seven days. He said : “The right of Allah over every Muslim is to wash his body every seven days, to wash his face and body”(111). 

Islam also ordained washing janaba resulting from (sexual relation or wet dream) as he says : “Under every hair there is janaba ; so wash the hair and cleanse the skin”(112).

Islam has emphasized washing the whole body in preparation for the Friday prayer, as God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Any of you who goes to the Friday prayer, let him bathe his whole body”(113).

Islam has also commanded the woman to wash her body after the menses and confinement, in addition to the duty of washing her whole body from janaba and the regular cleaning she has to do during menstruation. Islam made it a lawful Sunnah to bathe one’s whole body on the two Aids (Greater Bairam and the Lesser Bairam), during Ihram, on the Day of Arafat, and when entering Mecca, and other washes which Islam has recommended and urged people to do. 

There are cases in which wudu’ is ordained, such as prayers, funeral prayers, etc., and cases in which it is recommendable, such as before going to bed, before every prayer, even if the person is clean, or when in janaba where it is recommendable that the person perform wudu’ before eating, drinking or sleeping, etc., which confirms the great importance Islam attaches to the permanent cleanliness of the body. Another proof of this importance is Islam’s ordaining the removal of impurities from the spot one uses, the garment and the body, and of all filth even if it is not impurity, not to mention Islam’s recommendations with regard to cleaning the hands and the mouth, because if they are soiled with grease or fatty matter, dirt and pests can stick to them.

Islam also attaches great importance to personal hygiene, in addition of course to outer appearance. It recommends cleanliness of the mouth and teeth through rinsing and tooth cleanser, the nose, the eyes, the ears, the armpits, clipping the nails, removing all the hairs where dirt can collect, cleaning between the fingers and toes, cleaning elbows and knuckles. The Amman Declaration for the Consolidation of Health contains further details supported with proof from the Holy Book and Sunnah.

1.10. Islam Forbids Violence against the Body, Whether Perpetrated by the Person Himself or by Others :

Islam has forbidden the Muslim from harming his body or that of others ; it has prescribed punishment to those who harm their body partially or wholly to deter them from carrying out such an action. Allah, be He exalted, says : “Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves : for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful !”(114) and “If a man kills a Believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (forever) : and the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him”(115).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) has warned against committing suicide using whatever means when he said : “He who throws himself from the top of a mountain and kills himself will be in hellfire to dwell therein forever. He who takes poison to kill himself will hold it in his hand and take it in hellfire wherein he will dwell forever ; and he who kills himself with an iron rod will hit his belly with it in hellfire wherein he will dwell forever.(116)” 

Killing oneself or others is a major sin that carries the severest penalties prescribed by both Qur’an and Sunnah while applying to the person who commits a murder the rulings of Islam, unless he goes on killing people then he will no longer be accepted as a member of the Islamic community.

1.11. Islam Forbids all Harmful Substances, such as Alcohol and Drugs :

In its rulings and directives, Islam provides one proof after another of its strong desire to ensure the human being’s happiness and security. Not only does Islam preserve the human being’s health in the present, it also preserves it for the future as well, forbidding him from taking any substance that is harmful to his mind and body, such as alcohol and drugs due to all the harms that can accrue from them in the future. That is why intoxicants are not only strictly forbidden ; they also carry the most severe penalty in this world and in the Hereafter. On this point, the Holy Qur’an says : “O ye who believe! intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination of Satan's handiwork : eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer : will ye not then abstain ?”(117)

Forbidding wine-drinking and all kinds of intoxicants through eschewing them has far more impact than banning them through the negation : “Do not drink” or through the mention of the word “forbidden”. In this Holy Verse, The Holy Qur’an uses the term “eschew”, and associates intoxicants with gambling, dedication of stones, and divination by arrows. It uses the word “eschew” only in forbidding the worship of idols and in giving false testimony as is born out by this Holy Verse : “So shun the abomination of idols, and shun the word that is false, Being true in faith to Allah, and never assigning partners to Him”(118).

Likewise, Sunnah is replete with detailed instances that forbid wine-drinking and intoxicants, however small the amount. God’s Apostle said : “Any drink that intoxicates is forbidden”(119). He also said : “I forbid you from drinking small of large amounts of anything that intoxicates”(120).

The Prophet (PBUH) said : “People from my Ummah drink wine which they call by another name”(121).

