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A couple from Indianapolis, one's German anonymous and says that for personal reasons, not for religious, not for theological,

they have both decided that they do not want to have any children, but they were told that this is not permissible in Islam to have this intention.

So what is the response to that?

The default ruling is that having children is encouraged, and it is something that Allah Azza wa Jalla has explicitly mentioned as being of the greatest blessings of this world.

And Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala promises risk and blessings when we have children, in fact it is human desire, it is an urge in default position in mankind that they want to have progeny to love, and to be loved in return, and to pass their legacy down, and to have someone to take care of them in their old age, and to just make life easier to live.

And so no doubt that children is indeed one of the biggest and the most blessed blessings, in fact that Allah Azza wa Jalla has given us, nonetheless it is not obligatory to aim to have children.

And the maximum that can be said is that it is makruh what you have decided to do, and you have given up a great blessing that most mankind want, but as long as you do not bring in theology, i.e.

You say for example that, oh, I'm worried who will take care of the children, financial wise, we don't have enough money, or you don't bring any bizarre beliefs that there are some fringe movements that think that it is unethical to bring about children in a world of evil.

As long as you don't have those types of beliefs, and you're simply for personal reasons, people's misage, people's perceptions of the world, and what they want to do, and not want to do is different.

And some people, you know, they might have not an inclination, they just don't want to be involved in children, so if you and your wife have decided this, and you take those precautions that prevent children being born, the least that can be said, or I say the max that can be said, is that this is something that is discouraged, it is makruh, but there is no sin on you, and I have to say that this is something of a loss even of the joy of living in this world.

There is no pleasure after, believe in Allah, Azza wa Jalla, and Islam, that brings more sense of fulfillment than family and loved ones, but if you have decided you don't want to go down that avenue, there is no sin on you, and you're not going to be punished on the day of judgement, and Allah SWT knows best.