Childbearing extension of faithful life in Islam; AQR Custodian warns of aging population

Ayat. Ahmad Marvi, the Custodian of Astan Qods Razavi (AQR) says “Childbearing is continuation of faithful life in Islam and provides means for realization of God’s will in sustaining human generations”.
Speaking at a conference on youthful population held under the auspices of AQR’s Karamat Razavi Foundation, he welcomed young couples, their families, and childbearing and population growth activists.  
He also congratulated anniversary of the marriage of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter Hazrat Fatima with Imam Ali, reciting prophetic hadith: “Marry and increase your offspring, for I will take pride in your numbers among nations on Day of Judgment.”
Ayat. Marvi noted: “Marriage among Muslims, before anything else, gladdens the heart of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)”.  
He referred to emphasis of the martyred Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on youthful population, stating: “One of the issues repeatedly highlighted by the martyred Leader as part of his key programs was matter of population rejuvenation”.
The AQR Custodian recalled remarks made in 2012 during visit to North Khorasan, when the martyred Leader Ayat.  Seyyed Ali Khamenei, addressed the issue of population, saying: “In previous years, based on incorrect analysis, we concluded that we should prevent population growth; this decision was a mistake.”
The top official asserted: “One of the rare instances in which the Leader, with courage and humility, acknowledged as a mistake was precisely issue of population policy”.
He explained that population is one of main components of both hard and soft power of any country.  
“Old Western policies aimed at limiting births”, he maintained, “have now affected those same countries”.
“Some countries have set prizes for childbearing and provided facilities for couples to encourage them, because after facing this major loss, they now understand role of population in different arenas,” AQR’s head stated.
Referring to slogans promoted during Pahlavi era encouraging fewer children, he noted: “Such Western-inspired policies have now led to regret, and unfortunately influenced Islamic lifestyle as well”.
Ayat. Marvi expressed concern over decline in young, productive population in coming years, explaining that youth constitute the pillar of development.  
“A country without young population lacks productive force. Without this force, there will be no development, and consequently no welfare or authority,” he held.
The Custodian of Astan Qods Razavi likened situation to advanced factory without human workforce, saying such facility would remain unused.  
“With population moving toward aging, who will administer country? Elderly individuals do not possess creativity, innovation, and strength required for sustained effort,” he stressed.
Warning that society has entered path of aging and may soon lack necessary workforce for progress, Ayat. Marvi added: “The youth are one of the main components of power. If at beginning of Islamic Revolution we had no youth, who would have filled the fronts? It was young people who formed ranks of fighters to safeguard the country.”
He further remarked that some countries with large populations boast about their demographic size, asserting that numerical strength is a matter of pride and youthful population represents principal source of authority and power.
The head of AQR emphasized that issue of population is not solely responsibility of couples.  
“Officials and statesmen also have duty to facilitate conditions and provide necessary support so that young people are encouraged toward childbearing,” he explained.
Describing childbearing as continuation of faithful life in Islam, he said: “God has placed instincts so that marriage may take place; they are not for fleeting pleasures. They are a prerequisite for important matters such as continuation of creation and survival of human generation.  If there was no marriage, humans would become extinct, and this is not what God wills.”
He continued: “God wills that as long as human existence is decreed in worldly life, its generation must continue. Therefore, these desires and instincts are preambles for marriage, and whoever marries fulfils divine tradition and realizes God’s will in sustaining creation.”
The AQR custodian underlined that childbearing should be viewed as providing means for realization of divine will in continuation of generations, criticizing those who regard it merely as hardship.
“Some do not realize blessings and importance of childbearing. If objective is correct, despite difficulties, one strives for bright future. If person understands that he is one of divine means and instrument for realization of God’s will, he will certainly endure hardships,” he concluded.