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[[Anal sex]] is [[controversial]] among [[Islamic]] scholars. Disputes over anal sex also appear in pre-modern sources <ref>[http://science.jrank.org/pages/8078/Sexuality-Islamic-Views.html science.jrank.org]</ref> such as the [[hadith]] of Sahih Bukhari <ref name="islam-qa.com">[http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=91968&ln=eng islam-qa.com]</ref> and [[Usul al-Kafi]]. Both Shia and Sunni scholars consider this as Haram.<ref name="islam-qa.com"/>
Anal sex, traditionally identified as''liwat,'' or the sin of Lot's people, is officially prohibited by most Islamic sects. There are parts of the Qur'an which talk about smiting on [[Sodom and Gomorrah]], and this is thought to be a reference to unnatural sex, and so there are [[hadith]] and Islamic laws which prohibit it.
Anal sex is also NOT allowed between the husband and the wife in Islam.

== Anal sex and Quran ==

'''Your women are [[tilth]] for you so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him."(PICKTHAL translation) {{quran|2|223}}.'''

In the foregoing verse the word Harth (tilth) indicates that only vaginal sex is permissible in Islam, because it is from this place children are produced. The semen lodged in the womb from which offsprings come is likened to the seeds that are planted in the ground, bringing vegetation. Both of them are substances from which something else is produced.<ref>[Tafsir al-Jalalayn http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=2&tAyahNo=223&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2]</ref>



Anal sex, traditionally identified as ''liwat,'' or the sin of Lot's people, is officially prohibited by most Islamic sects. There are parts of the Qur'an which talk about smiting on [[Sodom and Gomorrah]], and this is thought to be a reference to unnatural sex, and so there are [[hadith]] and Islamic laws which prohibit it. Practitioners of anal relations are called ''luti'' and are seen as criminals in the same way that a thief is a criminal, meaning that they are giving in to a universal temptation. Liwat with a woman is known as ''lesser liwat'' and with a man as ''greater liwat.'' "Some scholars refer[ing] back to the [[Sharia]] rules ... argue that anal sex between men, as considered equivalent to heterosexual intercourse, is punishable by one hundred whiplashes for an unmarried man and death by stoning for a married man. Other traditional scholars have ruled that “sodomy” between men is always punishable by death for both partners, whether married or not, based on a hadith. The punishment of toppling a wall on two men who practiced “sodomy,” which is sometimes reported, particularly in Afghanistan, is based on another hadith."<ref>[http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:KjIohrD0R-AJ:www.safraproject.org/Reports/Muslim_Moral_Instruction_on_Homosexuality.pdf+Islam,+Homosexuality+and+Migration&hl=km&gl=kh&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi8Wm3zisCleP-UN8czw5a7tpJLFe2ekZJF6ccbenXhff2ub-0SP0uu-fIfZvZBmHiuZ6vVJfYvaxtkKcxiMSQV-p_WTdlSR_wOVD0XVZznB9RJgtgWUUEOQNlfd8jgYiPqL4U0&sig=AHIEtbTAKkG0EQImULQIOH5QsnBAyVuR_w Suhraiya Jivraj & Anisa de Jong, "Muslim Moral Instruction on Homosexuality", paper presented at Yoesuf Foundation Conference on Islam in the West and Homosexuality – Strategies for Action, 2001.]</ref>


As the fact that ''liwat'' is regarded as a temptation indicates, anal intercourse is not seen as repulsively unnatural so much as dangerously attractive: "one has to avoid getting buggered precisely in order not to acquire a taste for it and thus become addicted."<ref name="books.google.com.au">[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Kw_BVSVmNsUC&dq=Sexuality+and+eroticism+among+males+in+Moslem+societies&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=2K5mS8aYJo2TkAXGuKntDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Arno Schmitt, Jehoeda Sofer, "Sexuality and Eroticism among Males in Muslim Societies" (The Haworth Press, 1992) p.8]</ref> In practice, the segregation of women in Muslim societies and the strong emphasis on virility leads adolescents and unmarried young men to seek sexual outlets with males younger than themselves - in one study in Morocco, with boys in the age-range 7 to 13.<ref>Andreas Eppink, "Moroccan Boys and Sex," in Arno Schmitt, Jehoeda Sofer, "Sexuality and Eroticism among Males in Muslim Societies" (The Haworth Press, 1992) p.36</ref> But deep shame attaches to the passive partner: "for this reason men stop getting fucked at the age of 15 or 16 and 'forget' that they ever allowed/suffered/enjoyed it earlier."<ref name="books.google.com.au"/> Similar sexual sociologies are reported for other Muslim societies from North Africa to Pakistan and the Far East.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=hQuHFPKp8L0C&dq=Islamic+homosexualities:+culture,+history,+and+literature&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=P7JmS92NEZeXkQXspfTrDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false Stephen O. Murray, Will Roscoe, Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History and Literature" (New York University Press, 1997), passim.]</ref>


