Answer
✅ Answer: Pay attention to the following narrations:
عَنْ بَکْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ قَالَ کَتَبْتُ إِلَی أَبِی الْحَسَنِ إِنِّی أَجتنبتُ طَلَبَ الْوَلَدِ مُنْذُ خَمْسِ سِنِینَ وَ ذَلِکَ أَنَّ أَهْلِی کَرِهَتْ ذَلِکَ وَ قَالَتْ إِنَّهُ یَشْتَدُّ عَلَیَّ تَرْبِیَتُهُمْ لِقِلَّةِ الشَّیْ ءِ فَمَا تَرَی فَکَتَبَ إِلَیَّ اطْلُبِ الْوَلَدَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ یَرْزُقُهُمْ
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol.6, p.3
Translation: Bakr ibn Saleh said: I wrote a letter to Imam al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) saying that I have avoided seeking children for five years, and the reason is that my wife does not like it and says: raising and educating them is difficult for me due to poverty. What do you advise? The Imam wrote to me: Seek children, for indeed Allah the Exalted will provide for them.
عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَکْثِرُوا الْوَلَدَ أُکَاثِرْ بِکُمُ الْأُمَمَ غَداً
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol.6, p.2
Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Have many children, for tomorrow (on the Day of Judgment) I will boast and take pride in your multitude over other nations (and prevail over them by the abundance of my nation).
عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ [قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ] تَزَوَّجُوا فَإِنِّی مُکَاثِرٌ بِکُمُ الْأُمَمَ غَداً فِی الْقِیَامَةِ حَتَّی إِنَّ السِّقْطَ (یَقِفُ مُحْبَنْطِئاً) عَلَی بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ فَیُقَالُ لَهُ ادْخُلْ فَیَقُولُ لَا حَتَّی یَدْخُلَ أَبَوَایَ قَبْلِی
📚 Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, Vol.3, p.383
Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Marry, for on the Day of Judgment I will boast and take pride in your multitude over other nations, to the extent that a miscarried child stands at the gate of Paradise in anger, and is told: 'Enter Paradise,' but he says: 'No, I will not enter until my parents enter before me.'
✅ Numerous narrations have been reported by the Shia regarding the virtue of having children, and these narrations are not limited to a specific time. In contrast, a few narrations in opposing books suggest the virtue of avoiding marriage and children in the end times, which, due to reasons such as not being transmitted through the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and contradicting authentic Shia narrations, are not credible or applicable.
✅ It is appropriate for all believers to set aside excuses, justifications, and comfort-seeking, and to strive earnestly in hastening marriage and having many children, while encouraging and assisting all lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in this regard.
✅ A point strongly emphasized is that believers must learn and act upon the essential etiquettes and supplications mentioned in the narrations, and observe the prescribed times for this matter of procreation, as some of these etiquettes determine whether a child will be a friend or foe of the Ahl al-Bayt, sane or insane, etc.
✅ Most are probably aware that the followers of certain groups, due to their increasing demographic advantage over the lovers of Ahl al-Bayt, are joyful and putting extra effort into this. It is not appropriate for us to shirk fulfilling the needs of the best of creation (peace be upon him and his family) through excuses or comfort-seeking.
✅ Again, I strongly recommend that learning the etiquettes, timing of intimacy, and precise adherence to the narrations on this matter is essential and extremely, extremely important.
✅ Spreading this message and related content among the lovers of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) will encourage and remind them, and, God willing, it will be effective. Along with spreading these materials, let us also strive to teach others the proper etiquettes.