News & Events
Rulings from prominent scholars on the IUD
- November 21, 2011
- Posted by: Sarah Azad
- Category: Iud Medical Blog
1. What defines the start of pregnancy?
2. What are the conditions of using reversible contraception?
3. What ruling do you take on interrupting a pregnancy (elective abortion)
If pregnancy is defined as starting only after implantation has occurred, then by definition, there is not even the possibility of the IUD interrupting a pregnancy. In this case, the use of the IUD takes the ruling of any other form of reversible contraception (the pill, the shot, the vaginal ring, etc). Though the majority of scholars in the majority of the different schools generally agree that reversible contraception is allowed, its use does have conditions and guidelines. That is a discussion for another day.
If you define pregnancy as starting with fertilization itself, then we move to the next question, what ruling do you take on interrupting a pregnancy? If you believe that interrupting a pregnancy at any stage is wrong, except in extreme cases, then you have to take into account the rarity (but possibility) of an IUD actually causing the prevention of implantation. And for the scholars that hold this view of interrupting pregnancy, the IUD becomes an option only available to specific women who have specific medical needs, but not generally permissible.
If you believe that interrupting a pregnancy before the fortieth day is allowable, then even a major possibility of preventing implantation would be irrelevant, as it is well before the fortieth day. In this case the IUD would again take the ruling of other types of reversible contraception.
I would have liked to cover a wider diversity of opinions, but these are the opinions I was able to gather, either by being publicly available by these scholars or in response to a request from me. Unfortunately, not all our scholars, May God protect them, are as technologically inclined. All that being said, here are rulings from a few respected scholars:
Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz al Musnid, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who holds a PhD in Quranic Sciences:
–It is permissible as long as it is placed properly, suits the patient, and is not causing permanent infertility
Shaykh Abdul Hai Yusuf, head of the Islamic Knowledge Dept, University of Khartoum, Sudan:
–Using the IUD is permissible with permission from the husband and as long as no harm results from using it. The fact that it prevents the egg from attaching to the uterine surface does not constitute abortion.
Shaykh Abdullah bin Baaz, Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, Saudi Arabia:
–Allows the IUD under the same conditions as other forms of reversible contraception
Dr. Ahmad al Kurdi, Kuwait, member of the Fatwa Committee:
–It is permissible to use an IUD after consulting with a qualified, competent Muslim female physician to assure safety.
Dr. Mustafa Al Bugha, formerly head of the Department of Fiqh and now head of the College of Islamic Law at the University of Damascus, Syria:
–Using the IUD is permissible
Imam Tahir Anwar, Imam of the South Bay Islamic Association in San Jose, California
— Allows the IUD under the same conditions as other forms of reversible contraception
Also, from “The Fiqh of Medicine”, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Aziz Yacoub discusses the IUD with other methods of birth control that have the ability to prevent implantation. He concludes that if one is accepting of the ruling that interrupting a pregnancy before forty days is allowable, then the IUD would fall into the category of other reversible forms of contraception.
From the book “Birth Control & Abortion in Islam”, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Adam AlKawthari quotes Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani who states, “As the loop (IUD) expels the fertilized ovum within two weeks, it’s use cannot be held as totally prohibited. However, being a device of abortion, its use is not advisable and it should be restricted to cases of real medical needs only.”
And God knows best.
DISCLAIMER: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site are for general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical advice, and do not establish a physician-patient relationship. The site is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
I appreciate or work and consider this method of contraception as halal
Yes there ia a difference of opinion on the starting point of of pregnancy that whether it starts after fertilization or implantation but I think that is unnecessary to go in that much detail.The whole concept of ‘Islamic way’ of contraception is based on hadith regarding ‘Azal’ and that is the method which is likely to prevent fertilization So in that context my understanding is that any method of contraception which is based on the same principle of likelihood of preventing fertilization will be permissible and other methods which result in wastage of embryo(product of sperm and egg ) will not. Allah knows better.
Dear sister Sarah
thank you and jazakallah for your efforts and creating awareness on this very sensitive issue.
Reply
Dear Brothers Zartaj and Shafiq,
Your comments are most welcome. I made an effort to collect the opinions of as many scholars as possible to inform women of their halal choices. Health care is complicated, what works for one woman may be not-allowed (medically) for another woman. Having choices is extremely important and choices in contraception need to be individualized. Knowing what options are and are not halal from scholars is extremely valuable.
