On the verse: "Your wives are a tilth for you"

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Jews used to say: When a man has intercourse with his wife in the front while standing behind her, the child will be cross-eyed. Thereupon the verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Your wives are a tilth for you" [Al-Baqarah: 223].

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said concerning the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you": Whoever wishes to practise withdrawal ('azl) may do so, and whoever does not wish to, need not do so.

Ikrimah said: A man may have intercourse with his wife however he wishes, standing or sitting; however, he may not have anal intercourse.

Abu Salih said concerning the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": If you wish, you may have intercourse with her lying on her back; if you wish, on her side; and if you wish, kneeling.

Abu Razin said concerning the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": Come from the side of purity, and do not come from the side of menstruation.

Al-Dahhak said concerning the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": Come from the side of purity, and do not come from the side of menstruation.

Mujahid said regarding the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": Come to them however you wish, except in the anus and during menstruation.

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Muhajirun came to Madinah, they married women of the Ansar. The Muhajirun used to have intercourse with women by making them kneel with their heads on the ground, whereas the Ansar did not do that. A woman of the Ansar said to her husband that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) should be asked about this. That woman felt too shy to ask, so I asked. He called her and recited this verse of the Qur'an to her: "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish". Then he said: "The passage of entry is only one."

Murrah al-Hamdani said: Once a Jew met a Muslim and said to him: "Do you have intercourse with your wives from behind them?" It was as if he disliked the manner in which a man stands behind and penetrates his wife's private part. On this occasion this verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish". In this verse Allah Almighty gave the Muslims permission to have intercourse with their wives in the private part however they wish, whether from the front or from behind.

Murrah said regarding the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": The Jews used to mock the Muslims that they had intercourse with women standing behind them. On this occasion Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish", meaning: have intercourse in the private parts however you wish.

Sa'id bin Jubayr said regarding the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": He must not commit sodomy; apart from that, he may be with his wife however he wishes.

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib said regarding the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": If you wish, practise withdrawal ('azl), and if you wish, do not.

Al-Hasan said: The polytheists used to mock the Muslims, saying that they had great hardships, as they could have intercourse with their wives from one direction only. On this occasion this verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish".

Ikrimah said in explanation of the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": That is, from the direction of the private part.

Abu Dhira' said: I asked Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish", and he said: "It means: if you wish, practise withdrawal ('azl), and if you wish, do not."

Mujahid said regarding the verse of the Qur'an "Your wives are a tilth for you, so come to your tilth however you wish": Have intercourse with your wives in the private part however you wish.