Voluntary Caesarian Section

Q: Can a voluntary caesarian section be done when it is possible to give birth the natural way?

A: A voluntary caesarian section is not permissible if a woman can give birth normally. The reasons for this are as follows: a) Islam does not allow self-infliction of pain and hurt, which is obviously the case with a cesarean birth. b) This will force the woman to come into contact with several male doctors unnecessarily. Though a male doctor might even be present for a normal birth, but at times that is unavoidable, whereas in a caesarian birth, there is sure to be more than one male doctor in the theatre. c) This entails extra costs, which in private hospitals can become quite exorbitant. Spending unnecessarily is not allowed in Islam. Over and above this, Islam never encourages the discarding of natural means and methods, especially those ways and means that were devised by Allah Ta'ala.