Family planning permissible in Islamic Sharia: Grand Mufti

CAIRO – 31 July 2017: Family planning is a major factor for any society that aims to achieve development and progress, as it’s permissible in Islamic Sharia, according to Egypt's Grand Mufti Shawki Allam on Sunday.

“We have to preserve balance between population and development so we can avoid poverty,” Allam said, adding that “family planning” was declared to be permissible in Sharia, especially since Islam originally calls for wealth rather than poverty.

“There is consistency between all religious texts regarding achieving human stability and prosperity. This is an issue that deserves the collaboration of all related entities and parties,” Allam added during his speech at the National Population Day conference organized by the Ministry of Health and Population.

Undersecretary of Al-Azhar Institute Abbas Shoman said during his speech, representing Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed al–Tayyeb, that family planning is “Halal” as long as it’s agreed between the two spouses.

“The culture of family planning in Egypt needs to be changed; it’s not related with specific timing; however, it’s necessary for controlling overpopulation, which has become a ‘load’ over the state,” Shoman added.

On July 24, during the first session of the fourth National Youth Conference in Alexandria, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said that overpopulation and terrorism are Egypt’s two real threats.

“I haven’t talked about it in my speeches during the whole past period; however, we have two real challenges facing our country: terrorism and overpopulation,” Sisi said.
Also, Minster of Health Ahmed Emad discussed during the conference the greatest difficulties he faced during the past period, assuring that the “overpopulation” problem was the biggest one for many reasons.

He added that the government was unable during the past period to reach a huge number of people to offer them the right tips, methods and awareness.