Sex, Birth Control and Pregnancy
From The Women's Health Project
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[edit] Introduction
[edit] SexAccording to Islamic law, partners have the right to sexual satisfaction and the obligation to fulfill their partner's sexual satisfaction. Cultural attitudes can overshadow this healthy sense of sexuality, though. Women might find themselves feeling ashamed by their bodies' potential to give and receive sexual pleasure. Women might also simply not know enough about their bodies and feel that a good Muslima does not talk about these things. But it is important for women to be frank with one another and learn from one another's experience. It is also important for women to be comfortable enough with themselves and their partners to talk to their partners and about their feelings and needs. Gaining knowledge of ourselves and our bodies is crucial to a healthy attitude toward sex and our ability to experience sexual pleasure. Please see the interactive body tour section in Women's Bodies.
[edit] Birth Control, Abortion, and Adoption[edit] Birth ControlThe stress in Islam is on the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. There is such significant difference of legal opinion surrounding birth control that one can safely say its use can be determined by the conscience of the couple involved. Legal rulings suggest that the use of birth control should be decided by the male partner alone or in consultation with his wife. It is important to realize that consultation between husband and wife ends when the husband ultimately makes the final decision on any matter. This means that although the use of birth control is permitted, the woman’s reproductive rights are in the hands of her husband. The rulings rely on the goodwill and wisdom of the husband which unfortunately is not always reliable. A woman may find herself bearing unwanted children or not being permitted to bear children at all despite her desire to do so. In this case, we suggest a woman seek mediation from counselors, community leaders, or family. Not being able to reach a satisfactory agreement on a matter as important as this may indicate serious difficulties in the marriage that should be resolved immediately.
[edit] AbortionAbortion is prohibited by the majority of contemporary Muslim legal scholars with some difference of opinion. In the pre-modern period, abortion was permitted by many scholars up to 120 days of after conception (understood to be the moment of the soul entering the fetus' body thus making it human) and always in the case of preserving the mother's life. But in the contemporary period, prohibition against abortion is the norm with permissions given in case by case basis. Contemporary scholars argue that the 120 day limit of earlier rulings no longer holds because life can be medically detected now soon after conception. Scholars agree that abortion is always justified to preserve the mother's life medically. Other scholars argue that this exception extends to cases where there would be an unacceptable psychological burden to the mother such as pregnancy through rape or incest. A few scholars suggest that the bar of a psychological burden can be set lower than these traumatic circumstances. Women should consider with their doctor if their situation constitutes a exception to the prohibition. Doctors, not jurists, make the determination.
[edit] AdoptionUnwanted pregnancies can also be resolved through "open" adoption. An adoption is "open" when the adopting family preserves the names of the adopted child's birth parents so the child cannot marry his or her sister or brother by mistake in the future. "Open" adoption is the norm in the United States and is permissible by Islamic law. We are told that almost all adoption agencies are reliable and that mothers can find one through a state agency or over the web. In some cases, it is possible for the birth mother to choose the adoptive family and even maintain contact with the family and visit her child after the adoption.
[edit] Safer SexAlthough pre-marital sex is prohibited in Islam and ideally should make the discussion of safer sex unnecessary, we need to be honest and admit that many Muslims have sex outside of marriage. Please see the section on masturbation above as an important way to avoid pre-marital or unsafe sex. Moreover, in cases of legal temporary marriage, safer sex practices should also be observed.
[edit] PregnancyThis section coming soon, insha'allah. In the meantime, please make use of the following website: Our Bodies Ourselves book excerpt on considering parenting plus links to information and discussions about pregnancy and parenting. |
