Iraqi Cleric Sistani Tolerates Anal

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There is much disagreement on Islamic websites about anal sex between men and women. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest-ranking Shia cleric in Iraq, says it is "strongly undesirable", but permissible if the wife agrees.

The quote comes from an absolutely fascinating article in the Guardian on a debate taking place among some leading Muslims about which sexual practices are permitted and which are prohibited by the religion.

So this Sistani guy... This is the backwards cleric many Americans are afraid might be the de facto ruler of Iraq? The guy who says, essentially, consensual anal sex is permissable if the husband and wife are both so willing?

I should add I'm no fan of clerics of any stripe, and I'm pretty sure Sistani would probably be in favor of some harsh punishment for umarried or same-sex couples who act out their own Howard Stern fantasy and take a drive up the Hershey highway. But even this seemingly small concession is* worlds better than anything I've ever seen uttered by an American cleric or official elected to high office. (If I've ever seen anything like it at all in this country.)

Finally, I'm the first to admit I don't know a damn thing about any religion. I don't want to, either. But, just the same, don't try telling me these Muslim clerics are simply having some conversation about issues Christians or Jews settled 500 years ago. Because I'm pretty damn sure it's not true. Which means Muslim religious scholars are having a relatively public and pretty open socio-cultural debate on a host of topics that a significant number of so-called Judeo-Christian leaders still consider taboo.

*This statement may depend on what the definition of the word is is.