Ummu Salama (may God be pleased with her), the wife of God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) forbade every intoxicant and relaxant”(122).  God’s Apostle (PBUH) has warned anyone who drinks wine or uses intoxicants that they will receive the most severe punishment, as he said: “Every intoxicant is forbidden. Allah made a covenant to those who drink intoxicants to make their drink Thinat al-Khyyal. They said : “Allah’s Messenger ! What is Thinat al-Khyyal ?” he said : “It is the sweat of denizens of hell or the discharge of the denizens of Hell”(123).

He also said :  “Allah has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who conveys it, and the one to whom it is conveyed”(124).

From this last Hadith, we should realize the wisdom behind forbidding wine drinking and using intoxicants, for it includes all those who have anything to do with wine and wine drinking. Ummu Salama’s Hadith, which mentions every relaxant, underlines the forbiddance of every thing hat can affect the body or the mind and make the body lose its vitality and energy.

This is yet another proof that Islam is strongly committed to preserving the human being’s physical and mental health, namely because the mind is the source of responsibility and the main distinction which Allah, be He exalted, has bestowed on the human being.

1.12. Islam’s Guidance to the Prevention of Diseases and to their Treatment :

Islam also warns against any thing that might cause a person to contract diseases and calls to what is now known as “quarantine”. In his Hadith, God’s Apostle (PBUH) says : “The owner of sick camels must not enter upon the owner of healthy ones”(125). He also said : “If you hear about plague in some land, do not enter it; and if you are in a land in which there is a plague, do not leave it”(126).

Farwa Ibn Masik al-Muradi said : “I said O’ Messenger of Allah, We have a land called Abyan ; it is the land of our country and the land of our food, and it is plagued. He said : even severely plagued.” God’s Apostle said : “Stay away from it, for being sick results in death”(127).

In his explanation of this Hadith, Ibn al-Athir says that it is not a reference to contagion ; it is another way to treat a health-related situation. Air purification is one way of keeping the human body in good health, and air pollution has dire consequences on human health. No doubt, this is one form of disease prevention.

Similarly, we find that God’s Apostle (PBUH) commands seeking medical treatment as he says : “God has created the illness and the cure, and for every illness he created a cure that can heal it ; therefore, seek treatment for your illnesses, but do not use remedies that are forbidden”(128). He also says : “God has created a cure for every illness.”  And “For every illness(129) there is a cure ; and when the cure is found, the illness is cured by the leave of Allah”(130).

1.13. Taking Good Care of one’s Health and its Impact on Establishing a Good Life and a Strong Ummah :

No doubt, good health saves energy and enables the human being to perform good deeds to please God, to do constructive work that is necessary for establishing a good life and a strong reasonable Ummah, and to realize comprehensive development in all its aspects for the good of the individual and the community. God’s Apostle (PBUH) pointed this out when Abu-Dhar al-Ghufari (may God be pleased with him) asked the Prophet which of the deeds is better, and the God’s Apostle (PBUH) said belief in God, Jihad in the cause of Allah, and giving the best of that which one has, to help someone who has lost his way or someone who has no trade or craft. Abu Dharr said : “What if I cannot do a good deed ? He said : ‘Then abstain from hurting people ; that is charity in your favor”(131).

God’s Apostle (PBUH) was sitting with his companions one day when they saw a strong and robust young man running. They said : What if he had used his strength and youth in the cause of Allah! God’s Apostle (PBUH) said :   “Don’t say that ! If he is running to admonish himself and to dispense with other people’s help, it is in the cause of Allah ; if he is running for the well-being of his two weak parents or children, it is in the cause of Allah ; if he is running to show off, it is in the cause of Satan”(132).

Likewise, the Holy Qur’an has lightened the burden, in God’s words, on those who work hard to earn their living, as He said : “He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof. So He hath turned to you (in mercy) : read ye, therefore, of the Quran as much as may be easy for you. He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health ; others travelling through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty ; yet others fighting in Allah's Cause. Read ye, therefore, as much of the Quran as may be easy (for you.)”(133).

