EXPOSING MORE OF ISLAM’S SEXUAL FILTH AND PERVERSITY

According to many renowned Muslim scholars, the following verse was “revealed” to permit anal sex:

Your wives are as fields for you. You may enter your fields from any place you want. Reserve something good for your souls (for the life hereafter). Have fear of God and know that you are going to meet Him. (Muhammad) give the glad news to the believers. S. 2:223 (Muhammad Sarwar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/st23.htm)

One prominent Muslim that held this view was Ibn Umar, the son of the second caliph ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, even though there are conflicting reports denying that he did.

In this post I will share sources that mention those reputable Muslim authorities who permitted and/or personally engaged in anal sex.

Malik ibn Anas’ Verdict

Ibn Jarir reported from ibn Abi Mulayka that he was asked about having sex with a women in her rear, so he said: “I wanted to do that last night with a slave girl of mine, but it was hard for me (to penetrate), hence I sought the assistance of oil.”

Al-Khatib reported in Ruwati Malik from Abi Sulayman Al-Juzjani, who said: I asked Malik bin Anas about sex with women in their rear, so he said: “(I just did this act) and have just washed my head.” (Al-Suyuti Al-Durr Al-Manthur Fi Tafsir Bil-Ma’thur, Volume 2, p. 612)

Scholars have disputed on anal sex, and that was after having made an Ijma (“consensus”) on having pleasure with all parts of the woman’s body (to be permissible) except from the anus. Malik said: “It is okay for a man to have anal sex with his woman the same as it is okay for him to have vaginal sex.”

Yunis narrated this from Ibn Wahab from Malik. (Al-Tabari, Kitab Ikhtilaf al-Fuqaha (Book of the Disagreement among Muslim Jurists), p. 304)

Tahawi said: Asbagh bin Al-Faraj narrated from Abdul Rahman bin Al-Qasim that he [Malik] said: “I never met someone I deem a role model in religion who doubts that it is Halal, means entering a woman in her anus.” Then he [Malik] recited, “your women are a tilth for you},” then he [Malik] said: “What could be more clear than this?” (Al-Shawkani, Fath Al-Qadir, Volume 1, p. 397)

Malik said, “I never met someone I deem a role model in religion who doubts that it is Halal (permissible/allowed).” (Ibn Qudamah, Al-Mughni, Volume 10, p. 226)

Abu Bakr said: “It is well known that Malik allowed it, but his companions deny it because it was a very nasty statement. In fact, it is well known and cannot be denied by their denial.” (Abu Bakr Al-Jasas Al-Hanafi, Ahkam Al-Quran, Volume 2, p.  40)

The verdicts of Muhammad bin Sha’ban and Muhammad bin Sahnoon

“Muhammad bin Sahnoon and Muhammad bin Sha’ban authored a book in proving its permissibility and they narrated the permissibility from a large number of Tabi’in (the followers of Muhammad’s companions).” (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis Al-Habir fi Takhrij Al-Rafi’i Al-Kabir, Volume 3, p. 379) 

Ibn Sahnoon: The Faqih (“Jurist”) of Morocco, Muhammad Abu Abdallah, the son of the Faqih of Morocco, Abd As-Salaam Sahnoon bin Sa’id Al-Tanukhi Al-Qayrawani. The Shaykh (“Leader”) of the Maliki’s, got educated by his father. He narrated from Abi Mus’ab Al-Zuhri and his contemporaries. And he was a scholar of Hadith and insightful in narrations, very knowledgeable, masterly in investigation, a scholar, has great value and it was said to Isa: “Who was the best you’ve seen when you were young?” He said: “Ibn Sahnoon.” (Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala, Volume 13, P. 60)

Ibn Sha’ban: Shaykh of the Maliki’s. His name is Muhammad bin Al-Qasim bin Sha’ban bin Muhammad bin Rabi’a Al-Ammari Al-Misri. He is of the offspring of Ammar bin Yasir. He has marvelous works, such as, ‘Kitab Al-Zahi‘ about Fiqh, and this is a famous one, and the book ‘Ahkaam Al-Qur’aan,’ and ‘Manaqib Malik,’ and ‘Al-Manasik.’ (Ibid., Volume 16, p. 78)

