Title: Should the Father be Present During Childbirth? Question: Does Islam encourage husbands to be with their wives during childbirth? I would appreciate an answer. Answer: The Shari`ah is silent about the issue that you have stated. This means that a person may or may not be present at the time his wife is giving birth to his child. The Shari`ah (that is the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ) does not give guidance regarding all the issues related to human life. Islam considers the human intellect to suffice in solving most of the every day issues that man is faced with. Islam only guides us in issues in which we are, generally, either incapable of arriving at the correct solution because of our limited knowledge or are prone to decision-making errors. Moreover, even in these two spheres, the guidance of Islam is restricted to those issues only in which a wrong decision could affect our morality and, thus, our success in the life hereafter. In other words, Islamic guidance is restricted to those issues only which have a bearing on our moral and spiritual life and in which we, because of our limitations are prone to making errors. The issue that you have referred to is not covered by the Islamic directives. It has been left on the individual to decide for himself regarding what course of action he prefers to follow. 13 th February 1999