2. Sexual and Reproductive Health

2.1. The Importance of Sexual and Reproductive Health as an Element of General Health from an Islamic Perspective :

If Islam has, within the rules of preserving general health, been so keen on the human being’s draining of the overwhelming sexual appetite through the ways it has designated and which have already been explained above, Islam, by so doing, considers reproductive health one of the most important elements of general health ; hence the great importance it attaches to reproductive health, because it is not only the responsibility of the human being ; it is a collective responsibility assumed by both the man and the woman. That is why reproductive health has to take place in a healthy and sound general atmosphere. Also, it is necessary to appreciate its dimensions that are defined on the basis of the kind of relationships between the man and the woman, and on all that is in harmony with the circumstances of each of them age wise, socially and economically. These matters have been accommodated by Sharia and the directives of Qur’anic and Tradition texts. They have elucidated the comprehensive rewards and the great joy ensuing from adhering to these directives, as well as the consequences accruing from deviating from them, violating them, or neglecting the duty of protecting general health from harm and from psychological, social and individual problems. This is not surprising, for Islamic Sharia is a revelation from the Creator, the One Who understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

2.2 The Comprehensive Concept of Sexual and Reproductive Health from an Islamic Perspective :

Sexual and reproductive health entails the health of the parent (father or mother) and that of the child in all situations. If Islam commands feeding the poor and generosity to preserve the lives of the living, it tells us that it has instilled in the human being sexual appetite as a motivation and a drive for preserving the human race and the continuation of life so that progeny can people this world and be an allurement of the life of this world.

Allah, the Great and Almighty, created the husband and the wife, placed the drop of sperm in men’s spinal columns, and created the womb in the hallows of women to be an abode for the leech-like clot wherein it grows an develops until it becomes a human being within the framework of the complementarity of the two sexes’ roles.

The Holy Qur’an considers progeny as one of the allurements of the life of this world : “Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world; but the things that endure, Good Deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes”(134).  Allah, be He exalted says : “O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single Person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; fear Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you) : for Allah ever watches over you”(135). Speaking of His Graces and Favors, Allah, be He exalted, says : “but remember how ye were little, and He gave you increase. And hold in your mind's eye what was the end of those who did mischief”(136). 

In His praise of parenthood and progeny, the Holy Qur’an swore by them as it says : “And (the mystic ties of) Parent and Child”(137). It also sore by the creation of the male and the female : “By (the mystery of) the creation of male and female”(138).  and  “And Allah has made for you mates (and Companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren. And provided for you sustenance of the best : will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah's favours ?”(139)

2.3. When is Progeny a Grace ?      

Because it considers progeny a grace, the Holy Qur’an has emphasizes that it can be realized through the strength and good health of progeny and through its proper behavior and good deed. It recommends that attention be paid to progeny in terms of quality rather than quantity. On this point, Allah, be He exalted, says : “It is not your wealth nor your sons, that will bring you nearer to Us in degree: but only those who believe and work righteousness, these are the ones for whom there is a multiplied Reward for their deeds, while secure they (reside) in the dwellings on high !”(140)

Gods’ Apostle said : “A strong believer is better and dearer to God than a weak believer and in all that is good. Hold on to what is good for you, seek God’s assistance and do not be lazy.”(141) In this Hadith, physical strength is combined with the strength of faith (Seek God’s assistance) and determination (do not be lazy).

2.4. The Religious Duty to Contemplate and Reflect on the Phases of the Creation of the Human Being and on his Conditions :

The Holy Qur’an urges the believers to contemplate and reflect on man’s conditions as it says : “It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you) strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave (you) weakness and a hoary head: He creates as He wills, and it is He Who has all knowledge and power”(142). 

And “We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents : in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says : “O my Lord ! grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve ; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam”(143).

Allah, be He exalted, says : “It is Allah Who creates you and takes your souls at death ; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much) : for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful”(144).

And “It is He Who has created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a leech-like clot ; then does He get you out (into the light) as a child ; then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength ; then lets you become old, though of you there are some who die before ; and lets you reach a Term appointed ; in order that ye may learn wisdom”(145).

Reflecting on this requires faith and belief in the Creator, Who has  further given order and proportion and Who has ordained laws and granted guidance, for He is the One Who regulates all affairs of His Creation “He doth regulate all affairs, explaining the Signs in detail, that ye may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord”(146).

“Verily your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority), regulating and governing all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave (hath been obtained). This is Allah your Lord ; Him therefore serve ye : will yet not receive admonition ? To Him will be your return, of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of Creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness ; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a Penalty grievous, because they did reject Him”(147). 

