Analysis of the Childfree Phenomenon in the Framework of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi's Methodology

Abstract

The phenomenon of childfree, which is a conscious decision made by a married couple not to have children, is increasingly becoming a topic of conversation in Indonesia and causing pro and con reactions, especially among Muslims who are bound by sharia rules. As a nation with a culture that supports the birth of children (pronatalist), where marriage is often interpreted as an obligation to have offspring, this phenomenon is an issue that deserves to be explored further through the perspective of jurisprudence, especially the thinking of modern scholars such as Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi. The purpose of this study is to examine the perspective of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi on the practice of childfree for married couples that aims for the benefit, childfree practices that do not have sharia reasons, and childfree practices related to women with careers. The method used in this study is qualitative with a library research approach, the research uses primary data sources from Al-Qaradhawi's works such as Al-Halal wa Al-Haram fi Al-Islam and Fatawa Mu'ashirah, and secondary sources in the form of relevant books, journals, and theses. The findings of the study show that childfree based on clear benefits (both medical and psychological) gets legal tolerance through the concept of tanzhim al-nasl, while childfree without sharia reasons is included in the category of makruh tahrim because it is contrary to maqashid hifz al-nasl. On the other hand, women's careers do not necessarily justify childfree decisions, as they are conditional and do not negate each other within the framework of Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi's thought.