Abu Muhammad Abdullah’s Verdict 

“Qadhi Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Ibraheem Al-Asili permits it and deemed it not to be Haram (‘Forbidden/Prohibited’).” (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis, Volume 3, p. 379)

The Imam, and the Shaikh of the Maliki’s, and the scholar of Andalus, Abu Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ibrahim Al-Asyli. Al-Qadhi Ayyadh said: Al-Daraqutni said: “I talked with Abu Muhammad Al-Asyli and I haven’t seen anyone like him.” Ayadh said: “He was a Maliki narrator, and one of the scholars concerned about the Hadith and its Rijal, and he opined that anal sex is Makruh (‘Disliked’).” (Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala, Volume 16, p. 560)

Al-Shafi’s Verdict

Al-Shafi’ said: “Some of our companions deem it permissible to have sex in the rear of women, while others deem it impermissible.” (Abi Ibrahim Al-Mazuni, Mukhtasar Al-Mazuni fi Furu Al-Shafi’i, p. 234)

Al-Tahawi, Al-Hakim and Al-Khatib reported from Muhammad bin Abdallah bin Abd Al-Hakam, that Al-Shafi’ was asked about it, and said: “There is NO AUTHENTIC NARRATION from the Prophet that permits it or prohibits it, therefore according to conjecture (qiyas) it is permissible.” (Al-Suyuti, Al-Durr Al-Manthur, Volume 2, p. 613)

As for the difference of opinion regarding this, then Muhammad bin Ka’b Al-Qaradhi, Sa’id bin Yasaar Al-Madani and Malik have said that it is permissible. And they prove that by what Abu Sa’id has narrated: That a man had sex with his wife in her rear and then the people rebuked him for that. They said: “Her behind?” So Allah revealed: “Your women are your tilth, so approach your tilth as you wish.” And they said: “As you wish, means both the front part and the rear.” Ayadh said: “Those who permit it base it on the apparent meaning of the verse.”

Ibn Al-Arabi said in his book ‘Ahkam Al-Qur’an‘: “A LARGE group permitted it, and ibn Sha’ban gathered that in his book ‘Jima Al-Niswan‘ and he assigned the permissibility of this to a large group of the Sahaba and the Tabi’in, and to Malik from many narrations.” Abu Bakr Al-Jisas said in his book ‘Ahkaam Al-Qur’an‘: “The most popular verdict from Malik is that he permits it, and his companions reject this verdict due to its ugliness and shamefulness, but his verdict is well known so it can not be denied by them.” Muhammad bin Sa’d narrated from Abi Sulayman Al-Juzjani, who said: I asked Malik bin Anas about sex with women in their rear, so Malik struck his head and said: “(I just did this act) and have just washed my head.”

And ibn Al-Qasim narrated from him: “I have not met anyone I deem a role model in religion that doubts it permissibility,” and then he recited the verse. As for the stance of Al-Shafi’, then it is what Al-Tahawi said: Muhammad bin Abdallah bin Abd Al-Hakam told us that he heard Al-Shafi’ say: “There is no authentic narration from the Prophet that permits it or prohibits it, therefore according to conjecture [Qiyas] it is permissible.” Al-Hakim said: “Perhaps Al-Shafi’ held this opinion in his early days, but later he explicitly prohibited it.” (Badr Al-Din Al-Ayni, Umdat Al-Qari Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 18, p. 155)

Al-Bukhari

XLI: “Your women are fertile fields for you, so come to your fertile fields however you like. Forward good for yourselves.” (2:223)

4253. It is related that Nafi’ said, “When Ibn ‘Umar recited Qur’an, he would not speak to anyone until he had finished it. One day I held the Qur’an and he recited Surat al-Baqara until he reached a certain place. He asked, ‘Do you about what it was revealed?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘It was revealed about such-and-such.’ Then he continued.”

