in the vagina.
A number of reports state that anal intercourse is the lesser form of sodomy. It is established that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:
“Allah is not shy of the truth. Do not have intercourse with women in their anuses.”
The word hushsh means the anus, the place of filth. Allah, glorified be He, has forbidden intercourse with a menstruating woman, although the impurity in her vagina is temporary. What, then, of the place where gross impurity is found?
Moreover, this is a form of sodomy. Abū Hanīfah, the followers of al-Shāfi'ī, and Ahmad and his followers hold that it is forbidden, with no disagreement among them. This is also the apparent position of Mālik and his followers. Some people, however, have attributed a contrary position to them through another transmitted account. Others have rejected that account and challenged its authenticity. Its basis is a report attributed to Nāfi', which he related from Ibn 'Umar. Sālim ibn 'Abd Allāh used to deny Nāfi's account of this. Either Nāfi' made a mistake, or someone above him in the chain of transmission did.
Someone's mistake does not justify going against the Book and the Sunnah. Likewise, some people mistakenly permitted exchanging one dirham for two, whereas the imams agreed that this was forbidden because of the authentic hadiths concerning it. Similarly, some people were mistaken concerning certain kinds of drinks.
Since it is established that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:
“Every intoxicant is wine, and all wine is forbidden,”
and that, when asked about various kinds of infused drinks, he said:
“Every intoxicant is forbidden,”
“Whatever intoxicates in large quantities is forbidden in small quantities,”
these established teachings of the Sunnah must be followed. There are comparable examples elsewhere in Islamic law.
If a man has anal intercourse with his wife, both must receive a punishment that deters them. If it is known that they will not desist, they must be separated. And Allah knows best.