Legal issues hence family planning

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalamu Alaikum Islam Helpline, I am a woman of 25 years old hailing from Asia living in one of the Middle East countries for more than a decade. I got married last year to a man who has got around USD 500,000 debts. He is doing business but his business is doing very very bad. He would like to start working so that he can solve off the debts. But, due to non payment of loans to banks, he has got court cases and therefore he cant go out to work to other companies as it would require clearance from the courts. I am working to support ourselves. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a stable job and therefore I am working on part-time basis and temporary posts around the country. Due to the instability in my job area and due to the court case on my husband, I am on my father's sponsorship. As per the rule of the country, I cannot get pregnant if I am on my fathers visa because legally I am not married in this country though I am in my home country. Due to these issues, we are into family planning because I cant have a child right now due to the legal issues surrounding me. I am not delaying having kids because we have no money but because of the legal issues. Yes, money is an issue and I would love to be on stable income if we have kids because now itself its so very hard to provide for our basic needs due to the very low income that we are making and due to the huge payout in form of various loans. Let me clarify here, before anyone points out that we lived beyond our means earlier. Well, its not the case. This loan was already there even before I got married to my husband. Unfortunately, this is the money invested in business. As per Islamic law, if a business makes a loss, then investors have no right to ask the money back. But, our own muslim family members taunt us and hurt us and make our life miserable by asking the huge amount back. If we had, we would have surely given. But it seems so hard to ger rizq from any sources due to the market condition prevalent today. Let me get onto my question. As I mentioned earlier, I cant have kids due to the legal issues. Last option that I have is going back to my home country but my husband cant join me because he can leave the country only after he settle the loans. My own family tells me that the longer I delay having kids fearing poverty, the longer it would take to clear the financial issues as children are source of rizq and I am angering our Almighty Allah. Is this true? Would Allah punish me as I am delaying having kids? Shouldn't I be practical and try solve the legal issues first and then have a child because tomorrow even my child would be bound to all this as he cant be a legal resident of this country? Please clarify. Jazakallahu Khairan.

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Answer:

Legal issues hence family planning

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sister owing to your difficult and valid situation you are within your rights to delay having children. Having said that, owing to the huge debts how long can you delay this issue before you can conceive. If you keep a time frame say a year or two then it is acceptable, but an infinite time will not be appropriate at all.

Remember Allah swt is the giver of all rizq. He Subhanahu va Taala provides for everybody on this planet in measures He wills. Therefore you should not fear about the provisions of your family after having children, though being cautious would be a wise decision. The only thing one can say is in your situation you might have to make do with a little less than you are used to. InshaAllah in time things will become better if Allah swt wills.

About the immigration laws if you have not declared that you are married and your husband lives with you, you could have children and remain in your father's visa as the authorities would believe that you are staying with your parents and not husband. We know of some people who have stayed in this situation for many years before the visa of the woman was transferred in her husbands name.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is only ones. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brothers and well wishers in Islam,

 

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