Social System in Islam: The View of Man and Woman and the Human Sexual Instinct

"Woe to Humankind! What has made him reject God? From what thing did
He create him? > From a clot He Created him..."[Abasa: 17-19]
Thus, Allah (swt) has addressed Humankind with obligations and He
(swt) has made Humankind the subject of that speech and those
obligations. He (swt) has revealed the laws (Shar'a) to Humankind and
He (swt) will resurrect Humankind, account him/her and admit him/her
to Paradise or Hell. Therefore, He (swt) has made Humankind - not men
or women - the subject of the obligations.
Allah (swt) has created Humankind, whether male or female, with a
specific nature which is distinct from that of animals. The woman is a
human, as is the man, and they do not differ from each other in terms
of their humanity. Nor is one distinguished from the other in any
aspect of that humanity. Allah (swt) has prepared both of them, in
their capacity as humans, to enter the walks of life and inevitably
made them live in the same society. He also made the survival of the
human race dependent on their meeting together and their mutual
presence in every society.
It is not permitted to view one of them except as the other is viewed
because, as humans, they possess all human characteristics and the
essential requirements of life. Allah (swt) has created within each of
them a vital energy (Taqa Hayawiya), and it is the same vital energy
which He (swt) has created for the other. So He (swt) made in each of
them organic needs such as hunger, thirst and the need to relieve
nature and He (swt) made in each of them a survival instinct (Gharizat
al-Baq'a) and a procreation instinct (Gharizat al-Nau') and a
sanctification (Gharizat al-Tadayyun) instinct. They are the same
organic needs and instincts that are present in each other.
He (swt) has granted both of them the faculty of thought, and it is
the same faculty of thought that is present in the other. Thus,
intelligence is present in a man and it is the same intelligence that
is present in a woman, since Allah created an intellect for Humankind
and not exclusively for a man or a woman.
The procreation instinct can be satisfied illegitimately. However,
this will not serve the purpose for which the instinct has been
created in Humankind except in one case, that is if a man satisfies it
with a woman and a woman satisfies it with a man. Therefore, the
relationship of a man with a woman and vice versa from the angle of
instinctual sexuality is a natural relationship free from any
abnormality. It is the only genuine relationship by which Humankind
realises the purpose for which this instinct was created, that is the
survival of the human race. So when a relationship takes place between
them in terms of sexual intercourse, that is instinctive and natural,
and there is nothing strange or odd about that. Rather, it is a
necessary matter for the survival of the human species.
However, allowing this instinct to run loose is detrimental to
Humankind and his social life. The purpose of its existence is to
produce offspring for the survival of the species. Therefore,
Humankind's view of this instinct must be oriented towards the purpose
for which it is found in him, and that undoubtedly, is for the
survival of the species without distinction between men or women. As
for the pleasure and enjoyment which is obtained by satisfaction, that
is a natural and inevitable matter whether Humankind considers it or
not. Therefore it is not correct to say: pleasure and enjoyment should
be dissociated from the procreation instinct. Disassociation between
them is not attainable, this is because it is not possible. However,
Man's view stems from his concept about this satisfaction, and the
purpose of its existence. Consequently, Humankind must generate a
specific concept about this instinct and the purpose for which it
exists in him. This will form a distinct view concerning the
procreation instinct, so that he restricts it to the relationship of a
man with a woman, and a woman with a man. It will also form in him a
distinct view concerning the relationship between men and women in the
male-female sense, i.e. the sexual relationship, such that it is
directed according to the purpose for which it was created, i.e. the
survival of the human race. Through this view, the satisfaction of the
instinct is achieved, as is the purpose for which it was created.
The community which adopts this concept and possesses this distinct
view also achieves tranquillity (Tamannina). The view of the community
- any human community - concerning that which exists between men and
women in terms of the male-female relationship, (i.e. their sexual
relationship), must be changed from a view focused on pleasure and
enjoyment, to one of considering pleasure and enjoyment a natural and
necessary matter, but the view is orientated towards the purpose for
which this instinct exists. This view maintains and discharges the
procreation instinct according to the correct manner for which it was
created, and gives man the opportunity to carry out his other
activities and frees him to pursue the things that make him happy.
For this reason man must possess a concept concerning the satisfaction
of the procreation instinct and the purpose for which it exists. The
human community must have a system that ensures co-operation between
the man and the woman and eliminates from people's minds the dominance
of the notion of sex, making it the concern that overrides all other
concerns. This is because the community is of no worth (Salaah)
without the co-operation between men and women, considering them as
two siblings who support each other in mutual love and kindness. For
this reason, we must emphasise the importance of complete change in
the community's outlook towards the relationship between men and the
women, which will end the dominance of the concepts of sex, turning it
into a matter which is natural (marriage) and necessary for
satisfaction and ending the restriction of this relationship to
pleasure and enjoyment. Instead, it will produce a view which seeks
the good of the community, not a masculine or feminine one, and it
will be governed by the fear (Taqwaa) of Allah and not by enjoyment or
lust. It is a view which does not deny Man the enjoyment of sexual
pleasure, but makes it lawful (Mashru'), ensuring the survival of the
human race and agreeing with the ultimate goal of a Muslim, which is
to seek the pleasure of Allah.
Some verses in the Qur'an came to address the marital aspect, i.e. the
purpose for which the procreation instinct was created. Thus, there
are verses which make it clear that the creation of the procreation
instinct, in origin, is for the purpose of marriage, i.e. survival of
the human race. In other words, Allah (swt) has created the instinct
only for the purpose of marriage. The verses clarify this using
different styles and various meanings in order to ensure that the view
of the community towards the relationship between the man and woman,
is a view which is focused on marriage and not on sex.
"Oh Humankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single
person, and from him created his wife, and from them both He created
many men and women."[An- Nisa: 1]
"It is He Who has created you from a single person, and He has created
from him his wife, in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living
with her. When he had sexual relations with her, she became pregnant
and she carried it about lightly. Then when it became heavy, they both
invoked Allah, their Lord: If You give us a good child, indeed we
shall be amongst the grateful."[Al- Araf: 189]
"And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind, and has made for
you, from your wives, sons and grandsons."[An- Nahl: 72]
"The Creator of the heavens and earth. He has made for you mates from
yourselves."[Ash- Shura: 11]
The Impact of this view on the relationship between Man and Woman
Only when the instinct is excited, will it require satisfaction. Once
the instinct requires satisfaction, it will drive Humankind to acquire
it, and the human will experience anxiety as long as the instinct is
excited. Once it is calmed down, anxiety will no longer exist. The
non-satisfaction of this instinct will not result in death or any
physical, mental, or psychological harm. Harm will be merely through
anxiety and frustration. Consequently the satisfaction of this
instinct is not mandatory such as the satisfaction of the organic
needs (food, drink ,relieving), it is rather a matter to bring about
tranquillity and comfort.
Two matters excite the instinct:
1. The tangible reality and
2. Thought and association of ideas.
One of these matters at least, must be present for the instinct to be
excited. Meaning, it is not excited due to an internal motive (within
the human body), as is the case with the organic need, but rather from
an external incentive, namely the tangible reality or associated
thoughts. This holds true for all instincts, namely the instinct of
survival(for example to become rich...), sanctification (to worship..)
and procreation, with no difference between them.
Since the procreation instinct is similar to the other instincts in
that if it is excited it will require satisfaction, and since it is
not excited except by a tangible reality or associated thoughts, then
the human is able to control this satisfaction. As a matter of fact,