2.5.  A Detailed Qur’anic Description of the Phases of the Embryo:

 The Holy Qur’an also invites the believers to contemplate and reflect on the phases of embryo formation as an aspect of divine power and a characteristic of divine knowledge and wisdom of He Whose graces are uncountable, and Whose mercy knows no bounds. The Holy Qur’an says : “Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay) ; Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed ; Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood ; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump ; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh ; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the Best to create! After that, at length ye will die. Again, on the Day of Judgment, will ye be raised up”(148).

Allah, be He exalted, says : “O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you ; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength ; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much)"(149).

2.6. Qur’an’s Description of the Substance from which Man Was Created :

The Holy Qur’an gives a detailed description of the substance from which man was created and of the vessels which contain it. It describes the fluid from which man is created in the following words : “That He did create in pairs, male and female, From a seed when lodged (in its place)”(150).

 It also says : “Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)? Then did he become a clinging clot ; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion. And of him He made two sexes, male and female) (151) and (Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable ?”(152)  Allah, be He exalted, says : “Do ye then see ? The (human Seed) that ye throw out, Is it ye who create it, or are We the Creators ?”(153)

“Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?” (alam yaku nutfatan min maniyin yumna). “Do ye then see? The (human Seed) that ye throw out” (afaraitum ma tumnun). The words “yumna” and “tumnun” mean a “sperm poured fourth into the womb”. Any small amount of water in a vessel is a “nutfa” (drop). The verb “mana”or “amna” means “ejaculate”; that is, the birth of a child is expected.

The Holy Qur’an describes the drop of sperm at the beginning of the creation of the human being in these words : “Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him : so We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.”(154)  (inna khalaqna al-insan min nutfatin amshajin).

The word “amshaj” means “mingled sperm ; that is, the drop of sperm of the man and the woman. This is the meaning which Ibn-Abbas (may God be pleased with him) and linguists attribute to this word. Al-Farra’ says that “amshaj” means the mingling of the fluids of the man and the woman, their blood and blood clot.

The Holy Qur’an mentions man’s weak and insignificant fluid (sperm) in the following words : “from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised”(155).  Similarly, it has described man’s fluid as “a drop emitted”, explaining the place from which it flows and the place from which the woman’s fuid also gushes until the two meet in the womb, as it says : “Now let man but think from what he is created ! He is created from a drop emitted, Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs”(156). (khuliqa min ma’in dafiqin yakhruju min baini as-sulbi wa at-tara’ibi) “Sulb” (backbone) is the man’s and “tara’ib” (ribs) are the woman’s. In lexicology, it means the bones between the throat and the chest ; or the shoulders and the chest ; or the chest ; or between the breasts ; it is also said that “tara’ib” means the sap of the heart from which a child is born, and a child is born from the two fluids.

2.7. Qur’an’s Description of the Woman’s Womb :

The Holy Qur’an also describes the womb, explains God’s wisdom in creating it, and mentions the care and protection that surround the embryo in the womb. Allah, be He exalted, says : “The which We placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed, For a period (of gestation), determined (according to need)? For We do determine (according to need) ; for We are the Best to determine (things)”(157). He also says : “Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed”(158);

Allah, be He exalted, says that the womb is the most secure abode for the embryo wherein it rests until the appointed day when it comes out of the womb in the fashion He wills as He says : “Him Who created thee, fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias ; In whatever form He wills, does He put thee together”(159). He also says : “He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise”(160).

Ibn Mas’oud says that “He shapes you in the womb as He pleases” refers to both males and females. Commentators explain that the origin of “rahim” (womb) is derived from the term “rahma” (mercy), because through it people grow up to be merciful towards one another and because it is the place of rest of the embryo. The Holy Qur’an goes on to explain God’s Grace, His Mercy and Wisdom and says  : “He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. Such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher : to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He : then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)?”(161)

Scientists maintain that “three veils of darkness” in this verse are : the stomach, the womb and the placenta. The Holy Qur’an says : “It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing ; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection : that ye may give thanks (to Allah)”(162). Allah, be He exalted says : “He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth, and when ye are hidden in your mothers' wombs, Therefore justify not yourselves : He knows best who it is that guards against evil”(163).

2.8. The Prophetic Tradition’s Detailed Description of the Embryonic Phases :

God’s Apostle (PBUH) has given a detailed description of the embryo’s phases of development in the womb ; the period of each phase is clearly defined in an astonishing manner that could not have been described in so many accurate details in his time, which entails that he “does not say (aught) of (his own) Desire ; it is no less than inspiration send down to him.”

