Sexual relations are for the pleasure of both the husband and the wife and for the procreation of children. Sexual intercourse is not limited to vaginal penetration but includes other forms of sexual caressing, such as kissing and fondling of various kinds.

It is forbidden to have vaginal intercourse while a woman is menstruating (Qur'an 2:222). According to the Sunnah of the Prophet, a man and his menstruating wife can however give one another pleasure so long as the woman's genitals are avoided.

There are Hadith that forbid anal intercourse and scholars generally agree that it is not permissible.

The Qur'an and the Sunnah are generally silent as to the various forms that sexual relations may take. Most authorities consider that it is up to the husband and wife in love and mutual respect to decide how to physically express their sexual desires.

Prohibition of Temporary Sexual Relations

There are 4 types of temporary sexual relations:
a) temporary marriage, mut'at
b) prostitution, bighaa
c) adultery between consenting adults, zina
d) marriage with the hidden intention to divorce after a time, zawaaj bi niyyat al talaq.
They are forbidden because they reduce the sexual relation to its physical form without regard to the emotional, psychological, and social dimensions. They undermine and destroy the fabric of society. Temporary marriage, mut'at, is forbidden by law. This is a type of marriage contracted by both parties for a fixed period of time. It violates the need for children to be reared in a permanent family. Humans require at least 15 years to be reared to adulthood. Prostitution is the exchange of sexual favors for money. It is physical enjoyment without emotional or psychological involvement. The law prohibits forcing girls into prostitution for the sake of money. Adultery, zina, may have some form of emotional and psychological involvement besides the physical enjoyment but these are temporary. Marriage with the intention of divorcing-  the practice involves dishonesty on the part of the husband by failing to disclose his full intentions to the partner. Disclosure would of course turn this type of marriage into a form of mut'at marriage, therefore forbidden.

Permission of Sexual Intercourse from the Age of Puberty

Islam is the truth from the creator, and Allah has created humans in a manner that they are capable of bearing children from the age of puberty. When this age is achieved, Islam gives the individuals the right to marry with the consent of their guardians. The evidence of this is the marriage of Aisha(r) to Mohammed - when she reached the age of puberty the marriage was consummated. In the world today we often hear of 'teenage pregnancies' and such issues which is a clear indication that there are various cases where individuals who have reached puberty feel the need to become sexually active. Thus Islam has allowed marriage at such an age as long as the education and well being of the two individuals is safeguarded.

Age Differences

There is no restriction in Islam with regards to age differences between the spouses. The exception is that no sexual relationships may be enjoined before puberty is reached. The woman or the man may be older or younger than the other, it does not matter since God allows it. It is only human ignorance that they still look negatively upon an older woman marrying a younger man or vice versa. Islam however puts no restrictions in this regards and looks positively at the concept of marriage, irrespective of age differences.

Sexual Attractiveness in Marriage

The sexual attractiveness is a continuous process that is necessary to bind the 2 spouses together. Some people misunderstand this to mean that a person is attractive before marriage in order to attract the other and need not maintain her attractiveness after that. A married person must always look attractive to their spouce. This prevents them from being tempted by others.

Conjugal Rights

Both husband and wife have rights to sexual satisfaction. The conjugal rights are enforceable by law. None of the spouses can refuse under reasonable conditions.

Hygiene

Cleanliness is a very important part of Islam. Muslims are required to wash before they pray, wash after they visit the toilet and even wash before and after they have sexual relations with their partners. The law has regulations for proper conduct of sexual relations. These serve at decreasing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or at increasing the pleasure of both partners. Once a person has had sexual intercourse with their spouse they are in a state of impurity, and thus are required to do ghusl (shower). The state of impurity is reached not by the actual act of being intimate with your partner, but rather though the emission of bodily fluids such as semen, sweat, etc.

Haya

The Islamic term haya is not perfectly translated by the English term, shyness. Haya is an inner spiritual protective device that makes a person shun sin and what may lead to it. It is not bashfulness or being introvert as some may think of it. Haya is considered part of faith, iman. It is the morality of Islam. Haya is always for the good and can never be negative. It is a characteristic attribute of all messengers. The Qur'an describes in detail the haya of the daughters of Shuaib in their meeting with Musa (PBUH) which should serve as a model for other women.

Conversation

It is advisable to hold conversations with your spouse about sexual intercourse so that each partner can come to a decision about what they enjoy and what they do not enjoy. It is not required, however it is beneficial. Maybe your partner does not like a certain position, or feels uncomfortable with it, or is experiencing pain during it, but not telling you in fear of displeasing you. So discussion should be open between the couple, since they are legally married in the sight of Allah, there is no harm upon them to discuss such matters openly with one another.

Seclusion

Needless to say, sexual intercourse is not a public affair! Thus ensure that you have sex in a private area, and not a public area where you are at risk of being seen. Putting yourself and your spouse in harms way is forbidden in Islam.

Foreplay

The Prophet instructed Muslim men to satisfy their wives during intercourse. One must avoid intercourse with one’s wife before any foreplay. Rather, one should kiss and caress their partner to sexually simulate them. Masturbating your partner is allowed in Islam for the purpose of sexual simulation.  When one sees that his/her partner is ready, prepared, and desirous of them, only then should they initiate intercourse. The wisdom behind this is evident, since both partners will enjoy the act of sexual intercourse more.

