Oral sex in Islamic law
Encyclopedia
Oral sex in Islam is controversial among Islamic theologians. Some allow the practice, and some disapprove.
. This shows that the Arab
s at the time of Muhammad
were familiar with the idea. Anal Oral Sex & Touching Penis in Islam Hadith & Fiqh is a reference book on the topic.
, a Sunni
, allows the practice of oral sex in a fatwā
with certain conditions. One group of Salafi
scholars and Shafi`i school says that oral sex is completely halal (permissible) because of the hadith
of the prophet(s) in which he encouraged foreplay
between spouses, and that these are naturally gratifying activities that will help them have a better marriage.
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physical acts between two or more people meant to create and increase sexual arousal, in anticipation of sexual intercourse.
Any act that creates and enhances sexual stimulation between the sex partners may constitute foreplay, including kissing, touching, embracing, talking, and teasing (teasing, in this case, may include methods of satisfaction, such as erotic sexual denial).[1] The manual or oral stimulation of erogenous zones may be considered foreplay, as well as being part of the sex act itself. Sexual role playing, fetish activities, and BDSM
can also be considered foreplay, though they may also accompany intercourse and not just precede it.
Dr. Heba Kotb
, a Sunni female scholar who gives sex advice on Egypt
ian TV, said that oral sex is allowed "since there is no religious text banning it".
The Maliki
s allow licking the vagina (furj) stating that there is no harm in it, and it is not a hated act (makruh
). Malik ibn Anas
said that there is no harm in licking
the vulva
with the tongue
.
Hanafi
jurists
who claim touching the penis in Islamic Law
is not a shame
ful act. The Sahih Hadith of Al-Muwatta Imam Muhammad (see image) argues that the "act is not impure". And emphasized that "if the penis were vile or impure, it should be cut off from the body and thrown away". The Hadith claimed that there is no difference between the penis and the other parts of body. Scholars such as Muhammad al-Shaybani
cited several opinions from Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man
:
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, on the authority of Ali ibn Abu Talib
, that concerning touching the penis he said: "There is no harm. I touch it or the end of my nose."
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, that Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud
asked about wudu for touching the penis. He said: "It is impure [najas], so cut it off!" meaning that there is no harm in it.
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, that Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas
passed by a man who was washing his penis. He said: "What are you doing? This is not required of you."
However, there are also Sahih Hadith which mention the performing of ablution is compulsory after the touching of the sexual organ.
But, Abu Hanifah reiterated that that washing the penis is important after urinating.
The first and second of these reports are related to the oft-cited report, given on the authority of Talq b. ؛Ali [b. al-Mundhir b. Qays], concerning the saying of Muhammad about the penis. Talq b. ؛Ali said: We were with the Apostle of God when a man, like a Bedouin
, came to him and said: "Oh Apostle of God, what do you think about a man touching his penis after performing wudu
?" He [Prophet Muhammad] said: "What is it but a piece of your flesh?"
However, there is some disagreement about this report and as noted above, the strongest evidence for making ablution after touching one's penis comes from Basrah bint Safwaan.
It is reported that prophet Muhammad said:
Dr. Heba Kotb stresses that women should also enjoy sex. Oral sex is a form of foreplay and Islam "stresses the importance of foreplay". Hanbali
books mention that it is lawful for a husband to achieve ejaculation by his wife masturbating him, and by rubbing his penis between her thighs or breasts.
. Dr. Ali Jum`ah, professor of the Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence
at Al-Azhar University
, said that licking, sucking and kissing a spouse's sexual organs are all allowed, as long as it gives a person sexual gratification. This concept will keep him away from unlawfulness (haraam). It is allowed for a husband to lick his wife's vaginal area when it helps her have orgasm. Also, the wife can lick her husband's penis to cause erection and suck on it for an orgasm or ejaculation of semen. All sexual acts that aim at satisfying and pleasing the spouses are allowed except anal sex.
that mentioned anything of vaginal discharge. Similarly, many scholars view that semen
is pure (taahir).
The Shafi`i Madh'hab said that the sperm
of the male is pure, but pre-ejaculate
, or "Madhy liquid", is najasa. The partners in fact might be licking the Madhy liquid which is najas before the ejaculation
is completed. Hence it could be understood if this is the case then oral sex is makruh but certainly not haraam because there is no evidence to say so.
