Shariah Ruling on Sex in Pregnancy

Shariah Ruling on Intercourse with Wife During Pregnancy: Is It Allowed?

Question: What is the Shariah ruling on having intercourse with one’s wife during pregnancy? Is it disliked (makruh)? And will intercourse during pregnancy or in the final days cause any harm to the wife or the child?

Answer:

Alhamdulillah:

It is permissible for a husband to enjoy intimacy with his wife at all times and in all conditions, except for what is forbidden by Shariah, such as anal intercourse, which is haram. Similarly, intercourse during menstruation (hayd) or post-natal bleeding (nifas) is also made haram.

As for the issue of a pregnant wife, there is no evidence for the prohibition of intercourse with her. In fact, intercourse during pregnancy improves the development of the fetus (child). However, if according to an expert doctor, there is a risk of harm to the child, then one should abstain. In such a situation, the extent of the harm and the need for abstinence can only be determined by an experienced female doctor.

Allah the Almighty has described the wife as a tilth for her husband.

Al-Qur’an – Surah No. 2 Al-Baqarah, Verse No. 223:

أَعـوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْـطانِ الرَّجيـم

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

نِسَآؤُكُمۡ حَرۡثٌ لَّـكُمۡ ۖ فَاۡتُوۡا حَرۡثَكُمۡ اَنّٰى شِئۡتُمۡ‌ وَقَدِّمُوۡا لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ‌ؕ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَاعۡلَمُوۡٓا اَنَّکُمۡ مُّلٰقُوۡهُ ‌ؕ وَ بَشِّرِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۞

Translation:

Your women are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth when or how you will, and send forth [good deeds] for yourselves. And fear Allah and know that you will meet Him. And give good tidings to the believers.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said:

Al-Harth (the tilth): this is the place of childbirth.

“So go to your tilth,”

Meaning, as you wish, from the front or from the back, but in the same place, i.e., the place of childbirth, as is proven from the hadiths.

(See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (1 / 588))

The scholars of the Saudi Permanent Committee for Ifta were asked the following question:

When is it obligatory for a husband to abstain from intercourse with his wife during the period of pregnancy?

And is intercourse with the wife harmful to the child, especially during the first three months of pregnancy?

The committee’s scholars replied:

“There is no harm in having intercourse with a pregnant woman as long as it does not cause harm to the pregnancy. Rather, intercourse with a menstruating woman is prohibited.

Because Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:

'And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is a harm, so keep away from women during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you." Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themse1lves.' (Surah Al-Baqarah - 222)

And the woman with post-natal bleeding is treated similarly; intercourse is not to be had with her until she is pure. And likewise is the woman who has entered the state of Ihram for Hajj or Umrah.” End quote.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Ghudayyan.

Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan.

Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd.

(See: Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah lil-Buhuth al-‘Ilmiyyah wal-Ifta (19 / 353))

And Sheikh Abdullah bin Meni’ (may Allah preserve him) was asked about intercourse with a pregnant woman.

His answer was:

“In Islamic Shariah, it is not forbidden for a husband to have intercourse with his pregnant wife. This prohibition is specific to women in a state of menstruation and post-natal bleeding. However, if an experienced doctor decides, based on a specific condition, that intercourse is harmful to her health, then this is a special case and should not be used as a general analogy.” End quote.

(See: Fatawa wa Buhuth Sheikh Abdullah bin Meni’ (4 / 228))

As for the question of whether intercourse in the last month of pregnancy is harmful to the wife or not?

An experienced female doctor should be consulted about this, as it varies according to the woman’s constitution and the nature of the pregnancy, and according to the effects that arise as a result of the pregnancy, which differ. Only an expert female doctor can advise on this.

However, the basic principle is that intercourse during pregnancy causes no harm to the woman, nor does it cause any harm to the child.

In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) likened the child in the womb to a crop, and a man’s semen to the water that irrigates that crop.