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) who is the most truthful (of the human beings) and whose truthfulness (is a fact) said : “The constituents of one of you are collected for forty days in his mother's womb in the form of a drop of sperm, after which it becomes a clot of blood in another period of forty days like this. Then it becomes a lump of flesh and forty days later Allah sends His angel to it with instructions concerning four things, so the angel writes down his livelihood, his death, his deeds, his fortune and misfortune. By Him, besides Whom there is no god, that one amongst you acts like the people deserving Paradise until between him and Paradise there remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise”(164).

With its accurate studies, numerous research tools and sophisticated equipment, modern science has confirmed the Prophet’s accounts which he gave fifteen centuries ago.

2.9. The Sacredness of the Fetus and Abortion from an Islamic Perspective :

In Islam the embryo is sacred ; it is one of the Signs of God which must be protected and cared for, for it is one of God’s graces for which the mother and the father and even the child itself must be prepared to offer thanks to the Creator, the Great and the Almighty. On this point the Holy Qur’an says :  “Behold ! a woman of 'Imran said : "O my Lord ! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service : so accept this of me: for Thou hearest and knowest all things”(165).

She asks God, the Great and the Almighty, to protect and shield the embryo until it is born, then it will develop into a human being whom nothing would distract from worshiping and serving Allah.

Islam also protects the life of the fetus as it ordains the father to feed the mother and to look after her even when she is divorced. “And if they carry (life in their wombs), then spend (your substance) on them until they deliver their burden : and if they suckle your (offspring), give them their recompense : and take mutual counsel together, according to what is just and reasonable”(166).

Islam has warned against abortion, ordaining a financial penalty for it. Al-Moghira Ibn Kaab (may God be pleased with him) said: “Omar Ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) was asked about imlas(167) and he said “Who amongst you has heard God’s Apostle (PBUH) speak about it ?” Al-Moghira said : “I have.” Omar asked : “What is it ?” Al-Moghira said : “I have heard the Prophet (PBUH) say : “In it is a ghurra(168) , slave or bond woman.” Omar said : “You’re not to leave until you bring me someone who can corroborate what you’ve said.” Al-Moghira said : “I went out and found Mohammad Ibn Alama and I brought him before Omar. Mohammad said : “I have heard Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) say : “In it is a ghurra, slave or bondwoman”(169).

Ghorra (1/10 of blood money) is levied on the fetus only if it is born dead. If it is born alive and then it dies, it is paid in full. “In principle, legislators, law-makers, Ulema and doctors are all agreed that medical abortion should be permitted; that is, the abortion that must be carried out to put an end to the pregnancy to save the mother’s life. It is, therefore, a treatment of a medical case in which the mother’s life is threatened. Some Sharia Ulema went as far as to consider abortion a very good, and recommendable solution warranting no personal opinions”(170).

2.10. The Human Being’s Care of the Fetus before it is an Idea and after it Rests in the Womb :

Islam looks after the health of the fetus through addressing the conditions leading up to its existence. When choosing one’s wife, who will carry the fetus, hereditary diseases are taken into consideration, for as the Arab saying goes : al-'irqu dassas(171)  (blood will tell !). In the tradition it is said : ightaribu la tudhwu (meaning : marry someone who is not a blood relative). This saying warns against marrying one’s relative to prevent weak progeny ; Omar spoke these famous words when he noticed that the progeny of the House of Sa’ib had weakened.

2.11. The Duties of each Spouse in Looking after the Pregnancy, the Child and the Mother :

Islam has ordained the husband to take good care of his wife during pregnancy and  suckling even if she is divorced until she is delivered of her child. Allah, be He exalted, says : “Let the women live (in 'iddat,) in the same style as ye live, according to your means : annoy them not, so as to restrict them. And if they carry (life in their wombs), then spend (your substance) on them until they deliver their burden : and if they suckle your (offspring), give them their recompense : and take mutual counsel together, according to what is just and reasonable. And if ye find yourselves in difficulties, let another woman suckle (the child) on the (father's) behalf”(172).

The Holy Qur’an affirms the rights of woman and the child over his father after divorce. God says : “The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term. But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms. No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child. Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way, if they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the mother) what ye offered, on equitable terms. But fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what ye do”(173).

