#122: Advice to Couples who discovered they were both Sickle Cell Carriers.
QUESTION:
1. “As Salaamu Alaykum… In what way can u advice us… I am AS (genotype) and the lady that am planning to marry is also AS (genotype)… we are short of option”.
2. Pls what advice would you give a couple who married without knowing their genotype and end up giving birth to a sickler. They never knew they were both AS (genotype). Is it for them to divorce or…… ?.. How should we approach the genotype issue when considering a spouse to marry??????”_
*ADVICE*
Wa alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh
Alhamdulillāh.
Firstly there is nothing in Islām that prohibits such kind of marriage between couples even if both of them were confirmed carriers of the Sickle Cell disease.
We have however responded to a question in similar some time back and we mentioned that:
1. It isn’t forbidden in Islam to go ahead with such marriages and to rely upon Allāh
2. Sometimes it isn’t a definite fact that every marriage between two Carriers leads the birth of Sicklers as they are gene issues that are open to probabilities. We have seen couples who are both Carriers and had offsprings that were not Sicklers.
3. It is part of the _Maqāsidu Ash-Sharī’a_ (the Goals of the Sharī’a) to reduce sickness and weakness among Muslims and Mankind generally. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in considering that during choice of spouse.
As per our Advice, for the one that is already married, we ask you to rely upon Allāh and not to listen to the whispers if the Shaytān and the voices if distractions that would ask you to go for a divorce. That is not a wise decision to consider.
As for the one who is in courting, our Advice to you is that if you are just beginning in the relationship, you may choose to quit if there are viable alternatives for both of you. However if you have gone deep into the togetherness, then rely upon Allah and continue in the Name of Allāh, seeking His assistance.
Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.
24th Safar 1438.