the human is able to initiate this satisfaction, or to prevent it from
taking place except in such a manner that it is geared towards
preserving the human race. Seeing the opposite sex or any tangible
reality related to the procreation instinct will excite the instinct
and cause it to require satisfaction. Consequently, reading sexual
stories and listening to sexual ideas will excite the procreation
instinct. Conversely, keeping away from the opposite sex (except blood
relatives), sexual ideas or anything related to the procreation
instinct will prevent the instinct from being excited. This is so
because the procreation instinct cannot be excited except by a
tangible reality or a sexual thought.
If the community's view of the relationship between men and woman is
focused on the male-female relations, i.e. the sexual relations, as is
the case in Western society, then it will be preoccupied with creating
exciting tangible realities and generating sexual thoughts necessary
to excite the procreation instinct, so as to require satisfaction, and
by its satisfaction, the relationship is achieved and comfort is
gained. Contrary to this, if the view of the community to the
relationship between man and woman is focused on the purpose
(marriage,protecting one's spouse,training the kids..) for which this
instinct was created, namely preserving the human race, then keeping
the tangible realities and sexual thoughts away from men and woman in
public life is a necessity. Otherwise, the instinct will be excited
and require a satisfaction that is not available, a matter which
causes anxiety and frustrations. Also, restricting exciting tangible
realities to the case of marriage is necessary to preserve the human
race, by producing tranquillity and comfort when satisfaction is
demanded within marriage.
This is a clear indication of the extent that the community's view of
man-woman relations has in directing public life in the community and
in the society. Both the Western and Eastern view of the man-woman
relationship is one that is sexual, not one geared to preserving the
human race. Hence, they purposely worked on finding tangible realities
and sexual thoughts for man and woman to excite this instinct, in
order to satisfy it. They claimed that if this instinct is not
satisfied, this will lead to suppression, which leads to physical,
psychological and mental harm. As a result, one finds in the Eastern
and Western communities and in the Western and Communist societies,
many sexual thoughts in writing, poetry, and literature in general. It
is normal in these societies to have unnecessary free mixing between
men and women in their homes, parks, roads, and swimming pools for
example. This is because they consider these things a necessity that
they purposely create. It is a part of organising their life and a
part of their life style.
Muslims who believe in the Aqeedah of Islam and the validity of its
rules, carry a different point of view. Meaning, Islam views the
man-woman relations as for preserving the human race. The Islamic
point of view does not focus on the sexual aspect of the relationship:
though considering it an inseparable part of satisfaction, its
satisfaction, however, is not the real motive. Consequently, Islam
views the presence of sexual ideas and the tangible realities that
excite the instinct as a cause of corruption and harm. Hence, it
forbade man and woman; to meet in seclusion (Khulwa), the woman from
showing her charms to strangers and the men and women from looking at
each other in a sexual fashion. Islam also has defined the
co-operation between men and women in public life and confined sexual
relations between men and women to marriage.
Therefore, Islam works to prevent the procreation instinct from being
excited by anything in the public life and works to confine sexual
relations to marriage. Contrary to Islam, Capitalism and Communism
work to create situations that excite this instinct in order to
satisfy it and to set it loose (to the level of animals) in
everything. Also, while Islam views the man-woman relations as only
for the purpose of preserving the human race, Capitalism and Communism
view the man-woman relations as a male-female one, i.e. a sexual view.
The wide difference between what Islam aims to achieve and what the
other two ideologies are designed to achieve becomes evident. This
reflects the Islamic point of view as being one of purity,
righteousness and chastity. It is a point of view for the tranquillity
of the human and the continuation of his race.
With regard to what the Westerners and the Communists claim that
suppressing the sexual instinct in men and women alike causes mental,
physical and psychological disorders to the human, this claim is wrong
and conflicts with reality. This is due to the fact that there is a
difference between the organic needs and the instincts in terms of the
necessity of satisfaction. The former, such as the need for food,
drink, and relieving the call of nature, must be satisfied or it will
result in physical harm that may lead to death. As for the instincts
of survival, sanctification and procreation, if not satisfied (outside
marriage) these will not lead to any physical, mental or psychological
harm, but merely lead to anxiety . This is proven by the fact that a
person might spend his entire life without satisfying some of the
instincts and no harm befalls him. Also their claim that physical,
mental and psychological illnesses occur when the procreation instinct
is not satisfied is false, since it only happens to some individuals,
not humans at large. This shows that such illnesses do not happen
naturally due to its non-satisfaction but rather due to other factors.
If such complications were a result of suppressing the instinct, it
would have happened in every case of non-satisfaction, according to
the laws of nature, a matter which has never occurred. And they admit
to the fact that it does not occur naturally due to non-satisfaction.
Therefore, such complications must be due to factors other than the
suppression of the instinct.
Furthermore, an organic need requires satisfaction naturally from
within. It does not require an external stimulant, though an external
stimulant incites it when the need is present. This is different from
the instinct which does not become excited naturally from within,
without the presence of an external stimulant. It is not stimulated
internally unless there exists an external stimulant which results
either from an exciting tangible reality or an exciting sexual
thought, part of which is the association of exciting thoughts. When
the external factor is absent, there will be no stimulation. This
holds true for all instincts with no difference between the instinct
of survival, sanctification or procreation and with all their external
aspects. Therefore, if a stimulant for any instinct is present, the
person will be excited and the instinct will require satisfaction.
Once the stimulant is kept at bay or the person becomes occupied in
something that is more important, the demand for satisfaction will
disappear and he will calm down. This is different from the organic
need where once excited, it will never go away until satisfied.
This clearly demonstrates that if the procreation instinct is not
satisfied, there will result no physical, mental or psychological
illness, since it is merely an instinct, and not an organic need. What
in fact happens is that once a person is confronted with an exciting
tangible reality or sexual thought, which stimulates the procreation
instinct, that person will be excited and demand satisfaction. If the
demand is not met with satisfaction, that person will experience
nothing more than anxiety. With repetition, anxiety will turn to pain
(also sexual problems later and abnormal behaviour). However, if the
stimulant is kept away or the person is kept occupied with something
that dominates the instinct, the anxiety disappears. Therefore,
suppressing the procreation instinct once aroused will result in
anxiety and pain, and if not excited, nothing will result, not even
anxiety or pain. Therefore, the proper solution is not to excite the
instinct. This is achieved by preventing anything from exciting it as
long as it can not be satisfied (until one gets married).
This shows the fallacy of the Western and Communist point of view,
which made the community's view to the relations between men and women
focused on the male-female relations(a sexual one). Consequently, it
shows the falsehood of the treatment produced by this point of view of
stimulating the instinct in the man and the woman via highlighting
things that stimulate it, such as free mixing, dancing, games,
stories, etc. It also shows the truthfulness of the Islamic point of
view which made the community's view to man-woman relations focused on
the purpose for which this instinct was created, namely preserving the
human race. Accordingly, it shows the correctness of the solution
produced by this view of keeping away any kind of stimulating tangible
reality or sexual thought when legal satisfaction through marriage .
Therefore, Islam alone is able to completely and correctly treat the
corruption caused by the procreation instinct in the society and among
the people. Such correct and complete treatment will result in piety,
tranquility and elevation in the society and among the people.

