approach them until they are pure).

As for the statement at the end of the hadith, “When the Jews heard that, they said...,” it is authentic and is reported in the hadith of Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him:

“When a woman among the Jews menstruated, they would neither eat with her nor share a house with menstruating women. The Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, therefore asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and Allah Most High revealed: (They ask you about menstruation...). The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said: ‘Do everything except intercourse.’ When this reached the Jews, they said...”

He then quoted the remainder of the report.

It was narrated by Muslim (1/169) and others.

233 – (He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not have anal intercourse with women.” Ahmad, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, and Ibn Mājah.) p. 190

Authentic. It is reported in the hadith of Khuzayma ibn Thābit and is documented in al-Irwā (2065) and Ādāb al-Zifāf (pp. 28–29). Its attribution to al-Tirmidhī is an error.

234 – (Regarding a man who has anal intercourse with his wife, he said: “It is minor sodomy.” Ahmad and al-Nasāʾī.) p. 190

Sound. It was narrated by Ahmad (2/182, 210), from Amr ibn Shuayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It is minor sodomy”—meaning a man having anal intercourse with his wife.

I say: This chain of transmission is sound. Al-Mundhirī said in al-Targhīb (3/200), as did al-Haythamī in al-Majma (4/298):

“It was narrated by Ahmad and al-Bazzār, and the narrators in both of their chains are narrators of the Sahih collections.”

This is astonishingly misleading on the part of both of them, for neither Amr ibn Shuayb nor his father was relied upon as an authority by