As a consequence of the politicisation of religion in India, the study of religious differentials in fertility and family planning is a highly sensitive issue. Not just the popular media but even scholarship has been instrumental in fomenting ideas about the alarming growth of the Muslim population due to Islamic beliefs and practices. Thus, the communalisation of the population debate has made any discussion of the reproductive practices of Muslims both highly contentious and deeply confused.
This comparative study of two religious communities, Hindu and Muslim, in one of Delhi's slums throws considerable light on their reproductive behaviour by going beyond commonly held stereotypes. It begins by exploring whether religious differences override the commonalities of gender class and socio-economic status. The exact nature and extent of differences between these two communities is carefully analysed drawing on aspects of women's health, marriage practices, child mortality, migration, education and work patterns. Existing theories in the vast demographic literature, especially on the relationships between religion and fertility, are also explored.
Based on in-depth interviews with 200 respondents, and using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study demonstrates that only an insignificant percentage of Muslim women in fact believe that Islam specifically prohibits the use of family planning. On the contrary, the most important finding of this study lies in the greater dependence among Muslims on various temporary birth control devices. It is the practice of sterilisation that finds greater reservations among Muslims compared to their Hindu counterparts. Gender emerges as an extremely significant determinant in the lives of all the respondents as far as questions of choice in relation to reproduction are concerned. The nature and severe limitations of the public health system also come in for special attention, and with very significant policy implications.
This book will be of general interest to a wide audience concerned with social issues, apart from those in the fields of sociology, gender studies, health and medicine.