63. Wives are fruitful fields.

The Jews during the period of Prophet Muhammad considered some ways of sexual behavior as taboo and believed that a kind of sexual behavior would end in a baby being born with a squint eye.

They (Jews) nurtured a superstitious belief that if a man approaches his wife while having sexual intercourse like a dog does, the resultant baby would be a squint eyed one. To discourage this the verse (2:223) of the Quran “Your wives are your fruit fields, approach them as you wish” was revealed.

Hadith by Muslim:2826. 

This verse was revealed against the superstition nurtured by these people and conveyed that approaching wives during sexual intercourse as men pleased is allowed.

In addition, this verse is against the belief that sexual intercourse should take place only on certain days. This can be understood from the phrase ‘as you desire’. 

This apart, this verse also serves as an eye opener for modern day issues regarding childlessness.

Presently where people who are unable to bear a child undergo artificial fertilization, this verse serves as a solution to the types of artificial fertilization that are allowed and those forbidden.

By the phrase “your wives are your fruit fields’ it could be understood that a husband’s sperm could be used to artificially fertilize a wife and not that of another man. 

There are many aspects of family life that are inset within this phrase.