Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 223

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Your women are tillage for you to cultivate. So, come to your tillage from where you wish, and advance something for yourselves, and fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him, and give good news to the believers.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Your wives are like farmland for you,[[ Ḥarth means “farmland”—the husband being like a farmer, the wife like productive land, and children like seeds—a metaphor for fertility and growth.]] so approach them ˹consensually˺ as you please.[[ It is permissible to have intimate relations in any position, however anal sex is impermissible. Vaginal penetration during monthly cycles, or while bleeding persists after childbirth, up to forty days, is also not permitted.]] And send forth something good for yourselves.[[ This can either imply “sending forth good deeds that will be rewarded in the next life” or—according to some interpretations—“engaging in foreplay with one’s spouse before intercourse.”]] Be mindful of Allah, and know that you will meet Him. And give good news to the believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Your wives are tillage for you, so come to your tillage as you please, and send forth something good for yourselves. Fear Allah and know that you will meet Him, and give glad tidings to the believers.”

A. J. Arberry

Your women are a tillage for you; so come unto your tillage as you wish, and forward for your souls; and fear God, and know that you shall meet Him. Give thou good tidings to the believers.

Abdul Haleem

Your wives are your fields, so go into your fields whichever way you like,and send [something good] ahead for yourselves. Be mindful of God: remember that you will meet Him.’ [Prophet], give good news to the believers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Your women are tilth Unto you, so go in unto your tilth as ye list, and provide beforehand for your souls. And fear Allah, and know that ye are going to meet Him; and give thou glad tidings Unto the believers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe.

Abul Ala Maududi

Your wives are your tilth: so you may go to your tilth as you please, but you should take care of your future and refrain from the displeasure of Allah. Know it well that One Day you shall meet Him. (O Prophet!) bear good tidings to the Believers.

Ahmed Ali

Women are like fields for you; so seed them as you intend, but plan the future in advance. And fear God, and remember, you have to face Him in the end. So convey glad tidings to those who believe.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Your women are a tillage for you; so come into your tillage as you will; and first perform the deeds that benefit you; and keep fearing Allah, and know well that you have to meet Him; and (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) give glad tidings to the Muslims.

Ali Quli Qarai

Your women are a tillage for you, so come to your tillage whenever you like, and send ahead for your souls, and be Godwary, and know that you will encounter Him; and give good news to the faithful.

Ali Ünal

Your women are like a tilth for you (where you plant seed to obtain produce) so come to your tilth as you wish, and send ahead (good issue) for (the future of) your souls. Act in due reverence for God, keeping within the bounds of piety and obedience to Him (both in your relations with your women and bringing up offspring, as in all other matters). And know that you are to meet with Him; and give glad tidings to the believers (of what they will find in His Presence).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Your wives are (as) a tilth (to produce and rear children) for you, so come to your tilth when and how you like and send forward (some good) for yourselves, and take Allâh as a shield, and know that you shall meet Him, and give good tidings to the believers.

English Literal

Your women (are) a cultivation/plantation to you, so come (to) your cultivation/plantation when you wanted/willed, and present/advance to yourselves, and fear and obey God and know that you are meeting Him , and announce good news (to) the believers.

Faridul Haque

Your women are a tillage for you; so come into your tillage as you will; and first perform the deeds that benefit you; and keep fearing Allah, and know well that you have to meet Him; and (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) give glad tidings to the Muslims.

Hamid S. Aziz

Your women are your tilth (to cultivate), so come into your tillage how you choose; but do a previous good act for yourselves, and fear Allah, and know that you are going to meet Him; and give good tidings unto those who do believe.

Hilali & Khan

Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask Allah to bestow upon you pious offspring) before you for your ownselves. And fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers (O Muhammad SAW).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Your wives are a tilth for you, so go in to your tilth when you like, and send (good) beforehand for yourselves. And keep your duty to Allah, and know that you will meet Him. And give good news to the believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Your wives are a tilth for you, so go into your tilth when you like, and do good beforehand for yourselves, and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that you will meet Him, and give good news to the believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad).