It is related that Ibn ‘Umar said about, “Come to your fertile fields however you like” (2:223) means “comes to her in …” (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 68. Book of Tafsir)

Here’s another version:

Narrated Nafi’: Whenever Ibn ‘Umar recited the Qur’an, he would not speak to anyone till he had finished his recitation. Once I held the Qur’an and he recited Surat-al-Baqara from his memory and then stopped at a certain Verse and said, “Do you know in what connection this Verse was revealed? ” I replied, “No.” He said, “It was revealed in such-and-such connection.” Ibn ‘Umar then resumed his recitation. Nafi added regarding the Verse:–“So go to your tilth when or how you will,” Ibn ‘Umar said, “It means one should approach his wife in …” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 50 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=60&translator=1&start=0&number=50)

Suspiciously and quite conveniently, al-Bukhari left out Ibn Umar’s full answer. Thankfully, the leading and premiere commentator of the sahih collection of al-Bukhari fills out the gaps for us:

Abi Bakr bin Al-Arabi in his Siraj Al-Muridin has said: “Al-Bukhari has narrated this Hadith in his Tafsir and said: ‘He approaches her in the …’ and he left it blank.” And the issue is well-known. Muhammad bin Sahnun wrote a part about it, and Muhammad bin Shi’ban wrote a book and explained that the Hadith of ibn Umar is about having sexual intercourse in the anus of a woman. (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 9, p. 682)

And:

في إتيان المرأة في دبرها

“Approach the woman in her anus.” (Ibid., Volume 8, p. 190)

Again: 

فقد أخرجها إسحاق ابن راهويه في مسنده وفي تفسيره بالإسناد المذكور ، وقال بدل قوله حتى انتهى إلى مكان ” حتى انتهى إلى قوله نساؤكم حرث لكم فأتوا حرثكم أنى شئتم فقال : أتدرون فيما أنزلت هذه الآية ؟ قلت لا . قال : نزلت في إتيان النساء في أدبارهن

Ishaq bin Rahiweh recorded it in his Musnad and his Tafsir with the same chain, when it reached the part “your wives are tilth to you, so go to your tilth anyhow you will,” he said: “Do you know why this verse has been revealed about?” They said: “No.” He replied: “It has been revealed in regards to approaching women in their anuses.”  

Tafsir al-Tabari

Others said, “Rather, it means that you may have intercourse whenever you want and in whatever manner you want.” Of those who narrated this:

It was narrated Yaqub, Narrated by Hushaim, narrated by Ibn A’wn, narrated by Nafi’ who related that whenever Ibn Umar read the Quran he would not speak, but one day I read the verse, “Your wives are as a tilth unto you: so approach your tilth when or how you will”. So he said, “Do you know about whom this verse was revealed?” I replied, “No.” He said, “This verse was revealed about PENETRATING WOMEN IN THEIR ANUS.”

It was narrated by Ibrahim Ibn Abdullah Ibn Muslim Abu Muslim, narrated by Abu Umar Al-Dariri, narrated by Ismail Ibn Ibrahim (owner of) Al-Karabisi, narrated by Ibn A’wn, narrated by Nafi’ who said, “I used to (inquire) from Ibn Umar whenever he read the verse in the Quran, ‘Your wives are as a tilth unto you: so approach your tilth when or how you will’, he would say, ‘Meaning to have intercourse with women IN THEIR ANUS.”

It was narrated by Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Hakam, narrated by Abdul Malik Ibn Maslama, narrated by Al-Darawardi who stated that it was related to Zaid Ibn Aslam that Muhammad Ibn al-Munkadir used to forbid penetrating women through their anus so Zaid responded, “I bear witness against Muhammad that he informed me that he performed this.”

It was related about Al Harith Ibn Yakub that he narrated about Abi Al-Habab Sa’id Ibn Yassar that he asked Ibn Umar and said, “O Abu Abdul Rahman! We buy slave girls, so may we commit Nahmid with them?” So he replied, “And what is this Nahmid?” He responded, “(penetrating) the ANUS.” Ibn Umar said, “Wow, Wow! Does a believer do that?”

