Difficulty having children due to low sperm count
23-5-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I am a 39 year old man, married for the past 4 years. We have been trying to conceive a child unsuccessfully. During my last visit to India I was subjected to thorough test like sperm count and found to be very lacking. My parents were very much interested to go for IVF which means taking it from sperm bank and we opposed it saying it is not Islamic. My parents suffer very much just because I don't have children. What should I do in this case? Please advise.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
May Allah grant you pious children as He has given children to Prophet Zakariah (Alaihi Salaam) although he was aged and his wife was barren. Allah Says: {At that time Zakariyâ (Zachariya) invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation." Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in Al-Mihrâb (a praying place or a private room), (saying): "Allâh gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John), confirming (believing in) the Word from Allâh [i.e. the creation of 'Iesa (Jesus), the Word from Allâh ("Be!" - and he was!)], noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous." He said: "O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old, and my wife is barren?" Allâh said: "Thus Allâh does what He wills." He said: "O my Lord! Make a sign for me." Allâh said: "Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning."}[3:38-41].
Also Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) and his wife were very aged but Allah granted them pious children while there was no hope of them getting any children. Allah Says: {But We gave her glad tidings of Ishâque (Isaac), and after him, of Ya'qûb (Jacob). She said (in astonishment): "Woe unto me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband, an old man? Verily! This is a strange thing!" They said: "Do you wonder at the Decree of Allâh? The Mercy of Allâh and His Blessings be on you, O the family [of Ibrahîm (Abraham)]. Surely, He (Allâh) is All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious."}[11:71-73].
So, you have to trust in Allah continue making Du'a, surely Allah responds to those who supplicate Him. Do not become pessimistic.
On the other hand, know that no one, even the parents is to be obeyed in disobeying the Lord. The procedure of IVF you are asking about is strictly forbidden in Shariah, hence you should avoid it.
For more details on this subject, please read the Fatawa: 82554.
Allah knows best.