Muhammad Sarwar

Your wives are as fields for you. You may enter your fields from any place you want. Reserve something good for your souls (for the life hereafter). Have fear of God and know that you are going to meet Him. (Muhammad) give the glad news to the believers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Women are your planting place (for children); come then to your planting place as you please and forward (good deeds) for your souls, and fear Allah. And know that you shall meet Him. Give glad tidings to the believers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will, and send (good deeds, or ask Allah to bestow upon you pious offspring) for your own selves beforehand. And fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give good tidings to the believers (O Muhammad).

Wahiduddin Khan

Your wives are your fields. Go, then, into your fields as you will. Do good deeds, and fear God, and know that you shall meet Him." Give good tidings to the believers.

Talal Itani

Your women are cultivation for you; so approach your cultivation whenever you like, and send ahead for yourselves. And fear God, and know that you will meet Him. And give good news to the believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Your women are a tillage for you, that is, the place where you sow [the seeds of] your children; so come to your tillage, that is, the specified place, the front part, as, in whichever way, you wish, whether standing up, sitting down, lying down, from the front or the back; this was revealed in response to the Jews saying that if a person had vaginal intercourse with his wife from behind, the child would be born cross-eyed; and offer for your souls, righteous deeds, such as saying, `In the Name of God' (bismillh) when you commence intercourse; and fear God, in what He commands and prohibits; and know that you shall meet Him, at the Resurrection, where He will requite you according to your deeds; and give good tidings, of Paradise, to the believers, who feared Him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ

Your wives are a tilth for you,

Ibn Abbas commented,

"Meaning the place of pregnancy."

Allah then said;

فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ
so go to your tilth, when or how you will,

meaning, wherever you wish from the front or from behind, as long as sex takes place in one valve (the female sexual organ), as the authentic Hadiths have indicated.

For instance, Al-Bukhari recorded that;

Ibn Al-Munkadir said that he heard Jabir say that the Jews used to claim that if one has sex with his wife from behind (in the vagina) the offspring would become cross-eyed.

Then, this Ayah was revealed;
نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ
(Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will).

Muslim and Abu Dawud also reported this Hadith.

Ibn Abu Hatim said that Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir narrated that Jabir bin Abdullah told him that;

the Jews claimed to the Muslims that if one has sex with their wife from behind (in the vagina) their offspring will become cross-eyed.

Allah revealed afterwards;
نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ
(Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will).

Ibn Jurayj (one of the reporters of the Hadith) said that Allah's Messenger said;

مُقْبِلَةً ومُدْبِرَةً إِذَا كَان ذلِكَ فِي الْفَرْج

From the front or from behind, as long as that occurs in the Farj (vagina).

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"The Ayah,
نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ
(Your wives are a tilth for you) was revealed about some people from the Ansar who came to the Prophet and asked him (about having sex with the wife from behind).

He said to them;

ايْتِهَا عَلى كُلِّ حَالٍ إِذَا كَانَ فِي الْفَرْج

Have sex with her as you like as long as that occurs in the vagina.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Sabit said;

I went to Hafsah bint Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr and said, "I wish to ask you about something, but I am shy."

She said, "Do not be shy, O my nephew."

He said, "About having sex from behind with women."

She said, "Umm Salamah told me that the Ansar used to refrain from having sex from behind (in the vagina). The Jews claimed that those who have sex with their women from behind would have offspring with crossed-eyes. When the Muhajirun came to Al-Madinah, they married Ansar women and had sex with them from behind. One of these women would not obey her husband and said, `You will not do that until I go to Allah's Messenger (and ask him about this matter).'

She went to Umm Salamah and told her the story.

Umm Salamah said, `Wait until Allah's Messenger comes.' When Allah's Messenger came, the Ansari woman was shy to ask him about this matter, so she left.

Umm Salamah told Allah's Messenger the story and he said;

Summon the Ansari woman.

She was summoned and he recited this Ayah to her;

نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ


Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will.

He added;

صِمَامًا وَاحِدًا

Only in one valve (the vagina)."

This Hadith was also collected by At-Tirmidhi who said, "Hasan."

An-Nasa'i reported that Ka`b bin Alqamah said that Abu An-Nadr said that;

he asked Nafi, "The people are repeating the statement that you relate from Ibn Umar that he allowed sex with women in their rear (anus)."

He said, "They have said a lie about me. But let me tell you what really happened.

