A Discussion about “Oral Sex ” in Islam
A Discussion about Oral Sex in Islam
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Allah said : Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth
Allah has created man and woman to worship Him and allowed them to join each other in matrimony. After food sex is probably the strongest desire that pumps in the Heart of the Son of Adam. Living in an over sexually charged World has resulted in people gravitating towards various perversions and acts which go totally against the shariah in its regard of modesty, purity and the reason for relations.
Briefly I’d like to mention 2 acts that are completely outside the realm of the Shariah’s objectives of Marriage ,for protecting the lineage and the orders of cleanliness .
The 1st “Golden Showers, or Urine Play.”
This is a perversion that appeared in the Western Culture in the 90’s and probably is something still totally foreign in other parts of the World; nevertheless it is still done among some people prior to becoming Muslim and continued after they take the Shahadah, so it needs to be mentioned.
- This act is filthy and disgusting and a means of spreading all kinds of diseases through Najasah[Impurities]. The impurity of urine is only passed when it is wet and not dry. [1]
- There is an Ijma that urine is Najis[2]
- Smearing yourself with urine is a cause for the punishment in the grave. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Beware of (smearing yourselves with) urine, because it is the main cause of punishment in the grave”.[3]
- From the medical side of it urine like other bodily fluids can transmit STDs and spread infections.
The person involved in this act of behavior needs to repent to Allah and find other ways of enjoyment and needs to control his desires. Whatever leads a person to this kind of act must be avoided by all means.
The 2nd Oral sex from a partner who isn’t your spouse.
It isn’t strange for a person following his desires and at the same time chasing his wildest fantasies to say, “Oral sex isn’t actually fornication.”. Allah said: . Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god), and Allah knowing (him as such), left him astray.[al-Jathiya:23]
An edict of this nature only increases the disobeidnce of Allah , reduces the severity of Zina and co-signs the illegal interaction between the male and the female. There are so many angles to tackle this subject and it would seem pointless to address them all ;however the fatawa was said and people are ignorant. Therefore I present several responses that were neglected in this topic are;
- It’s not permissible for a male and a female to be alone if they aren’t married: Allah said: “ And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen.”[Al-Ahzab:53]. Ibn Al-Mullaqqin said: “This verse includes all women.”
- The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “No one of you should meet a woman in privacy unless she is accompanied by a Mahram (i.e., a relative within the prohibited degrees).”[4]
- Allah orders the believers to lower their gaze. Allah said: Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.[An-Nur:30]. How much more so is a person who’s looking at the private parts of a person whose not their husband or wife?!
- The Prophet[ﷺ] didn’t only name the actually act itself Zina. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah has written the very portion of Zina which a man will indulge in. There will be no escape from it. The Zina of the eye is the (lustful) look, the Zina of the ears is the listening (to voluptuous songs or talk), the Zina of the tongue is (the licentious) speech, the Zina of the hand is the (lustful) grip, the Zina of the feet is the walking (to the place where he intends to commit Zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disapprove it.” [5].
This hadith shows us the Zina is committed by the eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet.
- Allah didn’t only prohibit Zina, but He also made unlawful every act that leads to it. Allah: And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse.[ Al-Isra:32]
- It’s Haraam for the different sexes to look at each other’s private parts, unless they’re married to each other. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A man must not look at a man’s private parts nor must a woman look at a woman’s private parts; neither should two men lie naked under one cover, nor should two women lie naked under the same cover.”[6]. This hadith also makes watching Pornography Haraam.
- The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For one of you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than that he should touch a woman who is not permissible for him.” [7] Al-Amir As-San’anee said: This act displays the vulgar act of the sin of touching and proves that it’s Haraam for the opposite sexes to touch.[8]
Allah’s protection is sought. The aforementioned topics dealt with sexual acts that aren’t allowed based on the texts presented, however now we need to proceed to a sexual act that’s known and is popular in some cultures more than others between spouses.
A while back I uploaded an article about the permissible act for a man to bathe with his wife and if this is done to increase the love and intimacy between spouses, then it could be considered Sunnah based on the speech of Imam Al-Al-Uthaymeen.[9]
That paper was among the most read and most debated topic I ever presented. The controversy mainly found in that topic was the permissibility of a man and woman to look at each other’s private parts. Before going into Shaykh Ferkous’s Fatwa I’ll share the speech of a scholar from the Malikee and Shaf’I Jurisprudence.
Ibn Al-Qassim Al-Malikee : A man can look at the vagina of his wife before having sex with her. [10]
And Ibn Attar mentioned that there is a different of opinion about looking at the private parts of your wife and strongest is it’s allowed.[11]
Questioner: Can a man enjoy his wife any way he pleases, except through anal sex? For example can he request from her to give him oral sex, or do a 69 sex position [Both male and the female suck and lick each other’s private parts]? I apologize for the wording of the question.
All prasies belong to Allah Lord of all the Worlds. May Allah’s peace and blessings be Muhammad, His family , his companions, and other Prophets until the Last Day.
The people of Knowledge have different views about this action. Some allow it from the Hanabala and Malikee scholars. i.e As-Saba’. And other scholars consider it Haraam or Makruh[Disliked action].
