Muslims affirm that to bear and raise a child is a blessing from God, and one of the central purposes for sexual relations. But whereas in previous times couples unable to have children were deprived of this gift, rapid advances in the field of sexual health have made it technically possible to overcome many of these barriers.

This article series will clarify the Muslim stance on assisted reproduction, and touch upon closely related areas of sexual and reproductive ethics.

The ethical questions addressed in this series include:

Is it a  ‘right’ to have a child?

Can artificial methods of fertilization be used to have children, such as IVF or ICSI?

How do Muslims view surrogacy and sperm banks?

Is circumcision encouraged in Islam?

What is the difference between female and male circumcision?

What about Female Genital Mutilation?

What is the religious ruling on consanguinity?

How should Muslims treat patients with HIV/AIDS?

Is it acceptable to genetically engineer a human embryo for research purposes?