Hormonal Contraceptive Implant: A Comparative Jurisprudential Study

The Hormonal Contraceptive Implant: A Comparative Fiqh-Based Study
 
Taghreed Abdel-Fattah Abu El-Soud Mohamed Khafagy
Department of Comparative Fiqh, Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Alexandria, Arab Republic of Egypt
Email: dr.doaaelsaeady@azhar.edu.eg
 
Abstract:
This study aims to explore the hormonal implant as one of the recent developments in women’s health for contraception and family planning. It seeks to explain how the implant functions, along with its advantages and potential drawbacks. The research also seeks to determine the Islamic legal ruling on its use for birth control, in accordance with jurisprudential guidelines and conditions, and to provide a Shariah-based perspective that can assist Muslim women in making informed medical decisions aligned with Islamic teachings. The goal is to achieve a balance between preserving women’s health and adhering to the rulings of Shariah, especially in light of the implants increasing use among women.
The study adopts a descriptive, inductive, deductive, and comparative methodology. It presents the nature of the hormonal implant, its medical benefits and possible harms to women’s health, followed by a review and comparative analysis of the jurisprudential opinions found in primary sources. This helps in deducing and clarifying the Islamic legal position on its use.
Among the most significant conclusions reached is that the hormonal implant is legally permissible in cases of necessity or legitimate need, particularly for family planning purposes—on the condition that there is no intention of permanent sterilization, no proven serious psychological or physical harm to the woman, no interference with an existing pregnancy, and that its use is based on mutual consent between spouses and the advice of a qualified medical professional. The study also concludes that the hormonal implant is highly effective in preventing pregnancy, easy to insert and remove, does not require daily or frequent monitoring, and is considered safe for most women, including those who are breastfeeding.