Islam gives a great deal to women especially when it refers to certain issues such as delivery. The Qur’an shows the hardships that women would go through because of labour and giving birth. Thus, we find the verse vehemently urging men to keep a very good company with their mothers.
Allah the Almighty says: [ And We have enjoined upon man concerning his parents. His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness]. (Luqman 31:14)
Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, illustrates: Caesarean section is an operation in which the abdomen is cut in order to bring the child out of the mother. It is said that it is so called after Julius Caesar, because he was the first one to be born in this manner, when his mother died during labour, after which the doctor cut open her stomach and brought him out of her, and Caesar lived to become the emperor of Rome. Natural childbirth is better for the mother, but this does not mean that Caesarean section should not be used when necessary. Among such cases of necessity are: when the placenta is in the lower part of the uterus, when the foetus is deprived of oxygen, when there are tumours in the pelvis, when there is high blood pressure, when there is haemorrhaging that threatens the life of the mother and baby, when there are conjoined (“Siamese”) twins, when the foetus is abnormally large, and other cases of necessity where Caesarean section is indicated. This is one of the great blessings of Allah, an example of His mercy towards His creation. Many doctors take the matter of resorting to Caesarean section lightly, because they want to earn more money or because they cannot be patient with the mother during natural childbirth. Some women ask for this surgery in order to preserve the gracefulness of their bodies or so as to avoid the pain of childbirth. Undoubtedly doing this leads to the loss of numerous benefits, and also has effects on the mother and on future birth. It is not something to be done as soon as the woman feels a contraction, so that she may avoid pain. Natural childbirth is better than a caesarean. Allah guarantees to make it easy for this newborn. Many men and women have noticed that there is haste in performing caesarean sections. Women should be patient and seek reward and should continue to give birth in the natural way, because that is better for them in this world and in the Hereafter. Men should also pay attention to this issue, for we do not know, perhaps our enemies are the ones who have made these operations easy for us so that we will lose these benefits and be subject to these losses. To sum up: Caesarean section should not be resorted to except in cases of necessity, when natural childbirth is not possible, or it poses a danger to the mother or the child.
