Assalamu alaikum - Do Muslim men think deeply about having children?
Assalamu alaikum. I’m a Muslim woman in my 20s and I’ve been thinking about whether I want kids for a long time. I’ve gone over reasons for and against, my fears about raising children, and what would make me ready. I’ve met other Muslim women who wrestle with the same thoughts. I’m curious if Muslim men have a similar internal debate. From where I stand it sometimes seems like many Muslim men just assume they want children - “to continue the family line” or “it’s sunnah” - but I wonder if that’s the whole truth. Have any of you ever realized you don’t want kids, or you’re unsure about taking on the responsibilities of parenthood, or maybe you’d prefer just one child, or go back and forth on the idea? What are the reasons behind your feelings? Or are women more likely to overthink this? I asked my sister about my concerns and she said, “no Muslim man would ever want to be childless,” which made me wonder if that’s actually true for most men. So I’d like to hear honest, down-to-earth perspectives from Muslim men - doubts, practical concerns, faith-based reasons, whatever you’ve reflected on. In the end I trust Allah’s Qadr, and I know there’s a limit to how much control we have. Still, I feel it’s worth thinking through rather than just accepting assumptions. JazakAllah khair for any thoughts you can share.