Muslim scholars are of the opinion that if the oral stimulation leads to ejaculation, then it is blameworthy (makruh), but there is no decisive evidence to forbid it. These parts are not dirty like the anus
(dubur in Arabic). But there is no decisive evidence to make it unlawful, especially if the wife agrees with it or achieves orgasm
by practicing it.
, and a husband can kiss the outer parts of his wife's genitals and suck her clitoris (mentioned in many books of Hanbali fiqh) for her pleasure and satisfaction to an orgasm and it must be sure to rinse out mouths afterwards.
By using the Arab strap
, condom or by holding base shaft in hand tightly, the discharge of impure secretions and contact with semen
during oral sex may be avoided.
is obligatory; however, if he only releases Madhy then Wudu is only required, and the wife has to wash the Madhy away. If during the course of oral stimulation, ejaculation takes place, one must wash it away if it gets in one’s clothing or mouth.
Knowledge of oral sex
The concept of oral sex is as old as the Hudaibiya Treaty in Islamic tradition, as cited below by Sahih al-BukhariSahih al-Bukhari
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī , as it is commonly referred to, is one of the six canonical hadith collections of Islam. These prophetic traditions, or hadith, were collected by the Persian Muslim scholar Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, after being transmitted orally for generations. Muslims view this as one of...
. This shows that the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s at the time of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
were familiar with the idea. Anal Oral Sex & Touching Penis in Islam Hadith & Fiqh is a reference book on the topic.
Opinions from Sunni Islam
Dr. Yusuf al-QaradawiYusuf al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi is a controversial Egyptian Islamic theologian. He is best known for his programme, ash-Shariah wal-Hayat , broadcast on Al Jazeera, which has an estimated audience of 60 million worldwide...
, a Sunni
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
, allows the practice of oral sex in a fatwā
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
with certain conditions. One group of Salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
scholars and Shafi`i school says that oral sex is completely halal (permissible) because of the hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
of the prophet(s) in which he encouraged foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
between spouses, and that these are naturally gratifying activities that will help them have a better marriage.
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physical acts between two or more people meant to create and increase sexual arousal, in anticipation of sexual intercourse.
Any act that creates and enhances sexual stimulation between the sex partners may constitute foreplay, including kissing, touching, embracing, talking, and teasing (teasing, in this case, may include methods of satisfaction, such as erotic sexual denial).[1] The manual or oral stimulation of erogenous zones may be considered foreplay, as well as being part of the sex act itself. Sexual role playing, fetish activities, and BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
can also be considered foreplay, though they may also accompany intercourse and not just precede it.
Dr. Heba Kotb
Heba Kotb
Dr. Heba Kotb is a certified sex therapist and host of The Big Talk, a sexual advice show in Egypt. The first licensed sexologist in the country, Kotb bases her methods on the teachings of the Qur'an, which she says encourages strong marital life including healthy sexual relationships between...
, a Sunni female scholar who gives sex advice on Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian TV, said that oral sex is allowed "since there is no religious text banning it".
Sucking the wife's breasts and vagina
There is no Islamic text that forbids the sucking of a wife's breasts.The Maliki
Maliki
The ' madhhab is one of the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims, mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia...
s allow licking the vagina (furj) stating that there is no harm in it, and it is not a hated act (makruh
Makruh
In Islamic terminology, something which is makruh is a disliked or offensive act . Though it is not haram and therefore not a sin, a person who abstains from this action will be rewarded. Muslims are encouraged to avoid such actions when possible...
). Malik ibn Anas
Malik ibn Anas
Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī 'Āmir al-Asbahī is known as "Imam Malik," the "Sheikh of Islam", the "Proof of the Community," and "Imam of the Abode of Emigration." He was one of the most highly respected scholars of fiqh in Sunni Islam...
said that there is no harm in licking
Licking
Licking is the action of passing the tongue over a surface, typically either to deposit saliva onto the surface, or to collect liquid onto the tongue for ingestion, or to provide pleasure. Many animals both groom themselves and drink by licking....
the vulva
Vulva
The vulva consists of the external genital organs of the female mammal. This article deals with the vulva of the human being, although the structures are similar for other mammals....
with the tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
.
