Question:

As salaamu alikum.
I would like to know weather a husband can use condom/contraception whilst performing intercourse with his wife. Does islam give permission for it.

Answer:

Using a condom in Islamic Law is permissible if it is a mutual agreement between the husband and wife and there is a valid reason for not planning to have a child. If the wife is not happy with the husband using contraception and vice versa then it is disliked and in some cases maybe severely disliked depending on the reason and severity of disagreement. Also, the contraception used must not be made of any impurity such as extracts from an unlawful animal.

The purpose of a condom is to stop the male's sperm from meeting the female's egg which is known as "Azl" in Arabic. The companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) practiced this and the Quran or the Messenger (peace be upon him) never forbade it.

The honorable Jabir (Allah is pleased with him) narrates,

"We used to practice azl whilst the Quran was being revealed (in the time of the Prophet)" (Bukhari)

There is an addition in Muslim,

"And this news reached the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he never prohibited us from it".

This act of avoiding pregnancy must be due to a valid reason.

A relevant example for those who live in Europe is the fear of the child not being given a Islamic environment. Imam Ibn Al-Hummam writes in his masterpiece, Fath Al-Qadeer,

"It is better to practice "Azl" for partners living in a non Dar Al-Islam country where there is fear that the child will not be a pious and practicing Muslim".

If there is no valid reason then the pleasure of Allah is that you give birth to children and be pleased with the way of nature chosen by Allah and increase the human race and add to it's continuity. This is the pleasure of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as he said,

"I will be proud of the size of my nation (ummah) compared to the other nations on the day of Judgement".

May Allah give us all children that become pious and add value to the societies they live in.

And verily Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadri
(Beggar at the doorstep of scholars)