Question:
In the Shafi’i Madhhab, can the husband do anal sex with his wife? Is it permissible?
Country: Pakistan
Answer:
Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,
Imam Shafi’i mentioned that the ruling of unlawfulness is established by both the Qur’an and the Sunnah. We find that Imam Ahmad related in his Musnad v. 5, p. 213 with an isnad that’s narrators are thiqat [impeccably trustworthy and completely accurate] that the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhie wa sallam) said, “…do not enter women from their rears.” Imam Shafi’i also related a hadith with this wording and declared it Sahih [rigorously authentic].
In the notes on Imam Ghazzali’s Wasit v. 5, p. 184, the issue of a view of permissibility being ascribed to Imam Shafi’i is discussed and explained. Imam Shafi’s opinion on the matter has been stated in his books, like Mukhtasar al-Muzani. In this work, Imam Shafi’i is noted to have said,
فلست أرخص فيه بل أنهى عنه
“I do not give any permission to that; in fact, I deem it prohibited.”
The view of the majority of scholars, Imam Shafi’i included, is that anal sex is unlawful.
And Allah knows best.
Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.