Is It Necessary to Use a Condom during Oral Sex?

Question

My wife is concerned that performing oral sex is haram because of the possible presence of pre-seminal fluid. She asks that I wear a condom. Is oral sex without a condom allowed if I ensure that I do not ejaculate in her mouth?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to that which is pleasing to Him. Amin.

The following answer has been adapted from answers previously given on the SeekersGuidance Answers Service:
Is It Permissible To Perform Oral Sex to One’s Wife? [Shafi’i School]
Can a Wife Perform Oral Sex on Her Husband? [Shafi’i School]

The general rule regarding relations between husband and wife is that all forms of enjoyment and satisfaction are permissible. The only exceptions to this rule are two practices prohibited in the Quran and Sunna – anal sex and vaginal sexual relations during menstruation.

From this general rule, many scholars permitted oral sex, male to female, and vice versa. Al-Malibari said in his Fath al-Mu’in, “With an exception to the anus, all kinds of enjoyment is permissible for the husband, even sucking her clitoris.” In his commentary on this text, Al-Dimyati said, “meaning, even if he were to take pleasure from her by sucking her clitoris, it would be permissible.”

A Few Considerations to Note:

1. The Sacred Law prescribes vaginal intercourse within marriage. The husband or wife should not be forced into sexual acts they are uncomfortable with. If they are only comfortable with oral sex using a condom, this should be respected, and Allah knows best.

2. If the practice is proven medically harmful, it will be considered haram.

3. Culture or customs of a people should also be considered. It may be that this practice is deemed filthy to certain customs, and that should be respected.

4. One should avoid swallowing najasa, as this will also be impermissible. Still, oral sex is permissible with or without a condom because ingestion of najasa is not a given, and Allah knows best.

Ingesting Impurities

It appears that impurities spread during intimate acts are considered a due cause or forgivable and overlooked. The School explicitly permits using the entire body in intimate acts, which can predictably lead to the spread of impurities – specifically, the madhy of a man.

For example, the School’s texts mention the permissibility of a woman masturbating her husband and vice versa or him rubbing his penis on any part of her body, including the anus (short of penetration). These texts do not consider spreading impurities a complicating factor in these scenarios. Performing oral sex does not necessitate ingesting fluid, even if it were to enter the mouth.

A person can take steps to avoid ingesting it and clean the mouth following it, as would, in any case, be the dictates of common sense. [Nawawi, Majmu‘; Sharawani, Glossary on Tuhfat al-Muhtaj; Bakri, I‘anat al-Talibin; Bujayrami, Hashiyat al-Bujayrami]

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.