Question:
We have a colleague at work who is not yet married. Every now and then, we remind him of the virtues of marriage and urge him to take that step, to which he replies, “In Shaa Allah” One day, I pressed him on the matter and said, “I don’t think there is any reason for your reluctance to get married.” He responded, “There is a reason,” and then revealed, “I am infertile and cannot have children. When I want to propose, should I inform them of this, or not?”
Answer:
Anyone who has a physical defect or condition must disclose it to those from whom he is seeking marriage, especially such a significant matter as infertility. This is because a woman has a right to have children; for this reason, scholars have stated that it is forbidden for a man to practice ‘coitus interruptus’ (contraceptive withdrawal) with a free woman except with her permission. Therefore, he must inform them that he is infertile so that they may enter the marriage with clear insight and knowledge. Furthermore, if it is assumed that he did not inform them, and this condition is discovered later, they have the right to demand an annulment of the contract, and the marriage contract would be annulled.