Why do muslims have large families?

Question

Made ya look! Anyway, many say that every muslim has, what, a dozen kids or so? I have never in my 5 years of being a muslim met one of these people, and don't know any from my travels to Pakistan and Kuwait who had even close to that many, but ok. I personally have two, one of each, and plan to keep it that way.

So why do they say this, and why do the men dream of having large families? The Prophet (PBUH) himself even discouraged having too many children, even though children were loved, in the following quote. What do you think about it?

"The man I most emulate is a Muslim unencumbered; a man of small family, and little money, a performer of prayers and a perfect worshipper of God in private, one who is unknown, and hath enough to supply his wants, and when he dieth, he will leave few women to cry for him, and few legacies."

Answer 1

Lack of education (about religion too).

Answer 2

Of course you MUST know that not all Muslim families have lots of kids.
But I would venture to say that there is a lot of poverty and many under-educated people in Muslim countries still today, and you will always see higher birthrates in countries who are dominated by those two social evils.
My family had three kids, and my aunt who raised me, had 5 of her own and still didn't think it was too many to take me in when my family moved to the US. My husband and I have only one son but I will take as many children as God has planned for us.
And as far as that quote...define "small" and you'll have your answer.

Answer 3

If education was given priority the very idea of having many kids Would not prevail ,living good & disciplined life is possible by having Controled birth rate think of nation first,control population

Answer 4

The local catholic junior school has at least 2 families with 9 children, and too many to count with 4 or 5 children. I worked with a man with 10 children, he wasn't Muslim either. Perhaps it's just more noticeable because they do things more as a family group, where as westernised kids tend to do their own thing once they reach a certain age ?

Answer 5

I don't think there's anything wrong with having large families and ALLAH(SWT) will provide for each new family member born. My mother in law would have had 10 children if 3 had not died. She has 7 altogether and her and my father in law have 18 grandchildren. I have one brother in law who has 13 kids and another has 9 kids and they are doing well Alhamdullilah. Even my husband and I plan on having a large number of children. My mother in law, father in law, unmarried sister in law, unmarried brother in law, and 4 other brother in laws live in the same house with their wives and kids and they are doing well because ALLAH(SWT) is providing for them all and also because everything is free and cheap in my husband's country. Have large families is encouraged and recommended in Islam so that the parents have lots of people to take care of them when they are old and so the family can have a closer bond with each other.

Answer 6

Yes that is true but my parents only had 3 children including me and they aren't have any more, if they are just 1 but that's it. But my mom's mom has 8 kids, and my dads mom has like 6.

Answer 7

Actually, I may not agree with you 100% in this. Maybe the prophet did not have a big family, but just remember that ALL his sons died young. Also, Muslims are encoureged to have big families. The reason is not to out-beat the number of Christians like many people think, but is to have larger relationships. I was raised in a family of 8 children & my Dad now has 20 granskids. He gets sooo happy when all of his kids gather with their kids in his house, his joy is shown to be priceless. That's the reason why Muslims, do have larger families. But do you see anything wrong with that? I don't.

One more thing, many people wish to have more kids but are worried about their financial stutus, but remember that PBUH said in one of his hadiths that Muslims should not worry about such a thing because with each child born, Allah gives the family more wealth from places they never knew. That does not mean to have endless number of children, but if you desire to have 5 or 6, do not stop having them for any reason. Remember that Allah is there to watch over them.

Answer 8

i agree sister with what you said... but in case that this family are really having a small sum or amount of money to live with,so it's really enough to have 1 or 2 kids.... but, if this Muslim family have a large sum or very rich, so that they can educate all their kids and also with good fortune for each of them, so in this case, having a large family is more welcome in Islam...... remember that our beloved prophet Muhammad(pbuh) said that : I will be proud of your large numbers (in the Day of Judgement) in front of the other nations.

Answer 9

Many people are worried about how to feed many children, and how to take them to the best school
But some Muslims believe that Allah will help them on every way. that's why they don't feel worry to have many children.
(I guess he he he)

Answer 10

Morocco's urban birthrate is something like 2.3 children per family. So no, I wouldn't say that modern Muslims have exceptionally large families - at least not as large as Catholic families!!

Answer 11

4 me i love big families
i hope ill have more than 6 kids 1 day
thats so nice to be a mom and a grandma later of such a number
love that
after all its called FAMILY

proud Muslim girl