Does Islamic scripture permit hetero anal sex?
The Arab News, Saudi Arabia's first English-language daily, has a regular scripture-based advice column by Adil Salahi. One recent column addressed several sex-related questions, which Salahi answered with scholarly reference to Koran passages and Prophet sayings, sort of like an Islamic Dr. David Hager. Scrolling past the questions about the 13-year-old girl who wrongly prayed during her period (an honest mistake) and why polygamy is acceptable (because the Koran says so), we find this astonishing exchange.
Q. In one of your answers, you expressed your view that anal sex between man and wife is forbidden. However, Verse 223 of Surah 2 seems to permit whatever a man and wife wish to do. May I suggest that your view contradicts this verse, unless you are relying on a Hadith which I do not know. Please comment.
Salahi's answer cites Koran scripture and commentary to the effect that God indeed blesses sexual pleasure between man and wife, but only toward the goal of procreation. "Needless to say, anal sex does not fit in this context at all." He then cites two Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) on the subject:
A man came to the Prophet and asked him whether it was permissible to have sex with his wife from behind. The Prophet answered in the affirmative. As the man was on his way out, the Prophet called him back and said: “Consider what I have said: from behind, but in the front.” I suppose nothing could be clearer than this. In another Hadith, the Prophet mentions ten sinful actions that are tantamount to disbelief. One of these is “anal sexual intercourse with women.”
The first one sounds more like a dirty joke than scripture. I, for one, feel inspired to do my part in the struggle against Islamofascism this weekend. (Link snagged from Eros Blog.)
