Yumbe Khadi urges Muslims to embrace family planning

_______________

As Muslims around the world celebrate the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr prayers, Sheikh Swaib Allahai Achiga, the District Khadi of Yumbe District, took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of child spacing within families.

In his Eid al-Fitr sermon delivered at the Yumbe Boma grounds, Achiga stated that the current economic climate is challenging, necessitating serious consideration of family planning options to ensure that families can adequately meet their basic needs.

He noted that many women in the district are getting pregnant every year, which is making their bodies get weak and often causes suffering to the family in terms of caring for the children.

"We are punishing the women by making them pregnant every year. Islam and the Quran don't support this, let the women have enough rest, especially after their delivery, at least two to three years before they get another child," said Achiga.

Achiga encouraged couples to discuss when to have children and how to care for them, rather than having children without planning.

He also warned Muslims against continuing to have children in later stages of life.

Achiga stated that, for proper care and support, women should cease having children by the age of 40, while men should stop fathering children after the age of 50.

Khadi added that children born to older parents can become a burden for the firstborn siblings, as the parents may become weaker and unable to provide adequate support.

"As a woman, why would you still want to have a baby at 40? You should rest and enjoy your later years with your husband, rather than focusing on having another child," he emphasised.

Child marriage and teenage pregnancy

Achiga also advised Muslims against the practice of marrying off their girls before the age of 18.

He emphasised that this practice is not only illegal but also leads to lifelong suffering for the children involved. Those who marry at such a young age are more likely to experience complications during childbirth, such as requiring a cesarean section.

Additionally, he pointed out that these children often lack the psychological development necessary to handle family issues, which significantly increases the chances of divorce in their marriages.

"Why do we marry our girls off at early ages? This practice goes against Islamic teachings and norms because Almighty Allah states in the Quran that girls should mature in their parents’ homes before being married," said Achiga.

He also encouraged parents to give their daughters a second chance to continue their education if they face unwanted pregnancies.

According to reports from the District Health Department, over 5,000 girls became pregnant between January and December of last year.

Rashid Kawawa Abdallah, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Yumbe, urged religious leaders to promote messages of reproductive and sexual health rights in their sermons to combat this issue.

He remarked that unplanned pregnancies are a major cause of gender-based violence in the district and encouraged the community to report cases of violence against children and women so that the perpetrators can be held accountable.