The Family & The SexualRevolution

Family is a Mutual Commitment
The Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said:"Women are the
other half of men."The unit of humanity is not a man or a woman. It is
a man and a woman in that unison that makes them a family (just like
the smallest part of water is not oxygen or hydrogen but both united).
Like Judaism, Christianity and many other religions, Islam decrees
that the pairing off of a man and a woman to make a family constitutes
a sacred bond that the Holy Qur'aan calls "a stout pledge", that has
to be documented and authenticated by the "marriage contract" or
wedlock.
It signifies the commitment of the spouses to one another and
establishes their mutual rights and responsibilities as well as those
vis-a-vis their children.
Children have the right to legitimacy (birth under a marriage contract
and having and knowing their father and mother), loving care as they
are raised, being nurtured and catered for both physically and
spiritually, and the right of education and getting them equipped to
face life and bear its responsibilities as mature and useful citizens.
As the parents attain old age or get incapacitated some way or
another, it is the children's religious duty to look after them and
cater to their comfort without feeling impatient or distressed about
it. It is a right towards Allah.
Of course, it is the perpetual insurance for the future of the
children as they themselves grow up and become parents and attain old
age. This solidarity of the family and strength of the family ties is
of paramount importance in Islam. It spreads even beyond the nuclear
family along the widening circles of blood ties. The Quran calls it
"the relation of the womb".
It is both a duty and a rewardable charity to be kind to those blood
kindred through friendly care or financial support if needed. Even
after parents have died, it remains one's duty to pray for them, and
even to maintain the ties with their friends, show them courtesy, and
offer help if needed.
Purpose of Marriage in Islam
In Islam, marriage subserves two functions, and it is only marriage
that lawfully subserves them. The one is to fulfil the yearning of the
one half to its other half and their becoming one, both physically and
spiritually. Says the Holy Qur'aan:"Amongst His signs is that He
created for you, from amongst you, consorts, with whom to dwell in
tranquility; and He laid love and compassion between you."(30:21)
The other function is to procreate and have a progeny. Says Allah
Almighty:"God made for you, from amongst you, consorts, and out of
your consorts made for you children and grandchildren; and bestowed on
you from His bounty; would they then believe in the vain things and
deny the blessings of God?"(16:72) Marriage is the only legitimate
venue for sex and reproduction. Trespassing outside marriage is a
grave sin. To satisfy these legal criteria must be a very rare event,
and it seems it was meant to be so.
It is noteworthly that the same moral principles used to prevail also
in America and the West, but with the slippage of more and more people
into atheism or microtheism, change was inevitable. Atheism is when
God is denied. Microtheism is when God is acknowledged but with
reduced Godliness. We worship Him but on our own terms. We visit the
houses of worship usually on weekends, but we do not allow God out to
tell us what to do with our private or public lives. This erosion of
faith set the stage for the "sexual revolution", as all religious
values became subject to radical revision.
Origin of the Sexual Revolution and the Immorality of the West
The sexual revolution did not start as recently as we think in the
sixties. Nor was it the outcome of a passive natural social change. It
was the result of intelligent planning, hard work and perseverance. It
all started with the extreme fascination with scsience and its
technological capabilities, in the wake of banishment of the church
from delving into public life.
The human mind became the Ultimate arbiter of all human affairs, and
all time-honoured values were subjected to its new rulings. In their
haste and superficiality, however, people missed the obvious fact that
the human mind itself, and by its own admission, is an imperfect
instrument, and that with its limitation it cannot pass such ultimate
judgments as those concerning the absolute moral standards.
To further replace God by man, a movement arose between the two world
wars called "Morality without Religion", accusing religion, and not
human error, of causing enmity and conflict between people. They
pretended the same moralities could be attained without necessarily
ascribing them to religion and called them "unattached moralities".
But as religion moved out of focus, God was dethroned, and new codes
of morality were issued wherein the immoralities of yesterday became
the normalities of today, and secular humanism could, at last, frankly
declare that human values must be made by human beings and without
relevance to any non-human or supernatural reference.
With the shift towards materialism, such values as honour, chastity
and purity became empty words and nonviable currency. A full range of
indoctrination worked to stretch the boundaries of freedom to include
licence, and in a society that emphasises individuality, every human
whim became a human right.
It was another setback when the tidal wave that hit society deluged
also many of the traditional custodians of religion and protectors of
its values. These were the Trojan horse, because instead of leaving
the religious camp to the libertarian camp, they started working on
religion itself by new re-interpretations and new exegesis of the
texts to render lawful and permissible what has been unlawful and
reprehensive along the whole history of those religions. Many of those
clergy themselves fell prey to the germs they were supposed to fend
off. Some even interpreted the institution of "celibacy" as refraining
from marriage but not from having sex.
The result, as expected, is this chaotic sexual conduct of whole
societies. Without the values of chastity outside marriage and
fidelity within it, came the desecration of sex as a very special bond
between a man and a woman, mass and promiscuous sex, spur posses,
rapes, unwanted pregnancies ending in abortion or unwanted children
stripped of their right of legitimate double parentage, and children
begetting children.
Further, family trust is eroded when even in stable families some 15
percent of the children are not having their fathers, added to all
this are health hazards due to the epidemic spread of sexually
transmitted diseases, whether new diseases or the recurrence of old
ones we thought have been conquered long ago. Their causative
organisms have acquired resistance to known antibiotic therapy, and
with rising promiscuity they are exacting a heavy toll on the
community, especially the youth.
No Confusion in Islam
We, Muslims, do not have any confusion or vagueness about what is
lawful in our religion and what is unlawful. The moralities and the
immoralities specified in the Holy Qur'aan will remain so forever, and
cannot be diluted or manipulated or rationalized according to anyone's
whim. There are no clergy or scholars who can claim to be endowed with
the right or ability of special interpretation. This does not mean
that all Muslims are, therefore, virtuous people who do not sin. Of
course, Muslims violate their own religion by committing sins and
abominations, but at least they know it is sin, and it will remain on
their conscience until they desist and repent to Allah.
The real challenge the Muslim citizens of the Western communities are
facing is that their children are raised under social and moral norms
that conflict with the teachings of Islam. But the Muslims are not
alone in this, because there are also Jews, Christians and others who
uphold the same divine moralities and make every effort to endow their
children with them.
Our way with our children follows an early introduction to Allah, and
that when we believe in Him it means we accept and abide by His rules.
If we follow His rules, we do not bother if the others do not, for
when one is on the side of Allah then one is in the majority. This
breeds the confidence that resists peer pressure and the vagaries of
temptation. "They all do it" ceases to be an excuse.
The vaccination approach aims at building up immunity long before the
child is exposed to disease: be it physical or moral. Just like a
soldier is prepared to battle before and not during the battle, future
hazards and catches are discussed with the child so that he/she would
decide in advance what position to take when the time comes whether
the offer is smoking, drink, drug or sex.
Fortunately, the preaching of premarital chastity entails more than an
order to obey (of course the teaching is that when Allah orders, we
hear and we obey). Discussions with Muslim and non-Muslim youth
presented the case equally powerfully even along purely intellectual
lines. "Who believes in equality of the sexes?", and it is an
unanimous vote. "Who believes in justice?", and again it is a
unanimous agreement. The proposition is then introduced that any
relationship between two partners, the consequences of which are not
equally shared by both, cannot constitute justice; and they all agree.
In a situation of liberal sex, the consequences are not equally
shared, because the female side is the loser all the way, whether she
is deserted, or gets pregnant and goes for abortion, or gives birth
and signs away her baby for adoption or ends with a fatherless baby to
support alone for the rest of her life. When we observe the
consequences and ask the question, "Can this be justice?" the general
shout is "No!".
Homesexuality and its Consequences
The homosexuality movement was a fairly late comer on the wagon of the
sexual revolution. Homosexuality, of course, is not a new invention as
it has always been there in practically all cultures and among all
people but, one would guess, in more limited proportions. It had its
lobby whose activities followed more or less subtle ways, but its
influence mushroomed only over the past decade or so.
A "Gay Bowel Syndrome" was described in the medical literature, and
later it was AIDS that made the news and its relation to homosexual
behaviour being established. Very soon the AIDS problem was pushed out
of the medical arena and its rules and regulations for handling
infectious diseases.
It became a political issue, and the homosexual lobby further grew
into a political power capable of intimidating office bearers and
political figures and gaining the support of many in the media, the
arts and the clergy. Instead of AIDS being contained, it spilled over
to blood recipients, drug addicts, the foetus in utero, heterosexual
contacts with wives and others and accidental infections.
It became a global epidemic that is spreading at a serious pace. To
the AIDS patient we have empathy and compassion and hopefully the best
available medical and nursing care. To those not infected, we
recommend the preventive approach. This is not the condom, for there
is no such a thing as safe sex. It is chastity until marriage, and
fidelity within marriage.
The debate about homosexuality is ravaging. "Be what you are" they
say, "and do not be ashamed of it". Many unsuspecting youth started to
experiment, to discover what they really are. Consent is a requisite,
and the lobbies in Scandinavia are trying to bring down the consent
age to four years. A 'Gay Pride Day' is annually observed in
California with media coverage, a 'Gay Pride Month' in some school
districts has been established to remove bigotry and prejudice, and
two-man or two-woman households are being presented as alternative
forms of family.
Recently, science began exploring a possible anatomical or genetic
basis for homosexual orientation. We Muslims are not impressed, and to
us the matter is that simple. We do not make our religion, but we
receive it and we obey it. We cannot impose anything on anyone, but to
us, the Holy Qur'aan and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Sall
Allaho alaihe wasallam) clearly and explicitly condemn homosexual
practices.
Whether you have the orientation or not, whether you harbour the gene
or not, your feelings and desires shall not dictate your behaviour.
You might be dying to do something (be it homosexual contact or
heterosexual with a partner who is not your wife or taking an
alcoholic drink or an urge for a violent action or a desire to steal
something that is not yours), what you feel need not be what you do.
Says Allah Almighty in the Holy Qur'aan:"It is not for a believing man
or woman if a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to
have a choice of their own. If anyone disobeys Allah and His
Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path."(33:36). Every human
being has an undisputed gene without which they cannot be a human
being: it is called the "gene of self-control"!

