Family Size and Economic Welfare: Econometric Analysis of the Islamic Perspective

Abstract

The conventional wisdom in economic analysis postulates all inverse relationship between family size and welfare because the higher the number of children a family needs to cater for, the more problematic for the family to succeed economically. Economic analyses stemmed from Malthusian thinking which has given thrust to modem day global population policy. In contrast, the Islamic perspective suggests a direct association between the two, strongly supported in Q17: 31, which says, ‘Kill not your children for fear of poverty: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as you. Verily, the killing of them is a great sin ‘. This paper investigates the effects of family size and composition using the Harmonized National Living Standard Survey data subjected to frequencies and ordinary least square regression to respectively discern the relationship and estimate the impact of household size on household welfare. The paper empirically establishes that economic analysis linearly relating the two phenomena is not only over simplistic but is also devoid of deepened consideration of other factors that produce a positive relationship which the Islamic view suggests.