In this research, the author is trying to answer the question arises from the problems happen in the middle of global society that are related to rapid population growth that makes the population increases from year to year. To solve this population problem, states governments make several policies to adjust birth rates of the citizen. This effort is not yet supported by some Islamic religious authority parties. Some Ulama argue with using proof of Al-Quran and Hadith to reject those policies, and conclude that the effort to limit birth rates is against Islamic teaching, because Islam has truly ordered its followers to increase their number with increasing children births frequency, as stated in hadith.
The problem is whether thing becoming arguments of Ulama is the one that really ordered in hadith, or there is misunderstanding of the Hadith’s text containing the order. From this problem, the author is questioning the true meaning of al-amr bi al-tanāsul (the order of procreation) in hadith, and how to implement the order in the present reality. Certain methodology is used to answer the research questions. Discussion of hadith is under thematic method (al-hadīṡ al-mauḍuī). The interpretation method (fiqh al- ḥadīṡ) is textual, intertextual and contextual, which normative theological and socio-historical approach are used therein, primarily purposed to reveal the meaning of the hadith and the implementation of the order.
After conducting analysis towards Hadith about procreation and its related Hadiths, the author finds results that: (1) The Hadith itself implies that many children is not the only one that was meant by the prophet. On the other hand, to increase the number of his followers, the Prophet (pbuh) gives his bigger concerns towards preservation of already born mankind, and not too much towards the impending births. (2) What the Prophet meant by mukāṡarah (to be proud because of having many followers) as reason of the order (‘illat) is purely an afterlife business, not a worldly business related to worldly power as the word is commonly understood by society at the time. Such meaning has significant implication towards the understanding of Hadith as whole. (3) From the macro situation context, it is found that having many followers in the sense of quantity, gives indeed significant benefits to Islam in its early development, and the situation -from many of its aspects- is suitable with the purpose of procreation which to preserve the continuity of mankind.
The author suggests that to understand and implement the order of procreation, it should not be understood of its literal meaning, because it may leads to misunderstanding and causes bad impacts towards society. On the other hand, the understanding and the implementation of the order must concern towards the purpose of Syarī’at of the order that is to preserve the continuity of human species. From such understanding, there are things should be realized from the order as it is written in the last chapter.