The concept of procreation In marriage

Although, there is an intrinsic link between marriage and procreation,

procreation of children is an integral part of the purpose of marriage. First of all
to understand the concept of procreation one needs to know amd comprehend
what the two key points entail, that is “marriage" and “procreation “.
marriage is a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a man and
a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs, and attitudes that
prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accords status to their
offspring (if any). The universality of marriage within different societies
and cultures is attributed to the many basic social and personal functions for
which it provides structure, such as sexual gratification and regulation, division
of labour between the sexes, economic production and consumption, and
satisfaction of personal needs for affection, status, and companionship. Perhaps
its strongest function concerns procreation, the care of children and
their education and socialization, and regulation of lines of descent. Through the
ages, marriages have taken a great number of forms, while procreation on the
other hand, is the act or process of producing children or baby animals
( offsprings).
When it comes to the concept of procreation in marriage it can be view from
different point of views such as religious point of views, societal point of view
etc.
From the religious point of view, we will be looking at the concept of
procreation in marriage in Islam as well as Christianity. In Islam jurisprudence,
the primary purpose marriage is procreation. Islam recognizes the strong sexual
urge and desire for reproduction and supports a pro-natalist view of procreation.

Abu Dawud (2050) narrated that Ma’qil ibn Yasar said: A man came to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “I have found a
woman who is of good lineage and is beautiful, but she does not bear children.
Should I marry her?” He said, “No.” Then he came again with the same
question and he told him not to marry her. Then he came a third time with the
same question and he said: “Marry those who are loving and fertile, for I will be
proud of your great numbers before the other nations.” (Classed as sahih by al-
Albani in Irwa al-Ghalil, 1784).

This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to marry women who are fertile, so
that the numbers of the ummah will increase, and so the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) will feel proud of his ummah before all other
nations. This shows that it is encouraged to have a lot of children.
Al-Ghazali said that when a man gets married, intending thereby to
have children , that this is an act of worship for which he will be rewarded
because of his good intention. He explained that in several ways:

 This is in accordance with what Allah wants, which is to perpetuate the

human race.
 Seeking the love of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) in having many children, so that he will feel proud of them before
the other Prophets and nations on the Day of Resurrection.
 Seeking barakah (blessing) and a great deal of reward, and forgiveness of
sins through the du`a of a righteous child after one dies.

In Christianity, Historically, procreation has been a central, if not the

central, purpose for marriage. Justin Martyr of the second century felt that
the desire to procreate was the only thing that legitimized sex even for
married couples The Book of Common Prayer says marriage is meant to
bring children . The Catholic Church has historically rejected birth
control, and continues to this day to have strong reservations against it.

Children are a gift from God. Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a
heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward” (NKJV).
They are not only a gift, but a natural result of the sexual expression of
marriage. This naturalness is reinforced by God’s command to Adam and
Eve to procreate (Genesis 1:28). Because of the value of children and the
mandate given to the first parents, it is no surprise that marriage and
procreation are tightly linked. Many believe it is wrong for fertile couples
to never have children. However, an analysis of the purpose of marriage,
natural law, and the biblical evidence suggests that though marriage as a
general principle ought to lead to procreation.

From the social point of view, the concept of procreation in marriage is

regarded as the reproduction of social inequalities throughout
generations. The change in social status between individuals within the
same family. Social procreation describes the reproduction of social
structures and systems, mainly on the basis of particular preconditions in
demographics, education and inheritance of material property or legal
titles (as earlier with aristocracy). Reproduction is understood as the
maintenance and continuation of existing social relations. Originally
proposed by Karl Marx in Das Kapital, this concept is a variety of Marx's
notion of economic reproduction.The processes through which the
fundamental structures and relations of society continually recreate the
existing mode of production—a mode in which the structures of
dominance of one group over another are maintained. According to
 sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, there are four types of capital that contribute
to social reproduction in society: economic capital, cultural capital, social
capital and symbolic capital.According to Bourdieu, cultural reproduction
is the social process through which culture is reproduced across
generations, especially through the socializing influence of major
institutions. Bourdieu applied the concept in particular to the ways in
which social institutions such as schools are used to pass along cultural
ideas that underlie and support the privileged position of the dominant or
upper class.

From the cultural point of view, Cultural procreation a concept first developed
by French sociologist and cultural theorist Pierre Bourdieu,[1][2] is the
mechanisms by which existing cultural forms, values, practices, and shared
understandings (i.e., norms) are transmitted from generation to generation,
thereby sustaining the continuity of cultural experience across time.[3][4] In
other words, reproduction, as it is applied to culture, is the process by which
aspects of culture are passed on from person to person or from society to
society.[5]
Cultural reproduction often results in social reproduction, or the process of
transferring aspects of society (such as class) intergenerationally.[5] There are
various ways in which such reproduction can take place. Often, groups of
people, notably social classes, may act to reproduce the existing social
structure so as to preserve their advantage.[5] Likewise, processes
of schooling in modern societies are among the main mechanisms of cultural
reproduction, and do not operate solely through what is taught in courses of
formal instruction.[6] Historically, people have moved from different regions,
taking with them certain cultural norms and traditions. Cultures transmit aspects
of behaviour that individuals learn in an informal way while they are out of the
home. This interaction between individuals, which results in the transfer of
accepted cultural norms, values, and information, is accomplished through a
process known as socialisation.

References
https://www.britannica.com/topic/marriage
https://www.google.com/amp/s/islamqa.info/amp/en/answers/13492
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_reproduction#:~:text=Cultural
%20reproduction%2C%20a%20concept%20first,sustaining%20the
%20continuity%20of%20cultural
Baughan, J. (1989). A Hope Deferred: A Couple’s Guide to Coping with
Infertility. Portland,
OR: Multnomah.
Haas, J.M., Hitchcock, J., Martin, F., Olson, G.W., Pierre, T.O., & Young,
R.V. (2001).
Christian Marriage: A Historical Study. G.W. Olson (Ed.). New York, NY:
The
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K stenberger, A.J. Jones, .W. (2010). God, Marriage, and Family:
Rebuilding the Biblical
Foundation (2nd ed.). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Rice, J.R. (1946). The Home: Courtship, Marriage and Children. Wheaton,
IL: Sword of the
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Sullivan, D. (2012). Notes from Principles of Bioethics. Cedarville, OH:
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Watters, S. & Watters, C. (2009). Start Your Family: Inspiration for
Having Babies. Chicago,
IL: Moody Publishers.