On touching the penis
There is stronger evidence of the most commonly held-view: the hadeeth of Basrah bint Safwaan, who heard Muhammad say: “Whoever touches his penis, let him do wudoo’.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tahaarah, 154. al-Albaani said in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, no. 166, it is saheeh)Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
jurists
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
who claim touching the penis in Islamic Law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
is not a shame
Shame
Shame is, variously, an affect, emotion, cognition, state, or condition. The roots of the word shame are thought to derive from an older word meaning to cover; as such, covering oneself, literally or figuratively, is a natural expression of shame....
ful act. The Sahih Hadith of Al-Muwatta Imam Muhammad (see image) argues that the "act is not impure". And emphasized that "if the penis were vile or impure, it should be cut off from the body and thrown away". The Hadith claimed that there is no difference between the penis and the other parts of body. Scholars such as Muhammad al-Shaybani
Muhammad al-Shaybani
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī was a disciple of Abu Hanifa , and Abu Yusuf, and a jurist.-Early years:...
cited several opinions from Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man
Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man
Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān , better known as Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, was the founder of the Sunni Hanafi school of fiqh ....
:
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, on the authority of Ali ibn Abu Talib
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
, that concerning touching the penis he said: "There is no harm. I touch it or the end of my nose."
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, that Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud
Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud
Abdullah ibn Masud was one of the first converts to Islam after Muhammad started preaching in Mecca. He remained one of the closest companions of Muhammad during his lifetime....
asked about wudu for touching the penis. He said: "It is impure [najas], so cut it off!" meaning that there is no harm in it.
Abu Hanifah related to me, on the authority of Hamad b. Ibrahim, that Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas
Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas
Saad ibn Abī Waqqās was an early convert to Islam in 610-11 and one of the important companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sa'd was the seventeenth person to embrace Islam at the age of seventeen...
passed by a man who was washing his penis. He said: "What are you doing? This is not required of you."
However, there are also Sahih Hadith which mention the performing of ablution is compulsory after the touching of the sexual organ.
But, Abu Hanifah reiterated that that washing the penis is important after urinating.
The first and second of these reports are related to the oft-cited report, given on the authority of Talq b. ؛Ali [b. al-Mundhir b. Qays], concerning the saying of Muhammad about the penis. Talq b. ؛Ali said: We were with the Apostle of God when a man, like a Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
, came to him and said: "Oh Apostle of God, what do you think about a man touching his penis after performing wudu
Wudu
Wuḍhu is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers...
?" He [Prophet Muhammad] said: "What is it but a piece of your flesh?"
However, there is some disagreement about this report and as noted above, the strongest evidence for making ablution after touching one's penis comes from Basrah bint Safwaan.
It is reported that prophet Muhammad said:
- "Whenever anyone of you makes water (urinates) he should not hold his penis or clean his private parts with his right hand." (Sahih BukhariSahih BukhariṢaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī , as it is commonly referred to, is one of the six canonical hadith collections of Islam. These prophetic traditions, or hadith, were collected by the Persian Muslim scholar Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, after being transmitted orally for generations. Muslims view this as one of...
, 1.4.156) - "When anyone amongst you enters the privy he should not touch his penis with his right hand." (Sahih MuslimSahih MuslimSahih Muslim is one of the Six major collections of the hadith in Sunni Islam, oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It is the second most authentic hadith collection after Sahih Al-Bukhari, and is highly acclaimed by Sunni Muslims...
, 2.0512)
Oral sex as foreplay
Oral sex should not lead to any repulsive feeling, and it is advisable to guarantee that the spouse is approving the act in order to fulfill the maximum joy out of the act.Dr. Heba Kotb stresses that women should also enjoy sex. Oral sex is a form of foreplay and Islam "stresses the importance of foreplay". Hanbali
Hanbali
The Hanbali school is one the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. The jurisprudence school traces back to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal but was institutionalized by his students. Hanbali jurisprudence is considered very strict and conservative, especially regarding questions of dogma...
books mention that it is lawful for a husband to achieve ejaculation by his wife masturbating him, and by rubbing his penis between her thighs or breasts.
Relation to sexual gratification
In the light of the Qur'an verse, Al-Mu'minun, five to seven scholars said that the husband is allowed to enjoy his wife through any means of enjoyment except for anal sexIslamic view of anal sex
Anal sex is identified in Islam with liwat, the "sin of Lot's people." Although the Quran expresses clear disapproval of lutis , it does not contain a specific punishment or guidance for a luti...
. Dr. Ali Jum`ah, professor of the Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
at Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
, said that licking, sucking and kissing a spouse's sexual organs are all allowed, as long as it gives a person sexual gratification. This concept will keep him away from unlawfulness (haraam). It is allowed for a husband to lick his wife's vaginal area when it helps her have orgasm. Also, the wife can lick her husband's penis to cause erection and suck on it for an orgasm or ejaculation of semen. All sexual acts that aim at satisfying and pleasing the spouses are allowed except anal sex.
Genital secretions
Secretions from the vagina are pure. There is no hadith or verseAyah
Ayah or Aayah is the Arabic word for sign or proof:"These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you with truth...
that mentioned anything of vaginal discharge. Similarly, many scholars view that semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
is pure (taahir).
The Shafi`i Madh'hab said that the sperm
Sperm
The term sperm is derived from the Greek word sperma and refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell...
of the male is pure, but pre-ejaculate
Pre-ejaculate
Pre-ejaculate is the clear, colorless, viscous fluid that emits from the urethra of a man's penis when he is sexually aroused. It is similar in composition to semen, but has some significant chemical differences...
, or "Madhy liquid", is najasa. The partners in fact might be licking the Madhy liquid which is najas before the ejaculation
Ejaculation
Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the male reproductory tract, and is usually accompanied by orgasm. It is usually the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. In rare cases ejaculation occurs because of prostatic disease...
is completed. Hence it could be understood if this is the case then oral sex is makruh but certainly not haraam because there is no evidence to say so.
Muslim scholars are of the opinion that if the oral stimulation leads to ejaculation, then it is blameworthy (makruh), but there is no decisive evidence to forbid it. These parts are not dirty like the anus
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
(dubur in Arabic). But there is no decisive evidence to make it unlawful, especially if the wife agrees with it or achieves orgasm
Orgasm
Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...
by practicing it.
Avoiding secretions
If oral sex can be done in such a way that no filth is involved, then it would be considered lawful for a wife to kiss her husband's penis as long as she avoids any areas where there is pre-ejaculatory fluid, a loving couple could always use a condomCondom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
, and a husband can kiss the outer parts of his wife's genitals and suck her clitoris (mentioned in many books of Hanbali fiqh) for her pleasure and satisfaction to an orgasm and it must be sure to rinse out mouths afterwards.
By using the Arab strap
Arab strap (sexual device)
An Arab strap is a sexual device, usually made of leather and a metal ring, that is placed around the penis and testicles. This device is usually included in the group of cock rings and cock harnesses usually to play the role of a bondage-type sex toy...
, condom or by holding base shaft in hand tightly, the discharge of impure secretions and contact with semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
during oral sex may be avoided.
Bathing (ghusl) after oral sex
Oral sex is only permitted as a way of stimulation and foreplay. If a husband does have oral sex with his wife, and ejaculates semen, then ghuslGhusl
Ghusl is an Arabic term referring to the full ablution required in Islam for various rituals and prayers. The ablution becomes mandatory for any adult Muslim after having sexual intercourse, any sexual discharge , completion of the menstrual cycle, giving birth, and death by natural causes.Islam...
is obligatory; however, if he only releases Madhy then Wudu is only required, and the wife has to wash the Madhy away. If during the course of oral stimulation, ejaculation takes place, one must wash it away if it gets in one’s clothing or mouth.
Further reading
- IslamOnline.net Is oral sex Considered Zina?
- ZAWAJ.COM: Straight Talk Straight Talk About Sex in Islam
- IslamOnline.net Married Couple Watching Pornography
- The Issue of Oral Sex
- Anal Oral Sex & Touching Penis in Islam Hadith & Fiqh