This blog article is not meant to endorse any of these particular rulings, but to share as many as possible. If more scholars make their position public and allow me to post it publicly here, I will do so.
Salam. It is a very difficult issue, jazakallah for your efforts and bringing clear light into this, because sometimes no matter what you believe and think putting it in practice and what you are experiencing is different and difficult, to have a child every year would be very hard and mentally draining, although it sounds good to increase the unmah, these days it is difficult to bring children up. Also the husband will have an opinion on which contraception he feels comfortable with.
Dear sir we got married in 2011 have two kids both by operation also my wife had two abortion due to to some medical problem so is it permissable in islam to use IUD kindly guide us
AhteSham,
First, I’m a “Madam”, not a sir. Thank you for your inquiry, but I do not issue fatwa. I have neither the training nor religious expertise to do so.
The value in this article is the variety of rulings from various sheyukh from different countries and of different schools of thought.
If you feel you need a specific ruling for your wife, please seek counsel from a local Mufti.
May Allah bless her and your family with good health.
Assalamulaikum Sister,
I have been waiting to understand when should I consider the start of pregnancy, as I always thought the possibility of life begins with fertilization (which it does). But, during my first pregnancy I had severe complications due to preeclempsia went undetected (this is in Canada!) leading to heart failure and me being 3 days on life support- having a reversible contraception is a must for me (in terms of medical needs).Infact my cardiologist was very concerned because I was only mid twenties when this happened.
I hope by reading all of this I can safely think (By Allahs Permission) about obtaining an IUD as I cannot tolerate the side effects of a pill. Please do let me know if you have any comments.
Kind Regards
reem
I hope this article is helpful for you in making your decision. The stance that “life begins at conception” is not based in our scriptural tradition. It is a common Catholic belief today, but even in that tradition there is some question as to when it was introduced as such a black and white rule.
The most important part of the article is the ruling of our scholars, which are from various schools and methodologies and countries. I hope their rulings are helpful to you in your current situation.
And Allah knows best.
Dear Doctor Azad,
JazakAllah for your efforts. I was searching on this topic for so many days as I have to decide whether to allow my wife to use copper T or not. But I could not decide without any research as professionaly I am an Engr with a less medical knowledge. I hope all the name of the scholars and their designations along with their message mentioned in your above article are true (as I cannot track them all). Because if a professional muslim doctor is writing an article for the public of the whole world on a very sensitive religious issue, she will definately search and write what the TRUTH is.
Thank you again.
Brother Zahid,
I am not sure about the purpose of your comments. I am a practicing Muslim and a practicing OBGYN. This blog is a sincere effort on my part to help women in our Ummah with questions that are at the crossroads of fiqh and my medical field.
Feel free to reach out to any local scholars in your area to answer your questions, there is no need to trust me or my blog or to call my integrity into question.
Allah knows bless and may He bless your wife with good health.
My question,if some one gonna die with wearing iud as a Muslim what we should do?is a sin?
Dear Shalaha,
A very good question. An easy comparison would be to any other medical implant: a filling in a cavity, a valve on a heart, a pacemaker, or a “clip” sometimes used during surgery, none of these medical devices, embedded within the body, are required to be removed at the time of the washing or before burial.
I hope this is helpful.
Allah knows best.
Hope you are doing fine,
i think being a doctor you need to clear idea of contraception and contra-implantation among public to know better about that. we just can’t take decision on base of various comments and of scholars.
My question is if fertilization takes place in Fallopian tubes and its ends by IUD in Uterus, which normally does, then what we consider its early abortion or some thing else. Being a doctor you have comprehensive knowledge my request to please clarify my view point.
Regards,
Muhammad Taimoor
As salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
First, please read the post that precedes this one on how IUDs work: http://www.muslimobgyn.com/medical-blog/how-do-iuds-work-do-they-cause-abortions
Second, as a physician, I feel comfortable with my expertise on how IUDs work. I do not give fatawa, as that is out of my scope of training and skill.
So after reading the post on how IUDs work, you then need to ask a scholar you trust on what is permissible in Islam and what isn’t. As this article covers, there are differences of opinions on whether and/or when interrupting a pregnancy is permissible. If you take the very strictest (and less common) opinion that even preventing a fertilized egg from implanting is haram, then an IUD may not be the right option for your birth control.
And Allah knows best.