Ibn Umar was once reciting the Qur'an while I was with him and he reached the Ayah;
نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ
(Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will), he then said, `O Nafi`! Do you know the story behind this Ayah?'

I said, `No.'

He said, `We, the people of Quraysh, used to have sexual intercourse with our wives from the back (in the vagina). When we migrated to Al-Madinah and married some Ansari women, we wanted to do the same with them. They disliked it and made a big issue out of it. The Ansari women had followed the practice of the Jews who have sex with their women while they lay on their sides. Then, Allah revealed;
نِسَأوُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُواْ حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِيْتُمْ
(Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth, when or how you will)."

This has an authentic chain of narrators.

Imam Ahmad reported that Khuzaymah bin Thabit Al-Khatami narrated that Allah's Messenger said;

لَاا يَسْتَحْيِي اللهُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ثَلَاثًا لَاا تَأْتُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي أَعْجَازِهِن

Allah does not shy from the truth - he said it thrice-, do not have anal sex with women.

This Hadith was collected by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i reported that Ibn Abbas narrated that Allah's Messenger said;

لَاا يَنْظُرُ اللهُ إِلى رَجُلٍ أَتَى رَجُلًا أَوِ امْرَأَةً فِي الدُّبُر

Allah does not look at a man who had anal sex with another man or a woman.

At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Gharib."

This is also the narration that Ibn Hibban collected in his Sahih, while Ibn Hazm stated that this is an authentic Hadith.

In addition, Imam Ahmad reported that Ali bin Talaq said,

"Allah's Messenger forbade anal sex with women, for Allah does not shy away from truth."

Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi also reported this Hadith and said, "Hasan".

Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Abdur-Rahman Darimi reported in his Musnad that;

Sa`id bin Yasar Abu Hubab said;I said to Ibn Umar, "What do you say about having sex with women in the rear?"

He said, "What does it mean?"

I said, "Anal sex."

He said, "Does a Muslim do that?"

This Hadith has an authentic chain of narrators and is an explicit rejection of anal sex from Ibn Umar.

Abu Bakr bin Ziyad Naysaburi reported that Ismail bin Ruh said that;

he asked Malik bin Anas, "What do you say about having sex with women in the anus?"

He said, "You are not an Arab. Does sex occur but in the place of pregnancy? Do it only in the Farj (vagina)."

I said, "O Abu Abdullah! They say that you allow that practice."

He said, "They utter a lie about me, they lie about me."

This is Malik's firm stance on this subject.

It is also the view of Sa`id bin Musayyib, Abu Salamah, Ikrimah, Tawus, Ata, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Mujahid bin Jabr, Al-Hasan and other scholars of the Salaf (the Companions and the following two generations after them).

They all, along with the majority of the scholars, harshly rebuked the practice of anal sex and many of them called this practice a Kufr.

Allah said;

وَقَدِّمُواْ لَانفُسِكُمْ
and send for your own selves beforehand.

meaning, by performing the acts of worship while refraining from whatever Allah has prohibited for you.

This is why Allah said afterwards;

وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُم مُّلَقُوهُ

And fear Allah, and know that you are to meet Him (in the Hereafter),

meaning, He will hold you accountable for all of your deeds.

وَبَشِّرِ الْمُوْمِنِينَ


and give good tidings to the believers (O Muhammad).

meaning, those who obey what Allah has commanded and refrain from what He has prohibited.

Ibn Jarir reported that Ata said, or related it to Ibn Abbas,
وَقَدِّمُواْ لَانفُسِكُمْ
(...and send for your own selves beforehand) means,

mention Allah's Name, by saying, `Bismillah', before having sexual intercourse."

Al-Bukhari also reported that Ibn Abbas narrated that Allah's Messenger said;

لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ أَهْلَهُ قَالَ بِاسْمِ اللهِ اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا فَإنَّهُ إِنْ يُقَدَّرْ بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَدٌ فِي ذلِكَ لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَبَدًا

If anyone of you on having sexual relations with his wife said;`In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Protect us from Satan and also protect what you bestow upon us (i.e., the coming offspring) from Satan,' and if it is destined that they should have a child then, Satan will never be able to harm him