Sex in Islam Sex as Sadaqa

An excerpt from 'The Muslim Marriage Guide', By Ruqaiyyah Waris
Maqsood (Amana Publications).
"Women shall have rights similar to the rights upon them; according to
what is equitable and just; and men have a degree of advantage over
them."(Quran, 2:216)
They do indeed! This passage of the Holy Quran was revealed in
connection with the rights of women following a divorce, but it also
has a general sense. One basic right of every person taking on a
contract never to have sex other than with their own legitimate
partner is that each spouse should therefore provide sexual
fulfillment (imta') to the other, as part of the bargain.
Now, every man knows what sexual things please him--but some men,
particularly those who have not been married before and are therefore
lacking experience, don't seem to know much about how to give the same
pleasure to the woman; even worse, some men do know but they can't be
bothered to make the effort. Yet this is vital if a marriage is to
succeed and not just be a disappointing burden for the woman, and it
is a vital part of one's Islamic duty.
It is not acceptable for a Muslim man just to satisfy himself while
ignoring his wife's needs. Experts agree that the basic psychological
need of a man is respect, while that of a woman is love. Neither
respect nor love are things that can be forced--they have to be worked
for, and earned. The Prophet (s) stated that in one's sexual intimacy
with one's life partner there is sadaqa (worship through giving):
Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said:"In the sexual act of each of you there
is a sadaqa."The Companions replied: "O Messenger of Allah! When one
of us fulfils his sexual desire, will he be given a reward for that?"
And he said,"Do you not think that were he to act upon it unlawfully,
he would be sinning? Likewise, if he acts upon it lawfully he will be
rewarded."(Muslim)
This hadith only makes sense if the sexual act is raised above the
mere animal level.
What is the magic ingredient that turns sex into sadaqa, that makes it
a matter of reward or punishment from Allah? It is by making one's sex
life more than simple physical gratification; it is by thought for
pleasing Allah by unselfish care for one's partner. A husband that
cannot understand this will never be fully respected by his wife.
Neither spouse should ever act in a manner that would be injurious or
harmful to their conjugal life. Nikah is the sacred tie between
husband and wife, that sincere and devoted love without which they
cannot attain happiness and peace of mind.
"Of His signs is this: that He created for you spouses that you might
find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy."(Quran,
30:21)
Now, every Muslim knows that a man has a right on his wife. However,
because nikah is a contract never to seek sexual satisfaction outside
the marriage bond, Islam commands not only the women but the men in
this respect, and makes it clear that if a husband is not aware of the
urges and needs of his wife, he will be committing a sin by depriving
her of her rights.
According to all four orthodox jurists, it is incumbent upon the
husband to keep his wife happy and pleased in this respect. Likewise,
it is essential for the wife to satisfy the desire of the husband.
Neither should reject the other, unless there is some lawful excuse.
Now, it is fairly easy for a woman to satisfy a man and make herself
available to him, even if she is not really in the mood. It is far
harder for a man to satisfy a woman if he is not in the mood, and this
is where an important aspect of male responsibility needs to be
brought to every Muslim man's attention, and stressed strongly.
The jurists believed that a woman's private parts needed "protecting"
(tahsin). What they meant was that it was important for a Muslim
husband to satisfy his wife's sexual needs so that she would not be
tempted to commit zina out of despair or frustration.
A Muslim wife is not merely a lump of flesh without emotions or
feelings, just there to satisfy a man's natural urges. On the
contrary, her body contains a soul no less important in God's sight
than her husband's. Her heart is very tender and delicate, and crude
or rough manners would hurt her feelings and drive away love. The
husband would be both foolish and immoral to act in any way
unpalatable to her natural temperament, and a man selfishly seeking
his own satisfaction without considering that of his wife is a selfish
boor. In fact, according to a hadith:
"Three things are counted as inadequacies in a man. Firstly, meeting
someone he would like to get to know, and taking leave of him before
learning his name and his family. Secondly, rebuffing the generosity
that another shows to him. And thirdly, going to his wife and having
intercourse with her before talking to her and gaining her intimacy,
satisfying his need from her before she has satisfied her need from
him."(Daylami)
This is another of the things implied by the saying that one's wife
is"a tilth unto you."(Quran, 2:223) The imagery is that of a farmer
taking care of his fields. According to Mawlana Abul-Ala Mawdudi:
"The farmer sows the seed in order to reap the harvest, but he does
not sow it out of season or cultivate it in a manner which will injure
or exhaust the soil. He is wise and considerate, and does not run
riot." (Afzalur Rahman, Quranic Sciences, London 1981, p.285)
Likewise, in the case of husband and wife, the husband should not just:
"Take hold of his wife and rub the seed and finish the business of
procreation. The damage in this case could sometimes be irreparable,
because a woman, unlike a farm, is very sensitive and has emotions,
feelings, and strong passions which need full satisfaction and
attention in a proper and appropriate manner." (Afzalur Rahman,
Quranic Sciences, London 1981, p. 286)
If this is not taken into consideration, and the wife is not properly
prepared to start lovemaking, or is unsatisfied when it is finished,
there could be many psychological and physiological complications
leading to frigidity and other abnormalities. Indeed, many husbands
eventually become disappointed with their wives, believing them to be
frigid or unable to respond to their activities (unlike the sirens on
the film or TV screen), and they wonder what is wrong with them. A
possible explanation will follow in a moment.
Allah created male and female from a single soul in order that man
might live with her in serenity (Quran, 7:189), and not in