Jazaak Allah Khayr for posting this detailed and thorough summary of opponions RE: the use of an IUD.
I am wondering if you could please expand with regards to the permissibility of the Mirena IUD (which prevents menstruation), As opposed to the copper IUD (which does not).
Considering that there are specific dispensations for the prayer and fasting during the time of menstruation. Are you aware of any opinions or concerns expressed from our Ulama specific to interrupting a woman’s natural cycle.
Barak Allah feek. May Allah reward you for your hard work and service. And pleaE keep us in your duas.
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Wa alaikum as salam wa rahmatullah Servant of Allah,
This is a wonderful question. First, both IUD types affect a woman’s period. The Mirena/Skyla/Kyleena/Liletta (hormone IUDs) all make periods lighter and shorter. The Paragard (Copper IUD) makes periods heavier and longer.
Oral birth control pills, the patch, the ring, they also change a woman’s period, forcing them on a 28 day cycle, making them lighter and often shorter.
I have asked Shaykh Mohammad Nur Abdullah, who was the resident Imam of my masjid in St. Louis, MO when I lived there about altering a woman’s period. Per him, if the intention is birth control and the side effects are not harmful to the woman, then it is permissible.
I have not found in any other book of medical fiqh a ruling on this.
There is very easily available public fatawa allowing the use of hormones to suppress a woman’s period while on Hajj. Your question is clearly about something else, but just wanted to point that out.
And Allah knows best.
Jazaak Illah Khayr. This is very helpful.
Asalamu alaikum dear sister.
May God bless you. Very useful article that helped me understand and sort out my thiught on the iud. After hearing a former christian tell me it is considered abortion in christianity i was suprised and began my research. I have had three c section . The last being very complicated and am terrified of pregnancy. Tjanks again for helpin us in making an insightful decision
Baarakka Allahu feekki sister for this sincere effort of yours.
Assalamu alaikum dear sister and colleague. Have you in your research found any difference of opinion as to the permissability of hormone iud as compared to a copper iud. In South Africa we have been told that the copper iud is impermissible but the hormone iud is ok
Wa alaikum as salam wa rahmatullah,
Interesting question. I have never heard of one being allowed and not the other? Unless the point is that the copper IUD (which is only used for birth control) is not allowed but the progesterone IUD (which is often used for another medical indication not related to pregnancy) would be allowed under those circumstances. As a physician, from a birth control standpoint, I’m not sure there’s a distinction between them that would make such a ruling make sense. If you can direct me to any public posting of a ruling by any prominent scholar, I will do my best to look into it and potentially add their ruling to the original blog post.
Thank you
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Asalam alaykom sister. Thank you for having done the research for us. I am interested in the IUD as a form of contraception but my husband said it is harram. Im still left a little confused though despite your excellent efforts to clarify because it seems to me that essentially it all comes down to personal opinion or individual interpretation of when a pregnancy starts because that essentially is what makes this device haram or not, the question of whether or not we are terminating a pergnancy once it is in motion, would you agree? So due to the differing in opinions from scholars amd medical practitioners like yourself i still dont know if this is harram… not sure what to do..
As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah Inaam,
As in all matters of deen, it is best to go to a teacher you know and trust. This list of rulings is to point out the variety of opinions and the consistency of the ruling of the IUD being permissible by several respected, traditional scholars. The personal decision you make must be based on your own conversation with a scholar you trust.
May Allah bless you with what is best for you.
Copper IUD is definitely Haram as it’s works as a contra implantation not as a contraception as copper IUD destroys the zygote that is formed.
Your opinion, of course, is your opinion. Without stating your medical or religious credentials, I’m not sure your opinion is of use to the general public.
For the ruling on the prevention of implantation, please see the previous article on this issue. How IUDs work: http://www.muslimobgyn.com/medical-blog/how-do-iuds-work-do-they-cause-abortions
Salam everyone
The ruling is clear:
https://islamqa.info/en/22027
The above site is a reliable and has rulings closest to the sunnah I’ve yet to see. I hope this helps.
As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah Layl,
Thank you for that reference. For those interested in the ruling from Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, there it is. This article is meant to share the opinions of a variety of prominent scholars to help women learn of the variety or rulings in our tradition.
May Allah guide us all to what is best.
Please tell me- with Mirena if I don’t have any periods, can I continue to fast and pray whole month of Ramzan?