==References for and against==
====Sunni views====
====Sunni views====
The Bukhari Sharif Hadith 4170 & 4171 state that "approaching a woman from the rear" is permissible ([[halal]]), but what is understood by the meaning of this hadeeth is approaching the vagina from the rear and not anal sex itself i.e. it is more of a question of position than a discussion on anal sex itself. It also refers to what [[al-Bukhaari]] tells of [[Abu Suhail an-Nafi|Naafi']] telling of [[Ibn Umar]] analysing the passage "so go to your tilth when or how you will". Ibn Umar's interpretation was that "he may approach her from …" (Volume 6, Book 60, Number 50 = #4253).<ref name="usc.edu" /> Due to Ibn Umar not completing his statement, some misunderstandings arose. Sa'id bin Yasar question Ibn Umar regarding his statement. "What do you say about having sex with women in the rear?" He said, "What does it mean?". To which Sa'id replied, "Anal sex." Ibn Umar, surprised, said, "Does a Muslim do that?". This is viewed by the majority of scholars as an explicit rejection of anal sex from Ibn `Umar to those who misused his earlier statement.<ref>[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=5921</ref>
⚫
On the [[ellipsis]] [[Ibn Hajar]] says in [[Fath al-Bari]] (8/189): ''This is how it appears in all the texts. It does not mention what comes after the word "from".''' He also quotes other sources than al-Bukhaari, which mistakenly claim Ibn 'Umar said "He may approach her in her back passage." <ref>[http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/91968]</ref>


"Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) declared that the Jews used to say: When a man has intercourse with his wife through the vagina but being on her back. the child will have squint, so the verse came down:" Your wives are your tilth; go then unto your tilth as you may desire" (ii. 223) <ref>[Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 8, The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 3363]</ref>

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Jabir through another chain of transmitters, but in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Zuhri there is an addition (of these words): '''If he likes he may (have intercourse) being on the back or in front of her, but it should be through one opening (vagina''').<ref> [Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 8, The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 3365]</ref>.
⚫
Most Muslim jurists agree that anal sex is [[haram]], based on the [[hadith]]: "Do not have anal sex with women", reported by Ahmad, [[At-Tirmidhi]], [[Al-Nasa'i]] and [[Ibn Majah]] and the hadith of [[Abu Dawood]]<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/sunnah/abudawood/deed/hadith/abudawood/023_sat.html Sunan Abu-Dawud: Chapter 1479: Book 23: Number 3895].</ref>, such as [[Ibn Kathir]], <ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/2.5921.html Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “The Reason behind revealing Allah's Statement: Your Wives are a Tilth for You.”]</ref><ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/2.5911.html Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “Anal Sex is prohibited.”]</ref> [[Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen]]<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/knowledge/fatwabase/rulingconcerninganalinterco.htm Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs]</ref> and [[Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani]].<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/women/etoquetteofmarriagewedding.html Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs]</ref>.
Most Muslim jurists agree that anal sex is [[haram]], based on the [[hadith]]: "Do not have anal sex with women", reported by Ahmad, [[At-Tirmidhi]], [[Al-Nasa'i]] and [[Ibn Majah]] and the hadith of [[Abu Dawood]]<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/sunnah/abudawood/deed/hadith/abudawood/023_sat.html Sunan Abu-Dawud: Chapter 1479: Book 23: Number 3895].</ref>, such as [[Ibn Kathir]], <ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/2.5921.html Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “The Reason behind revealing Allah's Statement: Your Wives are a Tilth for You.”]</ref><ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/2.5911.html Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “Anal Sex is prohibited.”]</ref> [[Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen]]<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/knowledge/fatwabase/rulingconcerninganalinterco.htm Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs]</ref> and [[Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani]].<ref>[http://abdurrahman.org/women/etoquetteofmarriagewedding.html Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs]</ref>.


Revision as of 15:25, 9 April 2010

Anal sex is controversial among Islamic scholars. Disputes over anal sex also appear in pre-modern sources [1] such as the hadith of Sahih Bukhari [2] and Usul al-Kafi. Both Shia and Sunni scholars consider this as Haram.[2]

Anal sex, traditionally identified as liwat, or the sin of Lot's people, is officially prohibited by most Islamic sects. There are parts of the Qur'an which talk about smiting on Sodom and Gomorrah, and this is thought to be a reference to unnatural sex, and so there are hadith and Islamic laws which prohibit it. Practitioners of anal relations are called luti and are seen as criminals in the same way that a thief is a criminal, meaning that they are giving in to a universal temptation. Liwat with a woman is known as lesser liwat and with a man as greater liwat. "Some scholars refer[ing] back to the Sharia rules ... argue that anal sex between men, as considered equivalent to heterosexual intercourse, is punishable by one hundred whiplashes for an unmarried man and death by stoning for a married man. Other traditional scholars have ruled that “sodomy” between men is always punishable by death for both partners, whether married or not, based on a hadith. The punishment of toppling a wall on two men who practiced “sodomy,” which is sometimes reported, particularly in Afghanistan, is based on another hadith."[3]

