Discover the meaning of the term Al-ʿzl (عزل) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readTurning the fluid away from the woman for fear of pregnancy.
Diversion. In the Law: what may be meant is withdrawing the member at the moment of the semen's emission, as a precaution against pregnancy; permission for it was given to the Guide of the community, even if the wife is free; permission regarding her is unanimous, and there is no dispute over its validity for the owned slave girl; permission is then to the master.
In language: turning aside; one says: 'I removed him (azaltu-hu) from the matter or the work': I turned him away from it; one says: 'he withdrew from the woman and kept from her': he did not want her offspring. Al-Jawhari said: al-'azl is the man's turning his fluid away from his slave girl when he has intercourse with her, so that she not conceive. Technically: that one has intercourse, and when emission draws near one withdraws without emitting into the vulva, and the woman consents.
(Tahrir al-Tanbih). In Sharh al-Zarqani 'ala al-Muwatta: 'azl is emission outside the vulva. Al-Shawkani said: 'azl is withdrawal after immersion so as to emit outside the vulva; and in Mu'jam al-Mughni the like.
So-and-so, with 'azlan: to keep him far and turn him aside. The man from his wife: when emission draws near, he withdraws and emits outside the vulva.
Turning the semen away from the woman for fear of pregnancy.
Turning the fluid away from the woman guarding against pregnancy; it is that one has intercourse, and when the time of emission comes one withdraws and emits outside the vulva; the Prophet (may God's prayer and peace be upon him) said of it: 'that is the lesser live burial'; 'azl is also, among beasts, that whose member usually falls to one side.