Sheikh seeks to demystify family planning among Muslims

As he left Nakuru for Wajir, Sheikh Abduwahab Mursal knew all too well that he had a hard task ahead.

He was out to convince his fellow Muslims on need to embrace family planning.

Being a top religious leader in the county, Sheikh Mursal has great influence especially among the Muslims in the region.

“It will not be easy to convince my people, especially in the villages, to embrace modern-day family planning methods,” admitted Sheikh Mursal.

He was among more than 30 Muslim religious leaders who had gathered in Nakuru a week ago for a sensitisation meeting on the significance of family planning.

The gathering was aimed at demystifying family planning among Muslims.

TABOO

It emerged that among the Muslims, family planning is highly considered a taboo, sometimes a sin.

“Most Muslims believe it is a against Islam and their culture, but this is a misconception,” said Sheikh Mursal

According to Kenya Demographic Health Survey (2008-2009) only four per cent of married women in North Eastern Kenya used any contraceptive against the country’s prevalence of 46 per cent.

North Eastern Kenya is a Muslim dominated region which explains the low prevalence in the use of contraceptives, according to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The survey played a key role in initiating a programme by UNFPA that would educate Muslims on the significance of family planning, according to Ms Batula Abdi, a reproductive health programmes officer

“We had carried out research on what the Holy Quran says about children and found family planning is not condemned,” said Ms Abdi.

She said research done in Muslim dominated areas revealed that most of them shunned family planning for fear of going against the teachings of the Quran.

“Most Muslims believe that family planning is solely for economic reasons," said Sheikh Ibrahim Lethom, a legal officer at Kenya Council of Imams.

SPACING CHILDREN

“But they fail to consider the role they have in making sure that their children have good health by spacing them which obviously involves use of some family planning methods,” he added.

According to Sheikh Lethom, in ancient times, Muslims used Al-‘Azl (coitus interruptus) as a family planning method.

Al-‘Azl is the modern day withdrawal method of family planning.

However, that was then. Sheikh Lethom, who facilitated the training in Nakuru said Muslims needed to understand that technology changes with time.

Concerning possible conflict between Islam and family planning, Sheikh Lethom said no text in the Quran or Sura prohibits family planning.

He added that the Quran had also not indicated that people should either limit the number of children or prevent pregnancy.

ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

He dismissed as misconceptions that family planning is not allowed as it interferes with God’s nature and is in conflict with Islamic teachings.

Allah, Sheikh Lethom said, desired that His people get good quality children which could be achieved only if spacing is done between births.

“We must not keep-off family planning by focusing on the side-effects of modern family methods while ignoring their immense benefits,” he said.

While temporally family planning methods are allowed within Islam, permanent methods like vasectomy and tubal ligation are totally prohibited.

Family planning, in this context is only meant to space children and not terminate an individuals fertility status that has been granted by Allah, according to Sheikh Lethom.

Even as the religious leaders promised to talk top couples in their areas on the need for family planning, the government has a role to play.

“The government need to be sensitive about Islamic beliefs and values while posting staff in the family planning departments,” said Sheikh Lethom.

He said it was a taboo in the Islamic faith for a woman to be touched by or discuss sexuality with a man even if he is a medical practitioner.

Reproductive Health experts recommend that children should be spaced for at least two years for the benefit of both the young ones and mothers.

THREE YEARS BETTER

According to Dr John Ong’ech, a top gynaecologist at Kenyatta National Hospital, three years is even a more recommended duration to space out children.

Mothers, he added, need time to have their body’s physiological system stabilise between pregnancies.

During pregnancy, the functions of organs such as the kidneys and lungs are affected.

“If these organs are not given adequate time to resume normal operations after pregnancy, a mother is likely to suffer from conditions such as diabetes and hypertension,” said Dr Ong’ech

Social-economic issues should also be put into consideration as they play a key role in determining when to have a child.

Chief Mid-Wife at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital (PGH) Ms Grace Omollo said a mother needs time to heal as her physical and psychological health is affected during pregnancy.

“Her reproductive organs need time to come to form and gain new strength to carry another pregnancy hence the need to space children,” said Ms Omollo.