unhappiness, frustration and strife. If your marriage is frankly
awful, then you must ask yourself how such a desperate and tragic
scenario could be regarded by anyone as "half the Faith." According to
a hadith:
"Not one of you should fall upon his wife like an animal; but let
there first be a messenger between you.""And what is that messenger?"
they asked, and he replied:"Kisses and words."(Daylami)
These "kisses and words" do not just include foreplay once intimacy
has commenced. To set the right mood, little signals should begin well
in advance, so that the wife has a clue as to what is coming, and is
pleasantly expectant, and also has adequate time to make herself
clean, attractive and ready. As regards intimacy itself, all men know
that they cannot achieve sexual fulfillment if they are not aroused.
They should also realise that it is actually harmful and painful for
the female organs to be used for sex without proper preparation. In
simple biological terms, the woman's private parts need a kind of
natural lubrication before the sexual act takes place. For this, Allah
has created special glands, known to modern doctors as the Bartholin
glands, which provide the necessary "oils."
It is still possible to read old-fashioned advice to husbands that a
desirable wife should be "dry"--which is remarkable ignorance and
makes one really grieve for the poor wives of such inconsiderate men.
Just as no one would dream of trying to run an engine without the
correct lubricating fluids, it is the same, through the creative will
of Allah, with the parts of the female body designed for sexual
intimacy. A husband should know how to stimulate the production of
these "oils" in his wife, or at the very least allow her to use some
artificial "oils." This lack of knowledge or consideration is where so
many marital problems frequently arise.
As Imam al-Ghazali says: "Sex should begin with gentle words and
kissing," and Imam al-Zabidi adds: "This should include not only the
cheeks and lips; and then he should caress the breasts and nipples,
and every part of her body." (Zabidi, Ithaf al-Sada al Muttaqin, V
372) Most men will not need telling this; but it should be remembered
that failure to observe this Islamic practice is to neglect or deny
the way Allah has created women.
Insulting a wife with bad marital manners
Firstly, a husband must overcome his shyness enough to actually look
at his wife, and pay attention to her. If he cannot bring himself to
follow this sunna, it is an insult to her, and extremely hurtful.
Personal intimacy is a minefield of opportunities to hurt each
other--glancing at the watch, a yawn at the wrong moment, appearing
bored, and so on. A husband's duty is to convince his wife that he
does love her--and this can only be done by word (constantly repeated
word, I might add--such is the irritating nature of women!), and by
looking and touching.
Many people believe that the expression in the eyes reveals much of
the human soul. Certainly the lover's gaze is a most endearing and
treasured thing. Many wives yearn for that gaze of love, even after
they have been married for years. If you cannot bring yourself to look
at her while paying attention to her, she can only interpret this as a
sign that you do not really love her. And even though it may be
irritating to you, and seem quite superfluous, most women are deeply
moved when a man actually tells her that he loves her.
Sex is clean!
A modest upbringing is part of good character. The Prophet (s) himself
said:"Modesty brings nothing but good."(Bukhari and Muslim) But
another, also important, part of Islamic teaching says that all of
Allah's creation is beautiful and pure, particularly when it is part
of the body of human beings, who are designed as His deputies upon the
earth. In some religions, people traditionally believed that the
woman's private parts are in some way unclean, or dirty, or even evil.

Fathwa, - Misconceptions in Islam

Question
I don't mean to sound like a disbeliever, but scholars always speak of
the reward for men in heaven how they will have "Hour al-'Een". How
can a man can keep more than one wife? What's in it for women? I
believe Allah to be a Just and Fair God. I just want to understand. If
there are any books you recommend I would be grateful. I need to learn
more because I feel that the way Islam is preached nowadays is
undeserving to God. There are so many misconceptions and preachings
that make you want to turn away from Islam. Allah is a kind God,
Tender and Gentle with His worshippers. Where is all this meanness and
bad presentations coming from?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
One has to believe that Allah, The Great and Almighty, is Just,
Generous Affectionate, Wise and All-Knowing. He does what He likes and
chooses; no one has the right to review or rebut His Orders. So, He,
in His Wisdom, has chosen that a man can marry four women, not the
opposite. Here, only those who have faith and insight can recognize
the wisdom behind such a ruling.
He has decreed that a believer can take delight in a number of al-Hour
al-'Een )dark-eyed damsels(, while a believing woman only loves her
husband and wants nobody but him.
Allah Says )interpretation of meaning(:}And with them will be chaste
females, restraining their glances )desiring none except their
husbands(, with wide and beautiful eyes.{]37:48[.
You have to know that there are no unmarried people in Paradise. A
woman who was spinster or her husband was not from the people of
Paradise will be given a husband and rewarded with Divine blessings
and bliss, that no a human being can imagine.
In addition, know that there is no similarity between affairs of this
life and those of the Hereafter.
In other words, a woman may wish to have more than one husband in this
world, but she will not have such a desire in the Hereafter, i.e. in
the Paradise, since her delight lies in having only one husband,
without wishing a substitute.
This, in fact, shows completeness of the Divine wisdom, His ability
and kindness.
Thus, a Muslim is advised to seek from this Present Life what leads
him/her to the Paradise. In simple words, he/she does not have to be
engaged with such matters )discussed in this Fatwa( that cannot be
changed.
If Allah honors him/her with entering the Paradise, he/she will see
what no eye has ever seen, hear what no ear has ever heard and what no
one can imagine.
We ask Allah to make us and you from the people of His Paradise and favor.
Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Freedom of women in Islam

