Oral Sex

Oral sex refers to sexual activities involving the stimulation of the genitalia by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Oral sex is now very common in both heterosexual and homosexual couples. People may involve in oral sex as part of foreplay before sexual intercourse, or during or following intercourse. Another point to mention is that it was not something that was alien to the Arabs, Abu Bakr famously said during an altercation with Urwah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with them both), “Go and suck the clitoris of Al-Lat! Are we going to flee from him and leave him?”[1]

The various types of oral sex performed are:

Cunnilingus (Oral Vaginal Contact): Oral stimulation of a woman’s vagina and/or vulva, especially her clitoris, by her partner’s lips and tongue.

Fellatio (Oral Penile Contact): Stimulation of a man’s penis by his partner’s mouth-usually by licking or sucking. This is commonly known colloquially as a “blow-job”.

Analingus (Oral Anal Contact): Stimulation of the partner’s anus with tongue or lips.

Due to various impurities that are emitted from these private parts. This needs to be looked at from three aspects:

1) Swallowing impurities. As for swallowing faeces, blood, urine, and pre-ejaculation fluid, this is totally prohibited by agreement of Islamic scholars. There is a difference of opinion in the Shafi’i school of law regarding the ingestion of semen which is considered as pure in the Shafi’i school. Imam al-Nawawi mentioned the following:

“Is the consumption of pure semen lawful? There are two aspects: The correct and famous view is that it is not because it is deemed as something filthy and Allah ﷻ said, ‘And He has made filthy things unlawful for them’, the second view is that it is permitted; this is the opinion of Abu Zayd al-Marwazi because it is pure and there is no harm in it. I shall expound the discussion regarding it and regarding mucus and similar things in the chapter of foods if Allah ﷻ wills.”[2]

Islamic scholars also differed regarding the purity of the wetness of a woman’s vagina, the majority of scholars deemed it is pure. There is also a view in the Hanbali school of law that pre-ejaculation fluid is pure which has been transmitted from Imam Ahmad but is not the dominant view of the school.[3]

2) Allowing the mouth to be covered in impurities. I have not come across anything prohibiting this and it could be argued that an impurity that incidentally occurred could be spat out or washed away afterwards. Due to the risk of swallowing an impurity, it would be correct to say that it is at least disliked.

3) Oral sex free of swallowing impurities. This can be achieved by using a condom[4] or avoiding oral ejaculation or areas of impurity. The majority of Islamic scholars held the view that it is permitted without dislike, just like kissing any other part of the body. Some scholars held it to be disliked. This is supported by the previously-mentioned narration “Do everything apart from sexual intercourse.”[5]

“If a man places his penis in his wife’s mouth it has been said that it is disliked because it is the place of reciting the Quran so it is not appropriate to enter the penis into it. The opposite of this has also been said (i.e. It is permissible).”[6]

Ibn Abidin discussed the meaning of “tickling” in relation to invalidating the fast whilst commenting on Al-Durr al-Mukhtar:

“Perhaps the intent is biting the lip and what is analogous to it, or kissing the vagina.”[7]

“All types of sexual enjoyment with the wife are permitted for the husband even by sucking her clitoris (meaning even if the sexual enjoyment is by sucking her clitoris because it is permitted) or masturbation with her hand, not his hand (even if he fears illicit sexual intercourse as opposed to Ahmad), except the ring of her anus.”[8]

“Al-Qadi said, ‘Kissing a woman’s vagina is permitted before sexual intercourse and disliked after it.’”[9]

“It has been narrated from Malik that he said, ‘There is no harm in looking at the vagina during sexual intercourse.’ And he added in a narration ‘and that he licks it with his tongue.’”[10]

[1] Al-Bukhari (2731).

[2] Al-Majmu (Chapter of Removing Impurity). He mentions in the later chapter of foods that Imam al-Juwayni and others transmitted the opinion of it being lawful from Abu Zayd and others.

[3] Al-Mugni fi Fiqh al-Imam Ahmad (Section of the Ruling of a Human’s Excrement and What Exits From Him).

[4] A dental dam can be made by cutting off the rim and tip of the condom and then cutting down the length of the condom, this creates a thin square of material that can be placed over the vagina.

[5] Muslim (302).

[6] Al-Muhit al-Burhani (Chapter of Istihsan and Karahiyyah, 8:134 no. 9775).

[7] Radd al-Muhtar (Chapter of What Invalidates Fasting).

[8] I’anah al-Talibin (Chapter of Marriage 3:388).

[9] Kasshaf al-Qina’ (Chapter of Marriage 16:436).

[10] Mawahib al-Jalil (Chapter of Marriage [Section of looking at a young marriageable girl]).