Sex and Society in Islam: Birth Control Before the Nineteenth Century

In this study of birth control in the classical Islamic world, Basim Musallam demonstrates the wide range of evidence available to dispel many assumptions that are rampant in many people's beliefs. Medieval Arabic discussions of contraception and abortion in Islamic jurisprudence, medicine, materia medica, belles lettres, erotica and popular literature show that birth control was sanctioned by Islamic law and opinion. Contraceptive methods were available throughout pre-modern times and were used to meet social, economic, personal and medical needs. Sex and Society in Islam considers the impact of birth control as a factor in demographic change, and therefore in social history.