Reflecting upon this holy verse will reveal that the Holy Qur’an has guaranteed protection of the newborn in all situations. The mother suckles the child and his father takes care of their expenses. If the father is absent the responsibility shifts to the inheritor. If the mother cannot suckle her child, it becomes incumbent on the father or the custodian to find a foster mother who is to be paid her suckling wages.

In his commentary about this verse, Ibn Kathri says : this is God’s Directive to the mothers to suckle their children for a period of two years. He goes on to say : the father of the child bears the cost of the mothers’ food and clothing on equitable terms ; that is, as is the custom in their country without overspending or parsimony, and according to his means. Allah, be He exalted, says : “Let the man of means spend according to his means : and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. After a difficulty, Allah will soon grant relief”(174). He also says : “an heir shall be chargeable in the same way”. It is said that the heir, like the father of the child, bears equal financial responsibility towards the mother of the child whose rights he must protect and whom he must not harm. This is the general consensus.

Qurtobi said : God’s Words “But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms”. The Arabic word for ‘food’ is rizq which means “the necessary amount of food”. This is proof that, because of its weakness, the child’s expenses are borne by the father. The Holy Qur’an mentions the point that the word rizq is meant for the mother because it is through her that food reaches the child through suckling. God says : “And if they carry (life in their wombs), then spend (your substance) on them”.

The human being is urged to provide for the child a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in which he would grow up without any hang-ups. In case of separation, the child must not be caught in the middle of the conflict between the father and the mother, nor must they use him to hurt each other. The mother must not use the child to drain the father’s finances or to impose on him expenses he cannot meet. This is why the Holy Qur’an says “on equitable terms” and insists on the fact that the mother must not neglect her baby by not suckling him when it needs to be fed.

If the father wishes to hire another woman to suckle his child, there will be no blame on him, but he must obtain the mother’s agreement first, for he has no right to hire a foster mother, thus putting a woman between the mother and her child : “No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child. Nor father on account of his child”. Clearly, this is a command to the father not to treat the mother unfairly through the imposition of somebody else between her and her child. Similarly, the command is also in favor of the father who must not to be treated unfairly on account of his child.

Also, it is necessary to reach mutual consent if the parents of the child decide on weaning, a decision which must be reached after due consultation. Allah, be He exalted, says : “if they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them”.

In his explanation of this verse, Ibn Kathir says : if the parents of the child agree to wean him before a period of two years, and if they think that it would be in his own good, after they had talked it over between them, then there is no blame on them. If, however, one of them is reluctant to proceed with the weaning, the other parent cannot impose it on him or her without consultation, according to Thawri and others. This is yet another confirmation of Islam’s unwavering commitment to protect the child, and evidence of God’s mercy upon His servants as He has made it their duty to give their child the benefits of a good education, as He says in Surat at-Talaq : “and if they suckle your (offspring), give them their recompense: and take mutual counsel together, according to what is just and reasonable. And if ye find yourselves in difficulties, let another woman suckle (the child) on the (father's) behalf”(175). 

In this verse, God reiterates the command of consultation between the parents without harm or damage to anyone of them, and if they cannot reach an agreement about suckling, it is the right of the child to be provided with another woman to suckle it.

Many of the Prophet’s Hadiths stress the father’s obligation towards his children in terms of feeding, clothing and schooling them. He is materially and morally responsible for giving them a good education.

Ummu Salama (may God be pleased with her) said : “I said, O’ Messenger of Allah ! Am I entitled to a reward for spending on the children of Salama, and I am not going to leave them like so and so, for they are my children ? He said : ‘Certainly, a reward is due you for having fed and clothed them”(176).

Abu-Said al-Khudri (may God be pleased with him) said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “He who has three daughters or three sisters, or two daughters or two sisters and who is kind to them, and fears Allah in them, Heaven is his abode”(177).

Muqdam Ibn Maad Yakrub (may God be pleased with him) said : “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said : “What you feed yourself is sadaqa for you ; what you feed your child is sadaqa for you ; what you feed your wife is sadaqa for you ; and what you feed your servant is sadaqa for you”(178).

Ali (may God be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said : “Raise your children to do three things : to love your Prophet, to love his family, and to read the Qur’an, because those who have it in their bosom will be basking in the Shadow of God’s Throne on the day when there is no shadow but His Shadow, together with His Prophets and His Chosen servants”(179).

No doubt this is the basis of good breeding which yields good conduct, a sound opinion and a noble character.