It was narrated by Abu Kilaba, narrated by Abdul Samad, who said that it was narrated by his father who narrated from Ayub, narrated from Nafi’, narrated by Ibn Umar who said that, ‘Your wives are as a tilth unto you: so approach your tilth when or how you will,’ WAS REGARDING THE ANUS.

Al-Suyuti

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: ‘Umar came to The Messenger of Allah and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I have mistaken!” He asked him about the reason and ‘Umar replied: “Tonight I had sexual intercourse with my wife FROM HER BACK (rather than from the front)”. He gave no reply at once. Later on, Allah Almighty revealed this Qur’anic Verse. That is, approach her from front or from the back, but avoid the anus and the time of menses [Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi]

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah forgive Him, was mistaking… (Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti, Reasons and Occasions of Revelation of the Holy Qur’an (Lubab An-Nuqul Fi Asbab An-Nuzul), translated by Dr. Muhammad Mahdi Al-Sharif [Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut 2015], p. 57; bold and capital emphasis mine)(1)

The following are from Al-Dur al-Manthur Fi Tafsir Bil-Ma’thur:

Al-Bukhari, Ibn Jarir stated according to Ibn Umar it is transmitted that the word of verse fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum (“so go into your tilth when you like”) means having sex in anus.

Al-Khatib stated in Ravimak from the reference of Nasir bin Abdullah al-Azadi, who took from Mutraf, and he from Malik, and he from Nafi, who stated that Ibn Umar used the words of the verse nisaokum harthun lakum fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum (“your wives are a tilth for you; so go into your tilth when you like”), in regards to having sex either from the front passage or back passage.

Hasan bin Sufyan in his Musnad, Tabarani in al-Awsat, Hakim and Abu Naeem in Al-Mastakhraj with a Hasan (“Good”) chain of narration narrated from Ibn Umar who said: “This verse was revealed upon the Prophet in respect of the permissibility of performing sex in the anus of a woman.

Ibn Jarir, Tabarani in al-Awsat, Ibn Marduyah and Ibn al-Najar stated with Hasan chain. Ibn Umar stated once at the time of prophet Muhammad a man performed sex in the anus of his woman, but people disliked it and said, “Make him wear a loin cloth.” And then Allah sent this verse and the words of the verse nisaokum harthun lakum.

Nasa’i, Ibn Jarir from Zahid bin Aslam transmitted from Ibn Umar that a man performed sex in the anus of his women and then he felt bad. Then Allah sent this verse and the words verse nisaokum harthun lakum fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum.

Daraqutni in Gharayb Malik, and according to Bashir Aldelwi who transmitted from Nafi: Ibn Umar told me: “O Nafi recite the Quran,” and when he recited and reached this verse nisaokum harthun lakum fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum, he asked me, “What do you know of this? Why this verse was revealed?” I said, “I do not know.” Then he replied, “This was revealed about an Ansari man who performed sex in the anus of his wife. People thought of it as a very bad act. Allah then revealed this verse Nisaokum harthun lakum fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum. I then asked, “Did he perform sex from the side of anus to the front?” He said, “No but rather in anus.”

Nasa’i, Tahawi ibn Jarir said Daraqutni said Abdulrahman bin Qasim said that Malik bin Anas transmitted: It was asked, “O Abu Ubaydallah! The people say according to Salam bin Abdullah that Al-Abad, Al-Ajalaj attributed a lie to my father.”

Then Malik said, “I testify regarding Yazid bin Romaan that he said Salam bin Abdullah said that Ibn Umar said that it is as the way you heard from Nafi, that Haras bin Yaqub stated from Abu al-Jabab Sa’d bin Yasar’s statement that he asked Ibn Umar, “When we buy slave girls should be enjoy them?” Ibn Umar said explained it.

