On October 8, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that Muslims use condoms the most. He was responding to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remark on community-based population imbalance. He further claimed that the total fertility rate (TFR) of Muslims in the country has fallen.
In a statement, while addressing a gathering, Owaisi said, “Don’t fret, the Muslim population is not increasing, it’s rather falling… Who’s using condoms the most? We are. Mohan Bhagwat won’t speak on this. His statement came as a response to Bhagwat’s statement from October 5, where he raised the issue of ‘demographic imbalance’ and called for a well-thought-out and comprehensive population control policy that would be applicable to all social groups equally. Bhagwat further emphasised the importance of ‘community-based’ population imbalance and said it should not be ignored.
#WATCH | On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that there’s a religious imbalance in India, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says, “Don’t fret, Muslim population is not increasing, it’s rather falling… Who’s using condoms the most? We are. Mohan Bhagwat won’t speak on this.” pic.twitter.com/kcaYLaNm7A
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2022
While giving reference to Quran, Owaisi said, “I invite you, Bhagwat Sahab, to read the Qur’an. Allah tells us that killing a foetus is a very big sin. The gap between two pregnancies is done by Muslims, and condoms are mostly used by them.”
AIMIM chief claimed that the TFR of Muslims has declined by 2 per cent. He said, “The total fertility rate of Muslims has declined to 2 per cent as per records of the National Family Health survey. If you misrepresent history, then it is your mistake. In 2020 the Modi government filed an affidavit in the Supreme court stating that compulsion regarding family planning cannot be done, nor do we want it. But Mohan Bhagwat says the population is increasing.”
Owaisi claimed due to lack of “employment” and “inadequate salaries”, half of the population will be dependent on their child for food and medicine by 2061. “Who will feed them?? The BJP and RSS have decided that they will not feed them but will assault Muslims.” It was interesting to see Owaisi talk about BJP in power and the year 2061. It appears he is affirmative that, at least till 2061, BJP is going to remain in power.
What does Islam say about the permissible usage of condom
According to Darulifa Deoband’s website, the use of condoms without a valid reason is unlawful. Furthermore, the use of a condom just for the sake that the man does not want to let the family members, including parents, know about their intercourse relationship with the ‘future wife’ is not permissible.
The condom is allowed only if the wife is too weak and cannot bear pregnancy or is a victim of continual sickness. It can be assumed that the Darul Ifta while answering the question, stated that it was alright to have sex with a wife who is “too weak” or a “victim of continual sickness”.
In a question submitted to the website, someone asked, “Is using condoms allowed in Islam? If not, then how to avoid unwanted pregnancy?” Darul Ifta, while answering the question, said, “The use of condoms without a valid reason is not lawful. However, if the wife is too weak and cannot bear pregnancy or a victim of continual sickness, then in such case of exigency, using a condom is allowable.”
In another question, a person asked, “Is the usage of a condom allowed in ISLAM at the time of intercourse with wife because the person and his future wife will not let anyone know of our intercourse relationship before rukhsati (not even our parents).”
Darul Ifta replied, “When the Nikah is known to all, then there is no wrong if your wife gets pregnant. The excuse put by you is not enough for using a condom. Therefore, it will be makrooh to use a condom in the abovementioned case.” As per Darul Ifta, the use of a condom after Nikah (marriage) is ‘makrooh’ or ‘an offensive act’.
In another question asked on the website, Darul Ifta said that condom is only allowed if the couple wants to delay the next pregnancy to ensure the nourishment of the newborn child. However, if the couple wants to use the condom to avoid pregnancy as they are not well off, the use of a condom is not allowed as it would be considered a “weakness in belief”. Furthermore, if the couple wants to use a condom to delay childbirth to continue “enjoyment”, it would be considered Makrooh.
If the stated facts are right as per Islamic teachings, Owaisi either wants to point out that Muslims are going against Islam, or he might want to point out that Muslim men are having “a lot of sex before or outside marriage”. Only Owaisi can tell what he means.