Question
Why in Islam women do not have their freedom?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
A woman was in a miserable state before Islam. She was subject to
humiliation, injustice and oppression. She was buried alive for fear
of poverty. Also, because women were used as a means for gaining money
and for prostitution, which is a source of disgrace.
By the advent of Islam Shari'a honors the woman, gives her natural
position in life and returns her freedom. In general, she is like a
man except in some rulings and regulations that befit her
physiologically.
The woman in Islam ranks high as a daughter, sister, wife and mother.
Islam grants the woman her personal and financial freedom as well as
independence to behave within the Shari'a limits and good customs that
Islam sanctions, i.e. without committing what is Haram such as
displaying her charm, misdeeds and uncovering her body. At the same
time, man has freedom, but within Shari'a limitations and good and
useful customs that Islam sanctions.
So, it is not true to say that women do not rank high in Islam.
Whoever wants Muslim women to be free from her modesty, morals, honor
and religion wants misery for her, to overburden her and to ask her to
do what she naturally cannot.
Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Claims about woman in Islam

Question
There is a new group which has come recently to my city and claim that
they are addressing common misconceptions about Islam by Muslims
themselves.
These are a few of their teachings:
- looking at a woman in her eye while addressing her is a cultural
thing and has nothing to do with Islam.
- women are highly encouraged to work )even outside homes, i.e. offices, etc.(.
- the public is Mahram for a woman.
- women only need husband's permission to go out only if the travel or
period of absence is more than 3 days.
-the voice of a woman is not Awrah.
- males are allowed to attend and listen to Qur'an recitation
competitions involving women.
- the seating arrangements which seek to segregate man and women is a
cultural thing.
- Islam does not preach strict segregation of the sexes )they used
Hajj as an example(.
- women are allowed to give Adhan )without any specifications(.
However there would be grave consequences and that is why they don't
do so.
- Sahabah used to sit in a big room with man facing women )more of a
mixed seating but women with women and man with man, however in an
open manner(.
- if they sat together)man and woman(, every woman sat with her Mahram
in a big circle.
Please tell me if these things are right as I have had a different
upbringing )different teachings(. If they are, give me a few evidence
and if they aren't, again give me some evidences.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
Men should not look at alien women nor should women look at alien men
as this is forbidden by the clear texts of the Qur'an and Hadith.
Allah Says )interpretation of meaning(:}Tell the believing men to
lower their gaze )from looking at forbidden things(, … And tell the
believing women to lower their gaze )from looking at forbidden
things(, …{]24: 30-31[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said:"Allah has written
forAdam's son his share of Zina which he commits inevitably. The Zina
of the eyes is the sight )looking at an alien woman("]Reported by
Imamsal-BukhariandMuslim[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said toAli:"OAli! Do not
follow an unintentional look )at alien women( with another look. The
first glance is for you )pardonable( whereas the other glance is not
for you )that is a sin(". Transmitted byal-Tirmiziwho considered it as
good. There are many Ahadith proving this ruling.
So, whoever claims that lowering gaze from looking at alien women is
merely a cultural matter and not a religious act should recheck his
religion, Islam.
2( Working is permissible for the woman as long as the following
conditions are met:
a( When the Muslim community needs her services such as a lady doctor,
lady teacher, etc.
b( Working in a non-mixed environment.
c( Observing the rulings of Sharia as for as the matter of Hijab is concerned.
Yet it is more suitable for her to stay in her house taking care of
her children, the future generation, which is, indeed, best for her
and for the community as well.
Allah Says )interpretation of meaning(:}And stay in your houses, and
do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, …{]33:
33[.
3( Jurists have different opinions concerning the matter of presence
of a woman among a great number of men, is it permissible or not? The
preponderant opinion is that it is permissible provided there is no
temptation; otherwise, it is forbidden as agreed by all jurists.
However, traveling of a woman in public without being accompanied by a
Mahram is not permitted with the exception of the dire necessity. Some
jurists permitted her only to travel to perform obligatory Umrah and
Hajj with the company of trustworthy group of women.
4( Going out without having husband's permission is not permissible,
let alone traveling, which is strictly forbidden with a greater
reason.
5( Is the voice of a woman Awrah )must be covered( or not? This is a
matter of discussion among scholars. The preponderant opinion is that
it is not Awrah except if there is a chance of temptation.
6( There is no harm if a man attends the Qur'an recitation competition
of women provided the women are in complete Hijab fulfilling the
rulings of Sharia and provided he is certain to not to be tempted on
hearing their recitation.
However, it is better that only women attend in such competition in
order to block the ways that could lead to evil.
7( Islam urges that there be separate places for men and women at
gatherings since mixing of both sexes leads to many evil and shameful
acts. There are many evidence proving this fact.
Allah Says )interpretation of meaning(:}And stay in your houses, …{]33: 33[.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said:"The best rows for men
are the first rows, and the worst one are the last ones, and the best
rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the
first ones".
This is because the first row of women is closer to the men's ranks
and the last rank is farther from them.
The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( used to order men to delay
leaving of mosque till the women left. This rule was only to prevent
them from mixing with women. If it is undesirable for men and women to
be close at the time of worshipping Allah, remembering Him, how much
more so in a place full of doubts and temptations. The Prophet
)Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( said toUmm Salamah:"Perform the Tawaf
while riding from behind the people"]Reported by Imamal-Bukhari[.
Hafiz Ibn Hajarhighlighted the reason and said:'The Prophet
)Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( ordered her to make Tawaf from behind
the people since it would provide more cover for her from being seen
by men'.
In short, we mentioned but a few evidences here; otherwise, the
evidence is too much to be covered in this Fatwa.
8( Taking Hajj as an example for the permissibility of mixing men and
women is totally baseless. Is it correct to say that wine is
permissible since some Muslims drink it? It is not sound to take the
example of Hajj to allow the mixing of both sexes since a mistake can
never be an excuse for another mistake.
9( Women can call for Azan but without raising their voice.
Imanal-Shafi'esaid:'Calling Azan and Iqama is permitted for women but
it is better not to raise their voice'. The reason is that her voice
may cause seduction to others.
10( As for their claim that the companions of the Prophet )Sallallahu
Alaihi wa Sallam( used to sit in a big room facing women … we ask them
to produce the evidence for this claim. This claim is full of
ambiguity and is beyond the reality.
No doubt, some companions of the Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam(
used to visit other companions and sometimes some of them visit some
women for some legal purpose but it was totally free from being alone
with them, unveiled and free from any kind of suspicion, which is
common now.
In short, their claims consist of true and false. It is apparent that
they are keen to encourage men to mix with the opposite sex and
socializing with alien women. Indeed, this practice will open many
doors to seduction. Therefore, it is better for men to avoid being
seen by women and it is better too for women to be far from the eyes
of men as reported from Ayisha )Radiya Allahu Anha(.
We ask Allah to make us steadfast on right path.
Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Certain women's rights and responsibilities in Islam

Question
1(Why in Islam girls cannot go out alone , but here in Europe is it
possible to go out alone ?
2(What is the problem when girl has a boyfriend, before they get married?
3(What are the problems bad effects of freedom of Europe on and
American women )Like sex,bad clothes, etc.(
4( Men in Islam can have many wives, why can't women have many husbands?
Please I want full answers .
5(How can I invite non-Muslim people to be Muslims?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
It is unlawful for the woman to travel alone without a Mahram )a
non-marriageable man )brother, father, uncle etc.(. This prohibition
is due to the fact that a woman traveling without Mahram can encounter
a lot of difficulties, including being raped or tempted to commit
Haram acts.
It is lawful for the woman to leave her house for some need provided
she is certain that she will not be tempted or her going out will not
cause her some misfortune.
So, she can go alone to schools, hospitals or to any other place if
there is a legal purpose for going there and provided she respects all
the Shari'a conditions related to this.
For the Fatwa about boyfriends and fiancé, please read 81356.
There are many bad consequences that result from libertinism of women.
These include sexual anarchy, mixing up progenity, spreading sexually
transmitted diseases, etc.
We do not call this freedom, it is rather worshipping Satan and being
inclined to his whispers. It also makes real the bad ideas of the
ill-informed people who take every opportunity to influence women by
beautifying to them to perform bad acts and calling that freedom.
Allah knows best.

Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Aziz (PBUH)

The lineage genealogy of the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) linked
with that of Harun bin 'Umran. The name of his father was Khalqiyah.
The Holy Quran has made mention of him in theSurah Tawbah (Immunity).
The Jews regarded him as the son of Allah as the Christians thought
'Esa (peace be upon him) as His son. The Holy Quran affirms:
"The Jews say: 'Aziz is the son of Allah and the Christians say: The
Messiah is the son of Allah. Such they say in their mouth! These
resemble the sayings of the infidels of old. Allah do battle with
them. How are they misguided?" ( Surah 9: Verse 29)
He was the son of Sharahya, the Scribe. He was in his teens when
Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and put it to rout. When he attained
the age offorty yearsthecrown of Prophet hoodwas conferred upon his
head. He began to perform the duty of showing the path of
righteousness to the depraved humanity. He was held in high esteem
among his followers. When the Israelites planned to reconstruct
theBait-ul-Muqaddis, he exercised his influence to gain co-operation
of the Government officials. He assisted the Jews to carry out their
plan.
Al-Baizawi says: During the Babylonish captivity theTorahwas lost and
there was none who remembered it. Allah raised up Aziz (peace be upon
him) from the dead one century after his burial. He dictated to the
scribes from his memory the whole Jewish law (Torah). He would have
been fully worthy of having been the law-giver ifMusa(peace be upon
him) had not preceded him. History bears testimony to this fact that
the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) guided the Israelites during the
period which lasted from the destruction of Jerusalem to the
reconstruction of Bait-ul-Muqadis.
It has been narrated that a person rode upon an ass and passed near a
city calledJerusalem. He possessed a basket of figs and a vessel of
the juice of grapes. He wondered at the power of Allah and said: How
will Allah re-build and populate it again?
Aziz (peace be upon him) was much shocked at the sight of dilapidated
dwellings. When he was under the sway of utter disappointment, Allah
caused him todie for a hundred years. Then He raised him to life and
said: "How long have you tarried here?"
He replied: I have tarried for a day or a part of it. He slept in the
first part of the day and was deprived of his life. He was reanimated
at sunset.
Allah, the Exalted said: "You have tarried a hundred years. Look at
your food and drink. They are as fresh as you have left them. They
have remained unchanged even after the passage of century. Look at the
ass. It has been decomposed and reduced to skeleton of bones. I have
wrought this miracle to make manifest to you that I have the power to
immune or destroy anything." The Holy Qurannarrates this miracle in
the following Verses:
"And how He demeaned him who passed by a city which had been laid in
ruins. He said: How shall Allah give life to this city after it had
been destroyed. And Allah caused him to die for a hundred years and
then raised him to life. He said: How long have you waited? He said: I
have waited a day or part of a day. Allah said: look on your food and
your drink; they are not corrupted. Look on your ass, We would make
you a sign for men and look on the bones of your ass, how We will
raise them, then clothe them with flesh and when this was shown to
him, he said: I acknowledge that Allah has power to do all things." (
Surah 2: Verse 259)
Allah commanded the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) to go to
Jerusalem torender services to the cause of religion. He passed away
atSa'irabad near 'Iraq. He was buried there. Some historians say that
his grave is inDamascus.

Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Ayub (PBUH)

The Prophet Ayub(peace be upon him) was one of the descendants of
theProphet Ibrahim(peace be upon him) and a nephew ofProphet
Ya'qub(peace be upon him). He was sent to reform the people who lived
in the desert situated in the north eastern corner ofPalestine. When
Ayub (Job) was chosen to be the Prophet, he started to teach the
people about God and His religion. He advised the people to do good
and shun evil. As usual with all the Prophets very few people believed
in him in the beginning but gradually the number of his followers
began to increase.
The Prophet Ayub was Well Off
The Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him) was a prosperous man with firm
faith in Allah. He possessed vast farms, enormous wealth, many cattle
and valuable property but these things did not make him arrogant. His
wealth provided him with a medium by means of which he sought Allah's
grace.
The Prophet Ayub Displays Patience
The Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him) was a pattern of humility and
faith in Allah. He was verypatient. He suffered from a number of
calamities but did not utter a single word of complaint. One day his
big farm was attacked by the thieves. They killed many of his servants
and carried away forcibly all his cattle. The Prophet Ayub (peace be
upon him) did not feel sorry at this loss and thanked Allah.
After some time the roof of the housefell down and many members of his
family were crushed. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was much
shocked but he held fast to his faith in Allah. He neither shed a tear
nor heaved a sigh. He prostrated before the Almighty. He remarked that
possessions and children were the gifts from Allah. If He had taken
His things, it was useless to lament over their loss.
After a few years Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him) suffered fromskin
disease. His parts of body were covered with loathsome sores. He had
many ugly looking ulcers on his face and hands. The sores were full of
worms. It is narrated that he picked up those worms which fell from
his abscess and praised Allah for creating them.
Above all, hisfalse friendsattributed his calamities to his sins. They
ridiculed and looked down upon him. All the persons deserted him with
the exception of his faithful wife,Rahima. She also grew tired of him
in the long run and prayed for his death. She cursed her husband for
retaining integrity in Allah. When Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him)
was in an extremely pathetic condition he prayed:
"Truly adversity has afflicted me and You are Most Merciful of all who
show mercy." ( Surah 21: Verse 83)
Allah accepted his prayer. The Holy Quran affirms:
"Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he
suffered, and We gave him his household and the like thereof along
with them, a mercy from Our store and remembrance for the
worshippers." ( Surah 21: Verse 84)
The Prophet Ayub Recovers and Prospers
Allah turned to him with mercy. He was commanded to strike the earth
with his foot. He complied with the order andwater from the
springgushed forth. He took a bath with the water andgot curedfrom his
evil disease. After this he was restored to prosperity. The Prophet
Ayub (peace be upon him) knelt and prayed expressing a deep sense of
gratitude to Allah. He never forgot His favours, mercy and love.
The Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him) was one of the celebrated
Prophets. His example illustrates: that those whoremain patient under
the stressof all circumstances, are never deprived of high rewards.
The Holy Quran affirms:
"And surely we try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of
wealth and crops, but give glad-tidings to the steadfast, who when a
misfortune befalls them, say lo! we are Allah's (possession of Allah)
and to Him shall we surely return. · Such are they on whom are
blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly-guided." (
Surah 2 : Verse 155-157)

Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Adam (PBUH)