Then he asked about having sex in the anus. Then Ibn Umar said, “Uff Uff! Can a mumin (‘believer’) do that?” Or he said, “Can a Muslim do that?” Malik said that, “I testify that Rabia said that Abu al-Jabab said from Ibn Umar’s statement, which was according to what Nafi narrated.” Daraqutni said this is a preserved hadith and Malik said, “This is Sahih.”

Nasa’i per Yazid bin Roman, according to Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Umar that bin Umar doesn’t see any harm in a man having sex with his women from the anus.

Bayhaqi stated per the sunan of Muhammad bin Ali, “I was with Muhammad bin Kab al-Quradhi when a man came and said: What do you say about having sex in the anus of a women? Then he said, “This Abdullah bin Ali bin Sayyib is the Sheikh from the Quraish.” Then he said, “This is a dirty and bad thing but it is Halal (permissible/allowed).

Ibn Jarir said according to Darurdi (الدراوردي), that it was said to Zaid bin Aslam that Muhammad bin al-Munkadir used to say, “Don’t have sex in the anus of women.” Then Zaid said, “I testify concerning Muhammad bin al-Munkadir that he himself told me that he used to do it.”

Ibn Jarir ibn Abi Malaki was asked about having sex in the anus of women. He said, “I tried to have sex with my slave girl in the anus last night and she resisted so I used oil.”

According to the statement of Al Khatib ibn Malik, Abu Sulaiman bin Jarjani said: Someone asked him about having sex in the anus with these slave girls. He said, “I just took a bath (Ghusl) because of having sex with a slave in the anus.

Ibn Abbas said that Ibn Umar stated that this verse is about having sex in the anus. But this was the understanding of Ibn Umar, and may Allah forgive him.

Here’s two more from al-Suyuti:

وأخرج الحسن بن سفيان في مسنده والطبراني في الأوسط والحاكم وأبو نعيم في المستخرج بسند حسن عن ابن عمر قال‏:‏ إنما نزلت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏{‏نساؤكم حرث لكم‏.‏‏.‏‏.‏‏}‏ الآية‏.‏ رخصة في إتيان الدبر‏.‏

Hasan bin Sufiyan in his Musnad, Tabarani in Al-Awsat, Hakim and Abu Naeem in Al-Mastakhraj with a Hasan (good) chain of narration narrated from Ibn Umar who said: “This verse was revealed upon the Prophet in respect of the permissibility of performing sex in the anus of a woman.” (Ibid., Volume 1, p. 638)

Ibn Abdul Barr stated: “Traditions like this wherein ibn Umar believed in sexual intercourse with women in their anus are known, Sahih (authentic) and popular.” (Ibid., Volume 2, p. 610)

Tafsir Al-Qurtubi(2)

According to al-Bukhari, Nafi said: When Ibn Umar use to recite the Quran he would not talk to anyone during his recitation, until he finishes his recitation. Hence one day he was reciting Sura al-Baqara (The Cow) and he reached this verse and he stopped. He asked me, “Do you know why this verse has come down?” I (Nafi) said, “No, I do not know.” He said, “This is why it was sent down.” And he then he stated and Abdulsamad said, that his father said, that Ayub said from Nafi that Ibn Umar said this statement in the verse fa’tooharthakum anna shi’tum describes ya teeha fi (“come to her”). Hamidi said those are the openings (entrances for sexual penetration).

Abu Dawud stated according to Ibn Abbas: For sure Ibn Umar was in doubt – May Allah forgive him…

The statement of Allah anna shi’tum according to most Sahaba and Tabi’in and scholars of fatwa (means), “however you like from the front or from the back,” as described earlier (in the tafsir). And anna is used for questioning and for giving news about something. It has many dimensions. And linguistically Qaf, Ayn, and Matee are common. This anna is used in Arabic and people used this verse with anna. 