As the fact that liwat is regarded as a temptation indicates, anal intercourse is not seen as repulsively unnatural so much as dangerously attractive: "one has to avoid getting buggered precisely in order not to acquire a taste for it and thus become addicted."[4] In practice, the segregation of women in Muslim societies and the strong emphasis on virility leads adolescents and unmarried young men to seek sexual outlets with males younger than themselves - in one study in Morocco, with boys in the age-range 7 to 13.[5] But deep shame attaches to the passive partner: "for this reason men stop getting fucked at the age of 15 or 16 and 'forget' that they ever allowed/suffered/enjoyed it earlier."[4] Similar sexual sociologies are reported for other Muslim societies from North Africa to Pakistan and the Far East.[6]

References for and against

Sunni views

The Bukhari Sharif Hadith 4170 & 4171 state that "approaching a woman from the rear" is permissible (halal), but what is understood by the meaning of this hadeeth is approaching the vagina from the rear and not anal sex itself i.e. it is more of a question of position than a discussion on anal sex itself. It also refers to what al-Bukhaari tells of Naafi' telling of Ibn Umar analysing the passage "so go to your tilth when or how you will". Ibn Umar's interpretation was that "he may approach her from …" (Volume 6, Book 60, Number 50 = #4253).[7] Due to Ibn Umar not completing his statement, some misunderstandings arose. Sa'id bin Yasar question Ibn Umar regarding his statement. "What do you say about having sex with women in the rear?" He said, "What does it mean?". To which Sa'id replied, "Anal sex." Ibn Umar, surprised, said, "Does a Muslim do that?". This is viewed by the majority of scholars as an explicit rejection of anal sex from Ibn `Umar to those who misused his earlier statement.[8]

On the ellipsis Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Bari (8/189): This is how it appears in all the texts. It does not mention what comes after the word "from".' He also quotes other sources than al-Bukhaari, which mistakenly claim Ibn 'Umar said "He may approach her in her back passage." [9]

Most Muslim jurists agree that anal sex is haram, based on the hadith: "Do not have anal sex with women", reported by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah and the hadith of Abu Dawood[10], such as Ibn Kathir, [11][12] Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen[13] and Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani.[14].

Khuzaima ibn Thabit also reports that the messenger of Allah said: "Allah is not too shy to tell you the truth: "Do not have sex with your wives in the anus", reported by Ahmad, 5/213.

`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas narrates: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Allah will not look at a man who has anal sex with his wife", reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah (3/529) and At-Tirmidhi, classified it as an authentic hadith (1165).

It is reported that Muhammad referred to such acts as "minor sodomy," reported by Ahmad and An-Nasa'i. The Saheeh Bukhari (Volume 6, Book 60: Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet), Hadith No. 50)[7], an important document for Sunnis, reports Jabir stating that Jews believed having sex from behind was taboo, and that it would result in a child with squinted eyes. Since there is explicit mention of pregnancy it is clear that the hadeeth is talking about entering the vagina from the rear and not the anus. As a result, a verse was revealed permitting Muslims to have sex in all positions (as long as it was vaginal) . Its authenticity is conformed by a hadith of Sunan Abu Dawud (Book 11: Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Hadith Number 2159)[15], though the said hadith itself is in disagreement with many other hadith in other books, except for the Sahih Bukhari.[16]

Shia views

Two hadiths in Shia Islam permit sex from the rear. In Shia Islam, the book of hadith Kitab al-Kafi (the Bukhari of Shi'ism) states that anal sex with woman is considered repulsive. The Grand Ayatollah has decreed that anal intercourse is "not permissible without the wife's consent." However, there are also hadith evidences which clearly support the permissibility of anal sex in Shia Islam, including:

  • Narrated Abdullah bin Abi Ya'foor: I asked Abu Abdullah about approaching women through their anus, he said: “No Problem”. He then recited: “Your women are as tilth unto you, so approach your tilth when (or how) ye will." (2:223)[17]
  • al-Hussain bin Ali bin Yaqteen said: I asked Abul-Hassan about the permissibility for the man to have anal sex with women, he said: “It was made halal (permissible) in the Book of Allah, when (Prophet) Lot said: Here are my daughters, they are purer for you (11:78), and he knew it was not the vagina they were after."[18]
  • Ali bin al-Hakam said: I heard Safwaan bin Yahya saying: I said to (Imam) al-Rida: “A man among your followers requested me to ask you about a matter, which he feared and was embarrassed to ask you (directly).” He said: “What is it?” I said: “For the man to use the woman's anus.” He said: “He may.” I said: “Do you personally do that?” He said: “We do not do that."[19]

