Is it permissible for a husband to engage in anal intercourse with his wife if he prefers that over vaginal intercourse, and does the principle that religion is ease apply to this situation, especially with the increase in sodomy due to the preference for the anus?

Anal intercourse with a woman is one of the grave sins, and it is forbidden by the consensus of scholars. Justifying this forbidden act to avoid falling into another forbidden act, under the pretext of the ease of the religion, is a mistaken and deviant understanding. This is because the ease of the religion lies in choosing the easier of permissible matters, and one must stay away from all sins, as Aishah said: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was not given a choice between two matters but that he chose the easier of the two, as long as it was not a sin. But if it was a sin, he was the farthest of people from it."