European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Big tally traditionalist "1 Watt i could have Mote children say Mohammed Omar Center rear lather of 21 and Grandfather at 40. " trying to Brake jordanian love for big families Byjah Malhalab associated pressm Mhammed Omar no Amman. Jordan cuddles a Young grandson and surveys tits burgeoning Brood convinced Hal god. No Golem men should decide lha size of a family i Vish 1 could have Mote  says Omar father of 21 and Grandfather of 40 my two wives Are Loo old to gel pregnant Row and i m thinking of gelling married  families Liko Omar s Aro common in the Middle East kingdom where Matrid women average seven children and even King Hussein manned sour limes has a dozen kids. Now however optic gals have deeded to tackle the big family tradition urging birth con Roland tamil planning while walking a Fine line Between religion and Rahly Jordan wilh2.7 million people. Has a Fertility Rale second Only o Kenya and a yearly population growth rate of 38 percent health minister Zaid Hamsch said. The kingdom experienced explosive economic growth in the Lale 19705 and Early 1980s. Maw however in s struggling la find jobs Lor a labor Foice growing by nearly 5 Peconi a year swollen Bolh by the birth rate and an in thu of working women. Our experience with Largo families is exciting. To love big families said Haifa Ai Bashir president of the jordanian women s federation Hashir. Who has six children said jordanians believe Hal a child is car Arvel or a Gilt from god but she said higher standards of living Are possible Only Wilh smaller families " tha women s federation and lha health ministry using seminars and newspaper articles. Launched a Campaign several months ago to curtail lha birth late Bolh As an economic and health consideration we want healthy mothers and healthy babies not sick mothers with a lol o kids Hamich said. The Fertility tight however is up against deeply head religious views. Islam As interpreted by jordanian scholars permits men to have As Many As Lour wives at Onca. Although most jordanians Only have on. Some islamic scholars maintain that More than Lour wives Are permitted the health ministry and women s Icdora Tion Are stressing child spacing kalhor than birth control or population reduction Touchy subjects in the kingdom s conservative society Hamzeh said child spacing among educated women had helped Jordan reduce its infant mortality Rale from 120 per 1,000 to 50 per  in Nino years. The Sulho relics also have Oke red tree contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices through its 11s Mother and child Cate centers Sinco 1972. Jordan s Midi. Or chief islamic authority has approved the child spacing Elloris although abortion is forbid Dan at a recent seminar on child spacing the Mufti. Sheik Izzeddin Tamimi. Said contraceptives Are not religiously forbidden As Long As they do not affect fertilized eggs but moral doubts about some birth control methods remain Sheik Mohammed Shakra. A moslem religious scholar said some contraceptives arc religiously improper such As the internal uterine device because in exposes the woman to a male doctor " i Rah is  by god in o Der to keep Mankind existing until  he sad to cannot Aller heavenly  this 11 god s will agrees Omar a 60 year old construction worker who shares a live room House in Sakeb a Village 7-1 Miles North of Amman Wilh his wives Samiha and Fatima and 21 of his children and grandchildren. Omar supports his family on an income of about $450 a month. Or said All his children attend school and three have graduated from universities Bui although on of Omar s sons 17 year old their said he likes his Large family population control May rest with the next generation. It s very noisy said Zuheir. You never have privacy Here. I la never have this Many  westerners however. Many desert nomads have Long since abandoned to Camel in favor of jeeps and Lucks. The safaris said their camels proved heir world More than once during the difficult North african journey. To had reached the Vil Fago of Al Sefc nah. About 30 Miles trom the ancient syrian cily of Palmyra when three ferocious wolves attacked us Safe sad we were on a carrying Audi Vional daggers and swords arts had no Way to defend ourselves when an amazing thing happened. Our camels came to the re scum shielding us from the attack or Over 15 minutes until the pack gave up and Well elsewhere