2.12. Enlarging the Scope of the Care for Reproductive Health and the Legality of Family Planning :

Reflection upon the directives of Islam and its provisions with regard to safeguarding the fetus from the time when it is no more than an idea, will reveal that taking good care of reproductive health is a responsibility before and during marriage and after the separation of the parents, which only confirms that the parents have a comprehensive responsibility which is not limited to providing food and clothes for their children ; it also includes providing a complete health environment, and a psychological, moral and intellectual education that necessitates parental financial support, effort, attention, control and follow-up.

For this responsibility to be shouldered in a lawful manner, Islam has permitted the husband and the wife to engage in family planning and to decide on the number of children they can raise and take responsibility for on the basis of their means.

Muslim scholars have reached this ruling on the basis of the fact that marriage is the source of reproduction, and that it is based on choice depending on the case, as the Prophet (PBUH) has said : “If any of you can bear the costs of marriage, let him get married”(180). Many Hadiths corroborate this.

Omar Ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) said : “God’s Apostle (PBUH) has forbidden ejaculating outside the sex of a free woman, except with her permission”(181). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, too : “It is forbidden to ejaculate outside the sex of a free woman, except with her permission”(182). Many Prophetic sayings confirm this. They all permit the contraceptive means used in those days, such as ‘azl (external ejaculation). Jabir Ibn Hayan Ibn Abdullah (may God be pleased with him) said : “We used to practice external ejaculation in the Prophet’s days. He learnt about it, but he did not forbid us from doing it”(183).

Jabir (may God be pleased with him) said : “A man asked God’s Apostle (PBUH) : “I have a bondwoman, and I don’t ejaculate in her.” God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “That does not prevent anything that Allah has willed”. Then the man said : “O’ Messenger of Allah ! The bondswoman I told to you about is now pregnant”(184).

Abu-Said al-Khadri (may God be pleased with him) reported that a man said : “O’ Messenger of Allah ! I have a bondswoman, and I don’t ejaculate in her. I don’t want her pregnant, but I want what men usually want ; the Jews said that ‘azl was minor infanticide.” God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “The Jews lied. If Allah wants to create something, no one cannot stop Him from doing so”(185).

Ibn al-Qayim says : “This is an authentic Hadith ; its ascriptions bear witness to its authenticity. The narrators are all trustworthy and they have an excellent memory ; and he refuted all that contest it.”

Permission to practise ‘azl was reported by many of the Prophet’s Companions (may God be pleased with them all).

Another contraceptive means is birth spacing. The main method that was in vogue then was natural suckling from the mother for a period of two years as the Holy Verse says : “The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term”(186). A third method is avoiding ghail (having sexual intercourse during the suckling period) so that the wife would not get pregnant, because ghail could harm the pregnancy or the baby. There are in the Prophetic tradition many sayings that explain this point clearly.

Asma Bint Yazid said : “I heard God’s Apostle (PBUH) say : “Do not kill your children secretly, for the milk, with which a child is suckled while his mother is pregnant, overtakes the horseman and throws him from his horse”(187).  Ibn al-Qayim said : “Asma’s saying is meant as guidance and caution so that the milk which the child sucks from his mother would not be spoilt by her new pregnancy.”

Ibn al-Athir says : “The purpose is to forbid ghail, because its repercussions, such as physical weakness and bad temper, can appear later in life when the person reaches full maturity. If the person faces his enemy in the war, he cannot fight him because he is weak and frail as a result of ghail.

It may be difficult for the husband and the wife to discontinue sexual intercourse for a long period ; this is why God’s Apostle (PBUH) has permitted external ejaculation to achieve two objectives : a) to satiate the sexual need and, b) to prevent pregnancy during the suckling period.

Abu-Saad Zarqi (may God be pleased with him) said that a man had asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about ‘azl saying : “My wife is suckling, and I don’t want her pregnant.” God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “What is preordained in the womb shall be”(188).

2.13.The Hardships of Pregnancy and Sharia’s Allowance for the Human Being’s Inability to Shoulder a Burden Greater than He Can Bear :

Likewise, Islam calls upon the human being not to shoulder a burden that is greater than he can bear, and not to put himself or others in difficulty. If repeated pregnancies lead to putting more strain on the womb and to weakening the woman, or if they negatively affect the health of the newborn, there is always the possibility of postponing the pregnancy three years to ensure health and to prevent harm. The purport of the Holy Verse below is to protect the woman’s health during pregnancy, and to discourage repeated pregnancies : “And We have enjoined on man (To be good) to his parents : in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning”(189).  Allah, be He exalted, says : “We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents : in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months”(190).