The scholars who prohibit oral sex use a hadith which prohibits men and women from looking at each other’s organs. ‘Aishah said: “I never looked at (or I never saw) the private part of the Messenger of Allah.”[12]
If looking at the private part isn’t allowed, then with certainty it’s prohibited to lick and touch the area as well.
As for those who say it’s generally permissible or it’s permissible but needs further clarity. They use the rule and guidelines from Fiqh, which state, “The origin is a man and women are allowed to enjoy each other any way they like, except by the way the Shariah has prohbitied.i.e Anal sex. Also included in this prohibition are sexual relations during the menstrual cycle, post-partum bleeding, or in a manner that can cause harm.
Allah said: And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts) Except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame.[Al-Mu’minun5-6]
Allah said: And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts from illegal sexual acts) .Except with their wives and the (women slaves and captives) whom their right hands possess, for (then) they are not to be blamed [Al-Ma’arij 29-30]
Allah said: Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth (have sexual relations with your wives in any manner as long as it is in the vagina and not in the anus)[Al-Baqarah 223]
They also use the hadith of the Prophet [ﷺ] “There shouldn’t be harm or anything that causes harm.”[13] And the hadith about Menses the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Do everything else apart from sexual intercourse (with your wives)”[14]
This hadith means both spouses are allowed to enjoy each other anyway they feel like during the monthly cycle, but they must avoid sex; as it’s Haraam during this period.
The hadith of Aisha about seeing the private part of the Prophet is weak. It contradicts the authentic hadith about the Prophet bathing with his wives and fondling them. Based on the authentic text of the Prophet [ﷺ]bathing with his wives its allowed to look at each other’s private parts.
The Prophet [ﷺ]said: He said: “Protect your ‘Awrah except from your wife or what your right hand possesses.”’[15]
Ibn Al-Arabi said this hadith is authentic and it’s a proof for proper conduct.[16]
Al-Maradawee said There are two benefits about this topic.
- Al-Qadi said : It’s permissible to kiss the vagina of a woman before sex,but dislike to do it afterwards. This has been mentioned from Atta ibn Rabah.
- The woman mustn’t initiate penetration of her husband’s penis while he’s asleep, but she can arouse him by oral sex, and kissing him to wake him up in the mood.
Imam Al-Qurtubi narrated that As-Ba’ Al-Malikee said: “It’s permissible to French kiss his wife.” This is the position of Ibn Wahhab and others as mentioned in Al-Modowana[17]
Shaykh Al-Ferkous’s position
I consider it Makruh based on the following reasons;
- The tongue is used for the remembrance of Allah. Therefore it should avoid the places where urine, postractic fluid and discharge exit.
- We have been ordered to avoid impurities and no doubt these areas are place where urine exits. And there is no guard against the prostatic fluid, that comes out during foreplay and the person can be unaware of its exit and this is among the impurities that can’t be avoided during fondling and foreplay.
- The doctors have prohibited kissing areas and places that are dirty have a foul odor and house germs and even if it doesn’t cause illnesses, it’s naturally disliked by any person with a sound mind.
- Constantly doing this action turns a person away from normal vaginal sex,which is done to have children.
Moreover there are other reasons, which in the least case makes this act disliked. The Maliki Jurists consider this act one of lowly conduct and character.[18]
Shaykh Ferkous’s detail fatawa answers the issue from many sidesa which keeps the act between Halal or Makrouh;however some other scholars like Shaykh Luhaydan and Muhammad bin Hadi Al-Madkhali[May Allah preserve them both] lean towards position that oral sex is Haraam. They base their view from the verse. Allah said: And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah has ordained for you (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina).
And the verse. Allah said:Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth (have sexual relations with your wives in any manner as long as it is in the vagina and not in the anus), when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask Allah to bestow upon you pious offspring) before you for your own selves. And fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers.[Al-Baqarah:223][19]
After looking at all the views, the issue is based on Qiyas for the scholars who lean towards their positions and Allah the most high knows best.
Prepared and arranged by your brother in need of Allah’s Mercy,
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle
Academic /Islamic studies teacher and Khateeb for the Ministry of Religious Endowment of Qatar .
1438©
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[1] Shaykh Al-Fawzan Al-Muntaqah
[2] Fawdul Bari/ vol1,pg 471/Shaykh Anwar Al-Khasmiri
[3] Sunnan Ad-Daraqutni#122
[4] Sahih Muslim 1341
[5] Sahih Muslim 2658
[6] Sahih Muslim 338
[7] Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 486. Shaykh al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5045, that this hadeeth is saheeh.
[8] At-Tanweer /Hadith#7098
[9] http://www.abuaaliyah.com/2015/08/05/the-sunnah-of-a-man-bathing-with-his-wife/
[10] Kitab Adab An-Nisa’ pg 171, Abdul Malik ibn Habeeb
[11] Ahkamul Nisa’i/vol3 pg 908/ Ibn Al-Attar
[12] Ibn Majah 662 / Graded as weak by Imam Al-Albani
[13] Ibn Majah 2345 / Graded as Sahih by Imam Al-Albani
[14] Muslim #302
[15] Abu Dawud #4017-Graded as Sahih by Imam Al-Albani in Irwa
[16] Ahkamul Quran 3/1370
[17] Al-Insaf vol8/33by Al-Mardawee
[18] https://ferkous.com/home/?q=fatwa-151