Praise be to Allah,
Sufyaan [ibn ‘Uyaynah] narrated to us from ‘Amr [ibn Deenaar] from Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah who said,
“We used to practice coitus interruptus during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be on him) when the Qur’an was still being revealed.”
(Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 3, p. 309. The transmitters in the isnaad of this hadeeth are reliable and have been mentioned by al-Bukharee and Muslim in the traditions they have reported.)
Commentary
Azl is the act of sexual intercourse in which the man removes his penis from the woman’s body before he ejaculates, in order to prevent the woman from becoming pregnant.
‘Azl occurs when a husband ejaculates outside of his wife’s vagina during intercourse as a method of birth control. The statement, “when the Qur’an was being revealed” means that if this practice was prohibited, the Prophet (saw) would have mentioned it to the companions. However, this practice was not recommended as it might affect the wife in terms of fulfilling her desire. Besides, it does not prevent what Allah has decreed.
Source:
Thulaathiyyaat Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reports of Imaam Ahmad that have only three narrators between him and the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Saalim as–Saffaareenee al–Hanbalee ~(1114 –1188 AH)