These two verses clearly show the hardships and the physical and psychological impact which the woman experiences during pregnancy, which requires allowing her a period of rest so that she could recover her full health and strength. This is fully compatible with the goals of Sharia, namely avoiding difficulty and hardships. Speaking of the motives behind ‘azl and family planning, Ghazali says : “Fear of too many problems because of too many children, and guarding against want and unlawful living which aren’t forbidden, either, for absence of difficulty helps one to practise one’s religion well.”

Preserving the woman’s beauty and body is one of the lawful goals of marriage, the purpose being to enjoy that which Allah has made lawful and to achieve satisfaction and virtuosity for both the husband and the wife, and to preserve her life against the dangers of labor pains, and no one can say : that is forbidden.

It cannot be said, therefore, that ‘azl is similar to burying someone alive after God’s Apostle (PBUH) had given the lie to those who say so. The Prophet’s Companions understood this clearly, they confirmed and applied it. Ali, Zubair, Saad, and a group of the Prophet’s Companions were sitting with Omar (may God be pleased with him) when they discussed ‘azl . They said :   “It’s alright to practise it.” Then a man said : “They say that it is minor infanticide.” Then Ali said : “It is not minor infanticide until it has gone through the seven stages which are : being a progeny made of clay, then a sperm drop, then a leech-like clot, then a morsel of flesh, then bones, then flesh, then it takes an another form altogether.” Then Omar said “You have spoken the truth ; may Allah give you a long life”(191).

2.14. ‘azl, Infanticide and Abortion :

Upon contemplation, it becomes clear that ‘azl (or external ejaculation) is not a refusal to have a child or to hurt it, for it has not existed yet. The child is not the product of the father’s fluid alone; it is from the two spouses. The sperm drop seeps out of the man’s spinal column and the child is not born until the semen that flows from his penis is mixed with the woman’s fluid and blood when they mix in the womb.

Infanticide and abortion are a wrong committed against a living human being. On the existence of the fetus, Abu-Hamid al-Ghazali says : “Its existence goes through several phases, the first of which is that the sperm drop lodges in the womb, then it mixes with the woman’s fluid and is ready to receive life. Destroying it is a felony. When the sperm drop becomes a morsel of flesh and a clot of congealed blood, the felony becomes more serious ; when life is breathed into it and it has taken its final human shape, the felony is at its worst. The sacredness of the fetus in Sharia and the imposition of some kind of blood money in the case of intentional miscarriage have already been discussed clearly above.

2.15. The Rulings on Tahara(192) and its Role in Consolidating Sexual and Reproductive Health :

To preserve the human being’s sexual health, Islam has laid down a battery of directives and rulings which define its functions and the relationships between the human being and his body parts.

Through Wudu’ (the act of ritual purification) and Ghasl (the full ritual washing of the body with water to be pure for the prayer), two Sharia duties, the human being gets to know his body parts, including his sexual organs. His handling of these parts takes place within the framework of remembering Allah and His Commands, which makes faith a permanent sensor in the human being so that he would not go astray and so as to make him understand that if Allah has commanded him to clean these parts physically, He has also commanded him to purify them morally and behaviorally.

Islam begins with the human being since his tender age ; it teaches him these meanings and how to take good care of his body parts and to eschew abusing them and using them wrongfully.

The child is commanded to pray when he is seven years old, and beaten for not praying when he is ten ; he learns not to expose his body parts even when at home with his family.

Omar Ibn Shu‘aib, reporting on the authority of his father, and on that of his grandfather (may God be pleased with them), said: “God’s Apostle (PBUH) said : “Command your children to pray when they are seven years old, beat them for not praying when they are ten, and make them sleep in separate beds(193).  

Before that, the child is taught how to pray. Prayer has its own initiation and rites, one of which is tahara ; that is, cleanness of dress, place and body, and wudu’ and ghasl. 

Before wudu’, the person must perform istinja’ (cleaning one’s penis and anus after defecation) ; the Prophetic tradition explains in detail the rulings and directives concerning this point.

When a person gets ready to answer the call of nature, he should find a hiding place so as not to expose himself publicly, or else he would be exposing himself to the Wrath of God. Abu-Saad said : “I have heard God’s Apostle (PBUH) say : ‘No two men should ex