Clarification in Hadith Literature

Sahih Bukhari book 60 Hadith No. 50 has mentioned directly of Anal Sex and is not referring to the same matter as Hadith No. 51. The reasoning that the Arabic text of Hadith has left the word blank is valid. Other references are as:

File:Interpretation of Holy Quran Verse by Sahih Bukhari Hadith.JPG
Interpretation of Holy Qu'ran Verse by Sahih Bukhari Hadith by Sahih Hadith of Sahih Al-Bukhari by Imam Al-Bukhari & Urdu translation of the Hadith.

An-Nasa'i reported that Ka`b bin `Alqamah said that Abu An-Nadr said that he asked Nafi`, "The people are repeating the statement that you relate from Ibn `Umar that he allowed sex with women in their rear (anus). He said, "They have said a lie about me. But let me tell you what really happened. Ibn `Umar was once reciting the Qur'an while I was with him and he reached the Ayah:

(Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will,) He then said, `O Nafi`! Do you know the story behind this Ayah' I said, `No.' He said, `We, the people of Quraysh, used to have sexual intercourse with our wives from the back (in the vagina). When we migrated to Al-Madinah and married some Ansari women, we wanted to do the same with them. They disliked it and made a big issue out of it. The Ansari women had followed the practice of the Jews who have sex with their women while they lay on their sides. Then, Allah revealed: (Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will,) This has an authentic chain of narrators.

Abu Bakr bin Ziyad Naysaburi reported that Isma`il bin Ruh said that he asked Malik bin Anas, "What do you say about having sex with women in the anus He said, "You are not an Arab Does sex occur but in the place of pregnancy Do it only in the Farj (vagina). I said, "O Abu `Abdullah! They say that you allow that practice. He said, "They utter a lie about me, they lie about me. This is Malik's firm stance on this subject. It is also the view of Sa`id bin Musayyib, Abu Salamah, `Ikrimah, Tawus, `Ata , Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Mujahid bin Jabr, Al-Hasan and other scholars of the Salaf (the Companions and the following two generations after them). They all, along with the majority of the scholars, harshly rebuked the practice of anal sex and many of them called this practice a Kufr.[20]

References

  1. ^ science.jrank.org
  2. ^ a b islam-qa.com
  3. ^ Suhraiya Jivraj & Anisa de Jong, "Muslim Moral Instruction on Homosexuality", paper presented at Yoesuf Foundation Conference on Islam in the West and Homosexuality – Strategies for Action, 2001.
  4. ^ a b Arno Schmitt, Jehoeda Sofer, "Sexuality and Eroticism among Males in Muslim Societies" (The Haworth Press, 1992) p.8
  5. ^ Andreas Eppink, "Moroccan Boys and Sex," in Arno Schmitt, Jehoeda Sofer, "Sexuality and Eroticism among Males in Muslim Societies" (The Haworth Press, 1992) p.36
  6. ^ Stephen O. Murray, Will Roscoe, Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History and Literature" (New York University Press, 1997), passim.
  7. ^ a b usc.edu
  8. ^ [http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=5921
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ Sunan Abu-Dawud: Chapter 1479: Book 23: Number 3895.
  11. ^ Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “The Reason behind revealing Allah's Statement: Your Wives are a Tilth for You.”
  12. ^ Tafsir ibn Kathir: Section: “Anal Sex is prohibited.”
  13. ^ Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs
  14. ^ Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani fatwa forbidding anal sex using hadeeth proofs
  15. ^ usc.edu
  16. ^ usc.edu,[2],Anal Oral Sex & Touching Penis in Islam Hadith & Fiqh
  17. ^ ”Tafseer al-Ayyashi”, vol.1, p.110, and “Bihar al-Anwar” by al-Majlisi, vol.23, p.98, and “al-Burhaan fee Tafseer al-Qur'an” by Shaikh Hashim Al Bahrani (renowned 18th Century Shi'a cleric), vol.1, p.219, and “Wasā'il al-Shīʿa” by al-Hur al-Amily, vol.3, chapter 73: An-Nikaah wa Aadabuh]
  18. ^ ”Tafseer al-Ayyashi,” p.157 , and “Bihar al-Anwar” by al-Majlisi, vol.21, p.98, and “Tafseer al-Burhaan” by Shaikh Hashim Al Bahrani, vol.2, p.230
  19. ^ ”Kitab al-Kafi fil Furoo'”: Book of Nikaah: Chapter: Women's anuses, vol.5, p.540, No.2
  20. ^ [3]

See also

Further reading

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