Editing Islamic sexual jurisprudence (section)

===Sterilization===
It is not permitted to carry out operations on men or women that will lead to complete sterility, such as cutting the vas deferens ([[vasectomy]]) in men, or removing the ovaries or womb ([[hysterectomy]] or [[Tubal ligation|ligation]]) in women. Irreversible methods of contraception and birth control called [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilization]] are not allowed for both male and female, except in the case of the wife who becomes terminally ill and perpetually incapable of having babies.<ref name="Iqainfo-sterility">
{{cite web |author1=[[Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid]] |title=Ruling on surgery that causes sterility |url=https://islamqa.info/en/2160 |website=[[Islamqa.info]] |accessdate=13 September 2018 |date=1998-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013211622/https://islamqa.info/en/2160 |archive-date=2018-10-13 |url-status=live }}
</ref> Therefore, if the sterilization is irreversible and cannot be undone, it will not be permissible unless the woman is terminally ill.<ref>
{{cite web |author1=Yusuf Laher |title=Are Muslim women allowed to have sterilization? |url=http://islamqa.org/hanafi/askmufti/44911 |accessdate=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009092758/http://islamqa.org/hanafi/askmufti/44911 |archive-date=2018-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref> Under normal circumstances, sterilization is considered to be absolutely and decidedly prohibited in Shari’ah. The irreversible nature associated with both the male and female sterilizations clearly contradicts one of the primary purposes of marriage which is to have children, as mentioned by [[Abu Hamid al-Ghazali]] in his [[Ihya’ Ulum al-Din]]. 
Furthermore, sterilization is a form of mutilation of one's body (muthla), which has been clearly forbidden in the Shari’ah. Allah Most High mentions in [[An-Nisa]] the words of [[Satan]], when he said:

{{Quote|"I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle and to deface the (fair) nature created by Allah."|[[An-Nisa]]:119}}

However, in cases of absolute necessity, sterilization does become permitted. The well-known principle of Islamic jurisprudence based on the guidelines of the Qur’an and Hadith states: {{Quote|"Necessities make prohibitions lawful."| (Ibn Nujaym, Al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir 85)}}<ref name="DI">
{{cite web |author1=Muhammad ibn Adam |title=Permanent Contraception (Female Sterlisation) - Does Intention affect Permissibility? |url=http://www.daruliftaa.com/node/5114?txt_QuestionID |website=[[Darul Ifta]] |accessdate=10 September 2018 |date=2 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009092820/http://www.daruliftaa.com/node/5114?txt_QuestionID |archive-date=2018-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref>

Being sterilized permanently may mean one of two things: 
# – It may be done out of necessity, such as if it is determined by trustworthy medicinal evidence that pregnancy will pose a danger to the mother's life, and there is no hope of a cure, so permanent sterilization will ward off that danger. In this case it is permissible to be sterilized. 
# – When there is no need for it. Undoubtedly in this case it is a criminal act and a major sin, because it is a transgression against the creation of Allaah for no reason, and preventing the production of offspring which was encouraged by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and being ungrateful for the blessing of children which Allaah bestows upon His creation. And it is not permissible to do anything that will put a stop to pregnancy.<ref>It says in al-Insaaf: It says in al-Faa’iq (1/383).</ref>

The [[Islamic Fiqh Council]] stated the following:

{{Quote|It is haraam to sterilize both men and women, if there is no necessary reason for doing so unless there is a necessity which is to be determined according to the guidelines set out by sharee’ah. It is permissible to take temporary measures to space pregnancies or prevent them for a limited period of time, if there is a legitimate shar’i need to do so, so long as this decision is made on the basis of mutual consultation and approval between the spouses. That is subject to the condition that no harm should result from that, and that the means should be acceptable according to sharee’ah, and that there should be no harm caused to an existing pregnancy.|Islamic Fiqh Council, report no. 39 (1/5)}}

Based on this, if preventing pregnancy is for a legitimate reason as outlined above, then there is nothing to do anything. But if it was not for a necessary reason, then sterilizing is prohibited.<ref name="IQA3">
{{cite web |author1=[[Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid]] |title=She had injections to make her infertile – what is the ruling on that? |url=https://islamqa.info/en/47196 |accessdate=9 October 2018 |date=2004-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009132028/https://islamqa.info/en/47196 |archive-date=2018-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref><ref name="iqs">
{{cite web |author1=[[Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid]] |title=Ruling on having one's tubes tied or having a hysterectomy because pregnancy exhausts her and temporary methods of contraception do not work for h |url=https://islamqa.info/en/258382 |website=[[Islamqa.info]] |accessdate=10 September 2018 |date=2017-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009132016/https://islamqa.info/en/258382 |archive-date=2018-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref>