Islamic views on anal sex


Anal sex is anal intercourse between individuals. It is considered haraam by some Sunni and Shia scholars.

Texts

Quran

The basic text of Islam is the Quran, believed by Muslims to represent the direct revelation of God to the prophet Muhammad. In terms of direct references in several places in the Qur'an, anal intercourse is identified with liwat, the "sin of Lot's people". Lot was commissioned as a prophet to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. His story is used to demonstrate Islam's disapproval of rape and homosexuality. He was commanded by God to preach to his people on monotheism and to stop them from their lustful and violent acts.
The Quran expresses clear disapproval of lutis. In the Qur'an, Lot is quoted as saying to his people:
The Qur'an directly comments on the people of Lot and on the nature of their sins:
Although the Qur'an does not contain a specific punishment or guidance for a luti, the context clearly indicates homosexuality as a moral corruption and describes the punishment for such action for the people of Lot when it grew widespread and accepted in their society.

Hadiths

The hadith are reports of Muhammad's sayings and deeds from those close to him in his lifetime. Sunni Hadiths on the subject of anal intercourse between individuals clearly state that it is strictly forbidden. The four Sunni schools unanimously disapprove anal intercourse as several hadith state:
The same ruling applies for heterosexual relationship when performed as "an alternative" while the wife is menstruating. When married, it is rightful and obligatory for the husband and the wife to mutually fulfill their needs but only by upholding the guidance of Hadith and the Qur'an. The Quran says:
And they ask thee concerning menstruation. Say, "It is a harmful thing, so keep away from women during menstruation, and go not in unto them until they are clean. But when they have cleansed themselves, go in unto them as Allah has commanded you. Allah loves those who keep themselves clean."

According to Sunni Islam, anal intercourse is haram even if the husband and wife mutually agree on it because mutual agreement does not allow something that has been made haram in Sunni hadith.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a contemporary Sunni Muslim scholar, states that anal intercourse is prohibited and a wife must abstain from it should her husband demand it, and may seek divorce over it if her husband persists or tries to force her, as the act is forbidden. Scholars like Qaradawi and Salih Al Munajjid have clarified that it doesn't nullify the marriage, and the wife must seek divorce in order to separate from the husband. Couples who have done it should repent and stop repeating such major sin.
In this regard, a commonly misinterpreted and decontextualized verse from the Qur'an is most often cited as a ground to validate anal intercourse between husband and wife:
Your women are a tilth for you so go to your tilth as ye will, and send before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers,
Al Munajjid clarifies that this verse is indicative of the different positions a married couple may copulate in, or adopt, in sexual intercourse, and is fully permissible as long as intercourse takes place in the vagina and not the anus. Involving the anus in foreplay is also forbidden and inserting fingers or objects into the back passage is considered a perversion and is forbidden. Also, the very word "cultivate" has been interpreted unanimously by all Sunni Islamic jurists as impregnating the wife or nurturing wife as though a farmer cultivates a piece of land, but not as a means of performing forbidden practices.

Law (Shariah)

Sunni opinion

Islamic law, or shariah, developed during the 8th and 9th centuries in several different "schools" based on varying interpretations of the Quran and the hadith. Many hadiths, the reported sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, prescribe harsh punishments for homosexuality, and this is reflected in the majority of shariah, the Islamic legal codes. Since sexual relations under shariah are only permissible within heterosexual marriage, it follows that sex outside such marriage is adultery and/or fornication, both of which attract punishments. Homosexual sodomy, defined as adultery or fornication or both, thus attracts the same penalties as those crimes, although the exact punishment varies with schools and scholars. Abu Eisa At-Tirmidhi said, “The people of knowledge disagreed over the legal punishment for the sodomite. The view of some of them is that he should be condemned to death, whether he is married or unmarried, and this is the saying of Malik, Ash-Shafi’ee, Ahmad, and Ishaq. Scholars among the jurists of the companion’s students such as Hasan Al-Basri, Ibrahim An-Nakh’ai, Ata’ ibn Abu Rabah and others said that the legal punishment for sodomy is equivalent to the punishment for adultery, and this is the saying of Sufyan Ath-Thawri and the people of Kufa.”
One passage in the Qur'an takes a particular legal position towards proven adultery, as well as homosexuality in conjunction with the punishments mentioned in hadith as the punishment is prescribed for 'unlawful sexuality':
Despite unanimous disapproval of homosexuality in Islam, in practice, cultural norms in different Muslim countries vary from punishment to condemnation, and only a few Muslim countries actually carry out such punishments.

Shi'ite opinion

Most Shia scholars do not permit anal intercourse. Those who do say it is extremely makrooh.
There are strong indications that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini looked unfavorably upon anal penetration as codified in his two volume work, Tahrir al-Wasilah.
According to Grand Ayatollah Sistani, anal intercourse between a married couple is permissible under the condition that "permission is bound to wife’s agreement", but the act itself "is strongly undesirable."
According to Grand Ayatollah Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi, "anal sex is allowed with her permission. Although very hated and discouraged."