Malawi Muslims against law limiting children per family

Malawi Muslim community are opposing the proposed authoritarian law  that would limit number of children per family.

The proposed legislation has been suggested recently by some of the country’s most influential traditional leaders who have argued that the rapid population growth was overstretching delivery of basic social services.

But  the supreme Muslim body, ULAMA Council of Malawi, said they will not be in support of any law that would limit number of children per family.

“This would go against teachings of Islam and nature. We oppose any quarter of the society advocating for this piece of legislation,” said  Sheikh Cassim Chongolo, Secretary General of the  Ulama council.

He is quoted by  OnIslam.net saying that Islam calls for taking care of children, but not limiting the number of kids per family.

“As religious people who are guided by the dictates of the Holy Qur’an, we would only support any measures which could be put in place to allow families to take care of their children before they can have some more, but not necessarily a law,” Sheikh Chongolo said.

Malawi’s population doubled over the past few years, standing currently at 16 million and Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) says the population is projected to reach 40 million by 2040.

Renowned scholar and academician, Dr. Imran Shareef, added there would be no basis to formulate this kind of law.

“There would be measures to control population boom, if need be. But enacting a law to depopulate people is a mockery to creation and we wouldn’t at all cost allow that. Population growth couldn’t be a basis to enact a law,” Shareef is also quoted as saying

“Enacting a law that should police reproduction is a sensitive matter, therefore shouldn’t be allowed to succeed. What we would encourage is intensive civic education on the importance of child spacing.

“Malawians irrespective of their religious beliefs should appreciate the need to adequately care for a child before another one is born, without any law telling them what to do.As a nation, we should be careful with laws which could generate religious tensions,” he added.

Fr. George Buleya, Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), a mother body of the Roam Catholic Church, Malawi’s largest Christian denomination, said “matters of reproduction cannot be legislated.”

“The Bible is very clear on reproduction, therefore, enacting a law against reproduction would mean going against what God expects of us. This would draw the wrath of God. We wouldn’t be in support of this proposed piece of legislation,” Fr. Buleya said

Officially, Malawi is a secular nation, but with diverse religions. Islam is a second largest religion after Christianity.