Family Planning and its Legitimacy Principles from the Imami Scholars Viewpoint

As the basis for social life and agent of duplication of generations, family is of great importance. Because family planning is the live issue of today societies and most of the families are concerned with, it is necessary to explain the function of instruments and ways used in this field from the viewpoint of Islamic law and jurisprudence. Family planning means to make voluntary the number of children and family dimensions. In other words, it is the same as "generation control'; but because it is mostly used to decrease generation, we explain its related commandments in that case.The most important source to attain the legal commandment of the issue are the numerous traditions from the infallible Imams about 'azl' (deposing the ovum) and they are counted as strong proofs for the permissibleness of 'azl'. So some scholars think that, with observance of some conditions, one can permit other ways of preventing pregnancy similar to 'azl' in preventing the combination of ovum and zygote. Of course in addition to the explained conditions, the family planning must be with the permission and satisfaction of the husband.