A distinguishing quality of one’s belief is modesty. The Prophet ﷺ preached modesty as a core manifestation of one's faith in Allah ﷻ. The Prophet ﷺ said: 

الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً، وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ

“Īmān has sixty-some branches; modesty is an integral branch of īmān.” (Bukhārī)^[1]

Faith is to be reflected in all aspects of a Muslim’s life, with modesty being an essential component. Whether in private matters, such as marital relations, or professional interactions in the workplace, Muslims are to uphold modesty. 

Classical jurists have generally regarded oral copulation as makrūh (disliked) based on the principle that it is an act unbecoming of the mouth’s sanctity. The mouth is not merely a physical organ, but a means for one to worship Allah ﷻ and attain his pleasure.  A Muslim uses their mouth for the to recite the Quran, perform dhikr, and speak words of good. It is inappropriate for an intimate act of this nature to involve the mouth. 

Although the private parts of the body are inherently pure (ṭāhir), it does not follow that every pure entity is meant to be placed in the mouth. A fitting analogy is that of clean soil. It is ṭāhir, but one would not willingly place it in their mouth, as doing so would be unnatural and undesirable. The same reasoning applies in this case: purity alone does not necessitate such actions to conform with one’s natural disposition (fiṭra).

Furthermore, the private areas of the body are the source of various impure excretions. Exposing oneself to such a situation creates a risk of direct contact with impurity, which is not only physically undesirable but also spiritually discouraging. Just as one avoids stepping near filth due to a natural sense of aversion and concern for cleanliness, a similar disposition should apply to intimate practices. Such practices go against a Muslim’s sense of ḥayāʾ and desire for purity, both of which are integral components of his belief. The Prophet ﷺ informed us of the essential nature of purity: 

والطهور نصف الإيمان

Purity is half of faith (Tirmidhī)^[2]

The Prophet ﷺ also mentioned a severe rebuke for one who does not preserve their modesty:

إن مما أدرك الناس من كلام النبوة: إذا لم تستحي فافعل ما شئت

From amongst the prophetic statements preserved by the people is that once you forsake modesty, you may act without restraint. (Bukhārī)^[3]

To delve deeper into this issue, one must analyze the origins of such desires. The inclination toward such acts does not stem from the natural disposition of a human being (fiṭra). Rather, such inclinations come from external influences, particularly the widespread hyper-sexualization prevalent in society. Exposure to this propaganda results in the corruption of the mind. What was once a sound fiṭra is now corroded with licentious desires. Giving in to such lewd inclinations will lead to the development of even stronger, more perverse, and harmful desires. Without caution, one may slip into a snowball effect, leading to complete disregard of moral standards and ultimately ending up in actions that are in direct disobedience to Allah ﷻ.

A believer must introspect deeply and critically examine the origins of their desires. Where does such an inclination originate? Is it considered desirable to the fiṭra, or is such an inclination a byproduct of external corruptions? The very nature of this action conflicts with a Muslim’s ḥayāʾ. 

In summation, the classical juristic perspective is not merely one of personal distaste, rather it stems from the foundations of one’s īmān which is to preserve the fiṭra.^[4] As seen from the aḥādīth cited above, purity and modesty are key components of faith. These two qualities not only impact a believer at a physical level but at a spiritual and ethical level. Beyond just the permissibility of such actions, one should think about why they desire such actions and the long-term harms of being affected by such desires. They should make duʿāʾ that Allah ﷻ preserves their fiṭra and protects them from their desires leading them to his disobedience. 

And Allah knows best.

Ml. Ammar Ahmed
Student, Darul Iftaa Chicago

Checked and Approved:

Mf. Abrar Mirza
Head Mufti, Darul Iftaa Chicago