And:

And Sibawayh used this with Qaf and Ayn and then Farqh said it with Ayn and he took it as precedence that you can have sex in the anus. [Another] group [also] held the opinion that having sex in the anus is permissible. And of those to whom this opinion has been attributed are: Sa’id bin Al-Musayyib, Nafi, ibn Umar, Muhammad bin Ka’b Al-Quradhi and Abd Al-Malik bin Al-Majishoon… and Ibn Al-Arabi mentioned that Ibn Sha’ban assigned the permissibility of this to a large group of the Sahaba and Tabi’in, and also to Malik from many narrations. (Ibid., Volume 4, p. 8)

Ibn Taymiyyah

And those people (auliya) even though there was friendship and fear of Allah and His love in their hearts and seeking nearness to Him due to which they became superior to those who could not reach their position. However, they are not better than those of the great Salaf who fought in fitnah. And there were among Salaf groups who permitted intoxicant drinks and groups who permitted interest and mutah and groups who permitted intercourse in the anus, as Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak says: “A man has been raised in Islam and he has left behind good and righteous legacies and he has errors and mistakes, but we do not follow them in their errors and mistakes.” (Al-Istiqama, Volume 1, p. 219)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Mujahid said: I studied the Quran from Ibn Abbas and I recited Quran to him from the start till the end – when I reached this verse and asked him about the tafsir of this verse. Then Ibn Abbas said (which was mentioned above that you can do it from the front or the back, but not from the anus), “This is the delusion of Ibn Umar.” And some transmissions state when he (Ibn Umar) recited the Quran he would not speak with anyone. But one day he was reciting the Quran and when he reached this verse, he asked his student Nafi, “Do you know why this verse was revealed?” The student said, “No.” He said, “This was revealed in regards to having sex with women from the other hole…”

And:

This opinion has been attributed to a group of jurisprudents of Madinah. (Ibid., Volume 1, p. 592)

Mahmud Al-Alusi

And the saying that this verse is a proof of allowing anal sex, is actually established through insensible interpretation of the word anna because the actual meaning of this word tells that a man can have sexual intercourse (from) wherever he wants, and not (in) wherever he wants. So the beneficial meaning of it maybe referring to generalizing the directions of having the intercourse, like from front or behind, up or down, left or right and not generalizing the places of having the intercourse. Thus, there is not any proof in this verse that supports those who allowed anal sex LIKE IBN UMAR. The traditions of allowing anal sex narrated from him are authentic and famous. (Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azim wa al-Sab al-Mathan, Volume 2, p. 124)

Al-Shawkani

Al-Awza’i said: “Five verdicts from the people of Hijaz must be abandoned.” And he mentioned the verdict of mut’a from the people of Makkah, and the verdict of having sex with women in their posterior from the people of Madinah. (Nayl ul-Awtar, p. 1200)

FURTHER READING

Women in Islam [Part 2]

Islam – The Religion of Pedophilia

The Quran’s Confused Stance on Sexual Ethics

REVISITING ISLAM’S GROSS SEXUAL ETHICS

Muhammad’s Adulterous Lust for a Married Woman

Muhammad: An Example of Moral Corruption and Sexual Deviancy

MUHAMMAD: AN IMMORAL ADULTEROUS MISOGYNIST

The Prophet of Sensuality and Inconsistency

Ten Questionable Aspects of Muhammad’s Life Pt. 1

Ten Questionable Aspects of Muhammad’s Life Pt. 2

Ten Questionable Aspects of Muhammad’s Life Pt. 3

Muhammad’s Vulgar Language Exposed

ENDNOTES

(1) Umar’s reaction strongly suggests that he had engaged in anal sex with his wife, which is why he was so troubled. After all, there is nothing sinful about having intercourse from behind through the vagina. This is noted by the following Christian writing in its explanation of Q. 2:223:  

Ibn Abbas said, in connection with this verse, that the Muslims from Medina had previously practiced a type of sexual relationship between husband and wife which they had learned from the Jews, in which the husband honours his wife with respect. When the Muslims from Mecca arrived, they brought a different standard of behaviour with them. This created a severe tension in the Islamic community. Muhammad answered it with the above verse and allowed men to behave as they wished. He allowed his followers anything that would satisfy their beastly lusts. (The full text of this hadith is not translated out of spiritual reservations.)