Oral Sex

Though there is no forbiddance on oral sex in Islam, however due to the fact that sexual fluids are impure (najs), therefore oral sex is disliked, but not forbidden.

Drinking Sexual Fluids

Sexual fluids are impure and must not be swallowed or drunk. Since this may cause illness to the individual and can be a huge risk for sexually transmitted diseases and others.

Sexual Positions

There is no restriction as to which sexual position a couple may take, as long as it does not cause either of the partners any harm.

Anal Sex

Anal sex is forbidden in Islam - the anus serves the purpose of excreting the body's waste materials and sexual intercourse in anus can cause the splinter cells of the rectum to get damaged causing a high risk of sexually transmitted diseases and other diseases. Therefore it should be avoided at all costs.

Group Sex

All forms of group sexual activities are forbidden in Islam. If a man has more than one wife he can not have sexual relationships with both of them at the same time. Each person has rights in Islam, and these rights can not be violated through any relations. Exposing one wife to the other is a violation of both their rights of privacy. Furthermore, it will put both of them at risk of contracting diseases and may even lead to homosexual behavior between the two which is strictly forbidden in Islam for both men and women.

Sexual Display

Activities such as, strip dancing to arouse your partner and dressing up in costumes are not forbidden. Such matters are private matters and left to the discretion of the partners.

Pseudo Mascism

Pseudo Mascism is the practice of physically inflicting harm upon your spouse during or before sexual intercourse and is completely forbidden in Islam in all forms!

Role Playing

Role playing involves activities such as a partner assuming the role of a character and then the partners play along with a 'story line'. Many people find this sexually arousing. This may involve tying your partner up, spanking your partner or dominating your partner. As long as no physical harm is inflicted upon either of the spouses, there are no restrictions to any such activities in Islam.

Food & Sex

Many people like to use food items to enhance their sexual relationships. As long as these edibles are not used in an inappropriate manner (i.e. wastage or virginal insertion, etc) There is no prohibition on their usage.

Masturbation Between Spouses

Mutual masturbation between partners is permissible in Islam. This means that either of the partners may use their bodies to pleasure the other.

Individual Masturbation

Masturbating oneself (alone) is highly disliked and sinful in Islam. All people of age who are capable to marry are recommended to marry in Islam. However if for whatever reasons the individual is unable to marry they must fast to contain their sexual desires. However if there is a need to masturbate to prevent oneself from committing an immediate sin (i.e. they are in a position where if they did not masturbate they would commit fornication) In that case it is permissible.

Drinking one's wife's milk, during foreplay or intercourse

The husband is not permitted to drink his wife’s milk because, in the words of imam al-Haskafi in al-Durr al-Mukhtar, quoting Sharh al-Wahbaniyya,  ‘It is a part of a human being and to make use of it without a real need to do so is Haram’. [Radd al-Muhtar, 3:212, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya].  This a general rule in the sacred law: No part of a human being may be sold or used for nourishment or other ‘deriving of benefit’ (intifa’), beyond that which the Saced Law has permitted. The baby’s drinking the mother’s milk is an exception, based on textual permission, due to the ‘real need’ (durura) to do so.

Reading Sexual Advice

Reading sexual advice on matters pertaining to sex, (i.e. new sexual positions, etc) is permitted in Islam for the gaining of knowledge as long as it does not involve looking at pictures of naked people.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is strictly prohibited in Islam. Anyone partaking in such activities is cursed. If one finds such tendencies in themselves, they must take every step humanly possibly to prevent homosexual behavior. All scholars, schools of thoughts are unanimous on this stance.

Tran sexuality

Cross dressing is strictly forbidden in Islam and so is changing ones gender via cosmetic surgery or any other form!

Hermaphrodites

This is a sexual mutation where the person born has both the male and female genitals. Human biology has revealed that the male and female sexual organs are developed from the same part of the fetus, it is only the difference between X and Y chromosomes which determine the gender of the fetus and thus the genitals are formed accordingly. However it is possible for a mutation to occur causing the fetus to develop both the sexual organs of both genders. In such cases either neither of the genitals work or one of them works partially. The standing of Islam on hermaphrodites is that they should be left alone to live out their lives - sexual relationships with them is not permissible. There is no punishment on hermaphrodites, and on the day of judgment they will be judged according to the way Allah created them. And Allah best understands the problems people faced on Earth.

Fetishes

There is such a wide variety of fetishes that it is beyond the scope of this article to name them all! Some common ones are: foot fetishes -where the individual is obsessed with feet. Undergarment fetishes - where the individual finds collecting undergarments sexually gratifying. Within this category, any activities which involve inflicting harm upon oneself are forbidden. Islam does not encourage such behavior, and such behavior obliviously points to an affixation with something and may be looked down upon. However there is no prohibition on such behavior either as long as it is not causing the person to cause harm upon themselves or others, become a perverted individual or causing social ills.

Pornography - Hardcore and soft-core materials

All forms of pornography are forbidden in Islam. One may not realize this, but the models used in such activities could easily have been their own family members! Pornography is basically just glorified prostitution and prostitution is forbidden in Islam. Thus to eradicate such a social ill from society, even observing of such things is forbidden in Islam.

Sexual Photography

Many couples like to take photographs of themselves, or even nude photographs of their spouses. This is a potential high risk to the privacy of the couple! Take the example of popular celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and their sex tapes becoming public. Thus it is highly advisable to avoid such things. However there is no prohibition on it.

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