Praise
be to Allah.
We have not
found anything in the saheeh Sunnah or the reports from the Sahaabah and
Taabi‘een to indicate that an easy pregnancy is one of the signs of
special mercy from Allah, may He be exalted, to a woman. That is one of
the matters of the unseen regarding which we must adhere to what is
mentioned in the texts and reports, and not attribute any such thing to
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) unless we are
certain of it and that it is saheeh. Allah, may He be glorified and
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And
follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of
which you have no knowledge (e.g. ones saying: “I have seen,” while in fact
he has not seen, or “I have heard,” while he has not heard). Verily! The
hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be
questioned (by Allah)”
[al-Isra’
17:36].
Moreover, the
mercy of Allah, may He be exalted, may be in wellbeing, but it may also be
in trials and tests, according to the knowledge and wisdom of Allah, may He
be glorified and exalted. It was narrated from Muhammad ibn Khaalid, from
his father, from his grandfather – who was a companion of the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – that he said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “If a
certain status has previously been decreed by Allah for a person, and he
does not attain it by his deeds, Allah afflicts him in his body or wealth or
children.”
Narrated by
Abu Dawood in as-Sunan, no. 3090. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
This hadeeth indicates that if a woman is tested with difficulty and
hardship in pregnancy, that may be a sign of Allah’s mercy towards the woman
and of what she will have with Allah of reward and great status, especially
if we remember the hadeeth of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) in which he said:
“There is no calamity that befalls a Muslim but he is expiated thereby, even
a thorn that pricks him.”
Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (5640) and Muslim (2572).
Thus it is
clear that whoever wants to attain the mercy of Allah, may He be exalted,
let him be patient at the time of calamity and let him be grateful at the
time of blessing, for in that case he will be in a very good state and will
not be distracted by thinking about what Allah, may He be exalted, intends
by this calamity, for that is one of the matters of the unseen of which he
has no knowledge, but by being grateful and showing patience, he will attain
the mercy and good pleasure of Allah.
Sufyaan
ath-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There is no
one who understands Islam but he regards calamity as a blessing, and ease as
a calamity.
End quote from
Hilyat al-Awliya’ (7/55).
One of the
earlier generations said:
Be content
with Allah in all that He does to you, for He does not withhold from you
except in order to give you, and He does not put you through trials except
in order to bring about your well-being, and He does not cause you to be
sick except in order to heal you, and He does not cause you to die except in
order to bring you back to life. So beware of failing to be content with Him
even for a moment, lest you be deprived of mercy.
End quote from
Madaarij as-Saalikeen, 2/216
But if there
is some symptom of illness that prevents you from having another child, that
does not indicate that you are a bad woman or that you have been cast away
from the mercy of Allah – Allah forbid. Rather that is a common occurrence
and there is no blame on you.
“and [Allah] has not laid upon you in religion any
hardship”[al-Hajj 22:78].
But we also think that the difficulty and hardship that you are facing at
present mean that this is not an appropriate time to take such a decision.
How many women have thought in such situations the same as you are thinking
now, but when Allah made the birth easy for her and she had rested for a
while after that hardship, she once again began to long for pregnancy and
childbirth, and to raise little ones. Perhaps if Allah makes the birth easy
for you – in sha Allah – and you rest for a while after that, maybe Allah
will help you with another pregnancy. But it is too early to make such a
decision now
For more
information, please see fatwas no. 161204 and
150171
And Allah
knows best.