Religious scholars from several schools of thought have voiced support for healthy birth spacing, known as waqfa, in Islamabad. They argued that the practice protects the health of mothers and children and is compatible with Islamic teaching, while also helping to build stronger families.
The position emerged from a consultative dialogue organised by the Population Council with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The meeting brought together clerics, health specialists and policymakers to discuss responsible parenthood, family well-being and maternal and child health. Participants said that leaving sufficient time between pregnancies could lower health risks for mothers and babies, and they stressed that awareness should be spread through mosques, schools and community networks.
Population Council warns of maternal deaths in Pakistan
Dr Ali Mohammad Mir, Pakistan country director of the Population Council, told the gathering that the country still faces serious challenges in maternal health, with a mother dying every 37 minutes. He said that protecting women’s health and dignity was a shared responsibility that goes beyond medicine. “Protecting the health and dignity of women and ensuring the well-being of children is not only a public health priority but a collective social and moral responsibility,” he said.
Mir asked religious scholars to help families reach informed decisions. He said spacing pregnancies could save lives and urged clerics to carry the message to communities across the country.
Clerics outline the Islamic basis for spacing
Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and khateeb of Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque, said that safeguarding mothers and children was in line with Islamic principles. “Saving lives, safeguarding families and ensuring the welfare of mothers and children are among our collective religious and humanitarian responsibilities,” he said, calling on scholars to raise awareness through mosques and households.
Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, said children were a trust from Allah and that both parents shared the duty of raising them. He added that protecting mothers’ health, meeting children’s rights and strengthening families were responsibilities for both parents and wider society.
In a keynote address, Brigadier (retd) Dr Maimoona Mushtaq, patron of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan, outlined the health risks linked to closely spaced pregnancies. She said that adequate intervals, together with timely healthcare and good nutrition, could improve outcomes for mothers and children and help prevent deaths that could be avoided.
The scholars present agreed that responsible parenthood, women’s dignity and birth spacing were consistent with Islamic values. They said Islam honours women as mothers and places more importance on the quality of a child’s upbringing than on the number of children. Care, education and character-building, they added, demand time and attention from parents.
Officials seek policy follow-up and a joint declaration
Dr Farid Khan, programme analyst at UNFPA Pakistan, stressed the need to involve religious leaders and communities in efforts to improve maternal and child health. Shakeel Ahmad, chief of the Population Wing at the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, called for turning the recommendations of the consultation into policy measures. He proposed sending them to the National Population Council for consideration.
Director General Religious Education and Training Dr Ghulam Qamar called for sustained cooperation between religious scholars, policymakers and health professionals. The participants pledged to promote the slogan “Sehatmand Maa, Sehatmand Bachcha, Sehatmand Khandaan” (healthy mother, healthy child, healthy family) through mosques, educational institutions and community networks across Pakistan.
At the close of the consultation, the scholars signed a joint declaration endorsing healthy birth spacing as a beneficial health measure. In it, they reaffirmed their commitment to protecting mothers and children.
