Decline in Muslim Population Growth in India Highlights Effectiveness of Population Control Programs

The decline in population growth among Muslim families has become evident over the past 15 years, with a decrease in the Muslim fertility rate – the average number of children a woman has – to 2.4 in 2019-2021, down from 2.6 in 2015-2016 and 3.4 in 2005-2006. Although it is still higher than that of other communities, the decline is also the fastest, dropping from 4.4 in 1992-1993 to 2.4 in 2019-2021.

Imams’ Involvement in Promoting Family Planning

Within a predominantly conservative community, some Muslim imams have played a crucial role in promoting family planning and birth control. “There is a misconception among Muslims that Islam does not allow the use of birth control methods,” said Maulana Khalid Rasheed, the imam of Lucknow Eidgah in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. “But Shariah does mention family planning. It is our duty to dispel these misconceptions. We have organized awareness programs and delivered speeches on what Shariah says about this.”

Experts believe that it is necessary to target less educated and poorer Muslims living outside cities. Government health workers in some areas of the eastern state of Bihar have said they regularly meet with local mosque leaders and ask them to promote birth control among men after Friday prayers, but the results have not been satisfactory.

Changing Mindsets Among Disadvantaged Young Muslims

Mindsets are also changing among disadvantaged Muslims, particularly among the youth, said Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the non-profit organization Population Foundation of India. “Young people are exposed to digital media and they know how others live, not just Hindus, but the more affluent,” she said.

Experts believe that the public health system is now unable to meet the demand for birth control services from people who are aware of their benefits, also known as unmet need. Government data from 2019-2021 indicate that 11.8% of the Muslim population had an unmet need for assistance in spacing or limiting births. The data also show that the Muslim fertility rate of 2.4 is rapidly approaching the Hindu rate of 1.94.

“The claim that Muslims are outpacing Hindus is absurd,” said S.Y. Quraishi, author of a book titled “The Population Myth – Islam, Family Planning and Politics in India”. “Muslims are adopting family planning much faster than Hindus and if you address their unmet need, they will do even better.”