As is mentioned in the following hadiths:

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلَا يَسْقِ مَاءَهُ وَلَدَ غَيْرِهِ

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not water the plant of another with his water (semen).”

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1131) – Hadith Hasan

Ruwayfi’ ibn Thabit al-Ansari stood among us as a speaker and said: Listen! I will only tell you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). On the day of the Battle of Hunayn, he was saying: “It is not permissible for any man who believes in Allah and the Last Day to irrigate the crop of another” (he meant having intercourse with a pregnant female captive)……End.

(Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 2158)

These hadiths are evidence that the child in the mother’s womb benefits from the man’s water (semen), which means that having intercourse with the wife during pregnancy and ejaculating in the womb is beneficial, not harmful.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

“Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

Intercourse increases the child’s hearing and vision.”

(See: Zad al-Ma’ad (5 / 140))

This is why Shariah has forbidden intercourse with pregnant female captives.

Because intercourse during pregnancy is beneficial for the fetus (the child in the womb).

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the Muslims regarding pregnant women who came as captives not to have intercourse with them until they give birth.

This is because intercourse would mean that the one engaging in it also contributes to the development of the fetus during pregnancy. Then that child cannot be the heir of the Muslim man, because the original sperm is not his but that of a disbeliever to whom the female captive was previously married. Nor can the child be his slave, because the Muslim man’s sperm has also been involved in its development.

Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a female captive who was close to giving birth and said:

«لَعَلَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُلِمَّ بِهَا»، فَقَالُوا:

نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَلْعَنَهُ لَعْنًا يَدْخُلُ مَعَهُ قَبْرَهُ، كَيْفَ يُوَرِّثُهُ وَهُوَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ؟ كَيْفَ يَسْتَخْدِمُهُ وَهُوَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ؟»

“Perhaps her master intends to have intercourse with her?” They said, “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “I was about to curse him with a curse that would enter his grave with him. How can he make him his heir when it is not lawful for him? How can he take him as a slave when it is not lawful for him?”

(Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 1441)

Similarly, Sayyiduna Ruwayfi’ ibn Thabit al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of Hunayn:

«لَا يَحِلُّ لِامْرِئٍ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَ مَاءَهُ زَرْعَ غَيْرِهِ» – يَعْنِي: إِتْيَانَ الْحَبَالَى – «وَلَا يَحِلُّ لِامْرِئٍ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ مِنَ السَّبْيِ حَتَّى يَسْتَبْرِئَهَا»

“It is not lawful for a man who believes in Allah and the Last Day to water the crop of another with his water” – meaning having intercourse with a woman pregnant by another man. “And it is not lawful for a man who believes in Allah and the Last Day to have intercourse with any of the female captives until he has ascertained she is not pregnant” (meaning either she has a menstrual period or, if she is pregnant, until she gives birth).

(Sunan Abi Dawood Hadith No. 2158)

From these hadiths, it is understood that intercourse during pregnancy improves the physical health of the fetus, and its congenital defects are removed. It is just like how watering a crop makes it green and lush. Therefore, having intercourse with one’s wife during pregnancy is not something to be ashamed of, but rather a commendable act, and it is also beneficial for the fetus. From this, the medical principle also emerges that during pregnancy, the mouth of the uterus does not close but remains open, and the man’s semen can reach it. And it is also proven that it is forbidden to have intercourse with female captives who are pregnant by another man until they have delivered their child.

As for the issue of some people saying that intercourse during pregnancy leads to an early birth, this statement is not correct, unless the intercourse is done with great force and intensity, and the woman’s uterus is weak. In that case, this is the view of experienced people.

Therefore, the husband should be considerate of his pregnant wife’s psychological state and her discomfort, especially in the final days when even sitting becomes difficult for her. The husband should adopt a suitable position for intercourse so that no harm comes to the wife or the child.

((And Allah the Almighty knows best what is correct.))

Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1004