Q: Is a water birth permissible?
A: This method of delivering a child does not conform to the Islamic teachings and Islamic culture. Rather, this method is part of the western, kuffaar culture.
Delivering a child in a water bath is not a respectable way to deliver a child and is against the dictates of hayaa (shame and modesty) and respect. In a water bath, a woman will not be able to cover her satr area properly as her clothing will be raised due to the water.
Apart from this, in a water bath, the impurity that comes out of the woman's private part enters the water thereby causing all the water in the tub to become completely impure. Hence, in this state, a woman's entire body will be immersed in impurity and the baby will be born in this impurity.
Islam advocates that hayaa (shame and modesty), respect and cleanliness be adopted at all times. Even at the time of child birth, Islam commands that a woman adopts hayaa and respect and conceals her satr area to the best of her ability.
She should turn her heart and attention to Allah Ta'ala in zikr (i.e. in His remembrance) while seeking His assistance. When the child is delivered, she should turn her heart and attention to Allah Ta'ala in shukr and gratitude for being blessed with the great ni'mat (favour) of a child.
In this state of impurity, where the entire body of a woman is immersed in impure water, how can a woman fulfil the dictates of hayaa, respect and cleanliness, and show shukr (gratitude) to Allah Ta'ala?
Hence, a Muslim woman should refrain from adopting the kuffaar way and culture and deliver the child according to the Islamic way of hayaa (shame and modesty) and respect. Muslims should understand that the more they emulate the western ways and culture of the kuffaar, the more they will drift and move away from the pure and pristine path of Islam.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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