Reading Notes on "Sex and Society in Islam" by B.F Musallam

Musallam, B.F. “Sex and Society in Islam: Birth Control Before the Nineteenth Century.” Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1983.

In “Sex and Society in Islam: Birth Control Before the Nineteenth Century” B.F Musallam writes of the history and Islamic justifications for birth control and family planning in Islamic societies. Unlike the ancient Judaism and Christianity, medieval Islam did not forbid birth control as infanticide. Central to understanding birth control and family planning within Islam is an understanding of these Islamic justifications. The justification of birth control in Islam centered on a few important concepts.

First, the concept of “God’s infinite power” was used to justify the most commonly used method “coitus interruptus” (26). Accidental pregnancies that resulted from coitus interupptus were regarded as evidence of God’s all-powerful will—they proved that “when God wanted a child to be born, he was.” (26). Thus birth control was not regarded as infanticide, for if God wanted an infant he would be born, regardless what methods of birth control were employed (or attempted, rather). Additionally, the use of coitus interruptus has been documented in the Hadith. Mohammed is said to have practiced coitus interruptus and encouraged his followers to practice the method with women (often slaves) they did not wish to impregnate (15).

Interestingly, the prophet forbade the practice of coitus interruptus “with a free woman except with her permission” (16). Thus in accordance with the hadith, Islam requires a woman’s consent to practice coitus interruptus. Muslim scholars believed the woman is entitled to both sexual gratification and children—coitus interruptus without her permission is said to deny her of these (28).

Second, ancient Muslim scholars utilized both current medical and social knowledge to justify birth control and family planning. They believed that birth control could improve the well being of children. It was believed that a new pregnancy would almost certainly lead to death of a newborn infant (due to lack of breast milk, nutrition, etc). Birth control and family planning could improve the chances of those children that were already born. Additionally, ancient Muslims acknowledged that effective family planning could improve educational opportunities for children. Muslim scholar Bujairimi stated that “if contraception is practiced for an excuse, such as the raising of a child, it is not even blameworthy” (25). Thus, medieval Islam recognized the economic and social pressures put on large families, through that recognition justified birth control.

Finally, unlike in Christianity and Judaism the spilling of semen is not considered the spilling of God’s seed. Muslim scholars believed that both male and female semen were required for creation of life and both were believed (by many, including Ibyn Qayyim) to be equal in quality and value. It was believed that “the man’s semen is thick and forms the bones and tendomes. The woman’s semen is fine and forms the flesh and the blood” (52). Once life was generated ensoulment was believed to take one hundred twenty days. Thus, with both male and female contributions necessary to generate life and one hundred twenty days necessary , coitus interruptus did not carry the moral weight that it did in medieval Christianity and Judaism.

B.F Musallam continues to describe the various potions and herbs used in ancient Islamic societies as methods of birth control. He notes that only a small fraction of the described methods were “irrational” and claims that the early Islamic acceptance of birth control was related to relatively large body of scientific and medical knowledge on birth control available at the time.

Reflections
This book really helped me make sense of everything in my mind—now that I understand the ancient Islamic justifications for birth control it is easier to understand the modern justifications for birth control in the Islamic republic of Iran. I am impressed with the large body of scientific and medical knowledge available at that time and impressed Islam’s incorporation of that knowledge. I also find it interesting that Islam differed so widely from Christianity and Judaism in this regard (while I understand their religious justifications). Finally, I am surprised and impressed that a woman’s consent is required to practice coitus interruptus. This sort of goes against the modern stereotype of Muslim women as oppressed or without voice or rights; I think the belief in women’s right to sexual gratification would surprise many other people who are not familiar with Islam and Islamic family planning practices.

In writing my paper I see this book and my reading notes being a useful tool for analysis. Perhaps it would be wise to write my paper chronologically, starting with a the system before the revolution, documenting the changes after the revolution, and using data from this book to help analyze the justifications for why these changes/this new system was made.