Ibn Abbas said: ‘Umar came to Muhammad and asked: ‘I have perished.’ ‘Why?’ Muhammad asked. ‘It is because I have adhered the normal position of sex tonight.’” He meant to say that he had sexual intercourse away from his usual place. At first, Muhammad gave no reply, then he claimed that Allah gave him license. Muhammad and Umar were shameless and immodest. Muhammad should have guided Umar to God’s holiness and purity.

Al-Bukhari narrated after Ibn Umar that al-Baqara 2:223 was revealed on the issue of having anal intercourse with women. Al-Tabarani narrated in Al-Awsat, with a reliable chain of traditions that “Your women are a tillage for you” was only revealed to license anal intercourse. (Asbab al-Nuzul by al-Suyuti on Sura al-Baqara 2:223). (The True Guidance (Translated from Arabic) [Light of Life, P.O. Box 13, A-9503 Villach, Austria], Part Five: Comments on Quranic Verses, pp. 48-49)

(2) Here is another translation of a specific part of al-Qurtubi’s exposition of Q. 2:223:

An-Nasā’ī related that Abu-n-Naḍr said that he said to Nāfi‘, the freedman of Ibn ‘Umar, ‘It is often said that you say that Ibn ‘Umar gave a fatwā that one can have anal intercourse with women.’ Nāfi‘ exclaimed, ‘They have lied about me! I will tell you how the business is. Ibn ‘Umar read the Qur’an to me one day while I was with him until we reached: “Your women are fertile fields for you.” Do you know what this āyah commands? We, the Quraysh, used to have women lie on their backs. When we arrived in Madīnah and married the women of the Anṣār, we wanted from them what men want from their wives and they disliked that and thought it terrible. The women of the Anṣār used to have sex on their sides. Then Allah revealed: “Your women are fertile fields for you, so come to your fertile fields however you like.”’…

So come to your fertile fields however you like.

The majority of the Companions, the Tābi‘ūn and the imams qualified to give fatwā say that it means whatever position, front or back. The word for ‘however’ (annā) has various meanings in Arabic: however, whenever, and wherever. ‘However’ refers to the manner of joining. One group who say it means ‘wherever’ say that it is permitted TO PENETRATE THE ANUS. Among those to whom this view is ascribed are Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyab, Nāfi‘, Ibn ‘Umar, Muḥammad ibn Ka‘b al-Quraẓī and ‘Abd al-Malik ibn al-Mājishūn. It is also related from Mālik in a book called Kitāb as-Sirr. However, the astute Mālikīs and their shaykhs reject that book. Mālik is too esteemed to have a ‘Kitāb as-Sirr’. This view is found in al-‘Utbiyyah. Ibn al-‘Arabī mentioned that Ibn Sha‘bān ascribes this view to a large group of the Companions and Tābi‘ūn. There are many transmissions ascribed to Mālik in Kitāb Jimā‘ an-Niswān wa-l-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān. Aṭ-Ṭabarī said, ‘It is related that Muḥammad ibn Ka‘b al-Quraẓī saw nothing wrong with that. In that he interpreted the following words of Allah: “If all beings, do you lie with males, leaving the wives your Lord has created for you?” (26:165) He said that it implies: “You leave the like of that with your wives and if the like of that had not been permitted with wives, that would not be sound.” It is not the site which is permitted so that you say, “You do that and leave its like which is permitted.”’ Aṭ-Ṭabarī said, ‘This is debatable since it means: “You leave what your Lord created for you of your wives in which you still your appetite and the pleasure of intercourse is obtained by the two of them together.” According to this, the rebuke is permitted. His words: “Since they have purified themselves, then go to them in the way that Allah has enjoined on you” and “Come to your fertile fields” indicate that it is one site in particular, and it is confined to the site of childbirth.’ ((Aisha Bewley, Tafsir al-Qurtubi: Juz’ 2: Sūrat al-Baqarah 142–253 [Diwan Press Ltd., 2019], Volume 2, pp. 420-421; bold and capital emphasis mine)

• Uncategorized