Adamis an Arabic word for man. He was the progenitor of human race. He
is reckoned to be the first prophet by the Muslims. He was also the
first man whom Almighty Allah had created from the elements of clay.
The Holy Quranaffirms:
"O' mankind! Surely We created you from dust." ( Surah 30: Verse 20)
The gradual process of man's physical development has been referred to
in the following Verses of the Holy Quran:
"He began the creation of man from dust. Then He made his progeny of
an extract of water held in light esteem. Then He made him complete
and breathed into him of His spirit and made for you ears and eyes and
heart." ( Surah 32: 7-9)
According to the latest scientific researches the man has been created
from clay with all its element and their inherent properties. It is
discovered by a chemical analysis of the human body that a defect
occurs in its normal functioning when the quantity of any of these
element gets diminished. In such case vitamins are used to supplement
the deficiency and restore normal health.
The Creation of Prophet Adam
Before the creation of mortal, Almighty Allah directed all the Angels
to assemble. Thousands upon thousands of Angels (created from light)
and Jinns (created from fire) gathered in groups. They bowed
respectfully in the presence of Almighty Allah. The Creator of the
universe declared that He intended to create the man and sought their
counsel. The Angels and Iblis (Satan) disapproved the idea and pointed
out that human beings would cause disorder on the earth. They would
make mischief and shed blood indiscriminately. The Holy Quran gives a
description of this event in the following Verses:
"And when your Lord said to the angels: I am about to appoint a
vicegerent in the earth. They said: Will you place therein such as
will cause disorder in it or shed blood ? We celebrate your praise and
extol your holy names. He answered: I know what you know not." ( Surah
2: Verse 30)
Angels were asked to make Obeisance to Adam
Allah taught Adam the names of all things and inculcated into his mind
the knowledge of their properties. The Holy Quran says:
"And He taught Adam the names of all things; then presenting them to
the angels, He said: Tell Me the names of these if you are right." (
Surah 2: Verse 31)
The Angels did not know their names and said:
"Glory be to You. We have no knowledge except what You have taught us.
Surely, You are Knowing, the Wise." ( Surah 2: Verse 32)
After that Allah questioned Adam in the presence of all Angels about
the names of different objects. He gave correct answers on the basis
of this superiority. Allah asked all the Angels to bow as a mark of
respect to Adam who was created so miraculously. The Holy
Quranaffirms:
"O' angels! Fall down making obeisance to Adam" ( Surah 15: Verse 29)
Angels Prostrated but Iblis Refused
When the Angels heard the Commandment of Almighty Allah, they all
complied without hesitation. They bowed with respect and admiration to
the new creation and that was Adam. However Iblis (Satan) did not
surrender on various pretexts and stood still. The Holy Quran says:
"And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam, they did
obeisance, not so Iblis, he refused and was haughty and he was of the:
rejecters." ( Surah 2: Verse 34)
Challenge of Iblis
Iblis disobeyed Allah and became defiant. He arrogantly refused to
accept the authority of a creature who was made of rubbish. Iblis
thought himself superior to human being. As a result, God expelled
Satan from the Garden of Bliss and deprived him of all Divine favors.
Satan requested Almighty Allah to allow him to exist until the Day of
Judgment. I would bring most of the descendants of Adam under my sway.
I would lead them astray from the Right Path. Allah gave him respite.
The conversation between God and Iblis has been narrated in the Holy
Quranas follows:
"Iblis said: Give me respite till the Resurrection Day. Allah said: Be
you among those who are given respite. He said: Because You have
thrown me out of the way, I will certainly lie in wait for them on
Your Straight Path. Then will assault them from before them and behind
them, from their right and from their left, nor will You find most of
them grateful." ( Surah 7: 14-18)
Devil is, in fact, an evil spirit which temps the man to indulge in
sins. It invites the heart to do bad deeds and disobey Allah. It tries
to weaken our sense of morality but if we are spiritually too strong
to yield to its temptations, we become immune from all sins. Those who
follow the Commandments of Allah, invite God's grace to protect them.
On the other hand those who deliberately follow the wrong way, are
responsible because they put themselves into the hands of Evil Spirit.
Hawa Created
In order to remove the lonesomeness of Adam, a female mate namedHawa
(Eve)was created. The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife
Hawa were given a place in the Garden (of Bliss) to reside. The Holy
Quran affirms:
"And O' Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden (of Bliss) and eat
there from wherever you will but approach not this tree lest you
should be: among the wrong-doers." ( Surah 7: Verse 20)
Trial of Prophet Adam
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife Eve continued
enjoying each others company and carefully avoiding that
specificprohibited tree. Iblis became very jealous when he saw the
favors of the Almighty Allah on the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him)
and he began to devise ways and means to humiliate them. He kept on
making evil suggestions to the couple in a sneaky way. He tried to
persuade them to approach the prohibited tree. One day the Iblis
sympathetically said to them:
"Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree lest you should become
angels or immortals, and he swore to them saying: Surely, I am a
sincere counselor unto you. So he beguiled them by deceit." ( Surah 7:
Verse 22)
On hearing this both Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve became
curious. They started wondering as to why God did not want them to
approach the specific tree. This temptation gradually became stronger
but Allah guided them alright and warned that not to be taken in by
the evil suggestions of Iblis. The Holy Quran says:
"Then We said: O' Adam! Verily, this Iblis is an enemy to you and your
wife, so let him not get you both out of the Garden so that you are
landed in misery." ( Surah 7: Verse 117)
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife used to live happily
in the Garden of Bliss. They were endowed with the knowledge to
discriminate between good and evil. They were also warned of the power
of evil. They overpowered all sorts of evil temptations at first and
tried hard to ward off the influence of Satan. But he made numerous
attempts to misguide them off and on. Finally Satan succeeded in his
mission and made them approach that specific tree. Instantly evil
consequences appeared. The Holy Quran says:
"When they both tasted of the tree, their private parts became
manifest to each other and they both began to cover themselves with
the leaves of the trees (in the garden), and their Lord called them
saying: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and tell you that
Satan was your avowed enemy. They said: Our Lord! We have wronged
ourselves. If you forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy, we
shall surely be of the losers." ( Surah 7: Verse 23-24)
The Prophet Adam and Hawa Feel Penitence
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve followed the temptations
of Iblis and were deprived of the heavenly bliss. They were, however,
overflowed with grief. They requested Almighty Allah to forgive them.
Allah, the Most Merciful accepted their repentance and chose them for
His mercy. At the same time He dispelled them from the Garden of
Bliss. They became ordinary people. They had to live like us for only
a certain span of life on this earth. They would be recreated again to
be judged for their actions on the Day of Judgment.
Allah gives Directions
They lived for many years. Allah sent directions and guidance to the
Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). He taught others about the religion
of Allah. He advised his followers to do good and avoid evils. He told
the people to act upon the Commandments of Allah and follow his
guidance. It would serve the purpose of shield to do away with the
attacks of the devil. Allah says:
"Whoso shall follow My Guidance, on them shall come no fear, nor shall
they grieve. But those who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as
lies, they shall be the inmates of the fire and they shall abide
therein." ( Surah 2: Verse 39)

Women site, - Social evils that are destroying Muslim communities - I

The role of the individual in Islam is not limited to fulfilling the
five pillars. The Muslim in an Islamic community has a greater
responsibility than is usually understood. All of a Muslim's
activities in life are included as acts of worship depending upon the
intention underlying them. Nothing is required from a Muslim beyond
service to Allaah The Almighty, and nothing is accepted from him,
which is not a service. Every individual's responsibilities fall into
two parts: his responsibility to adhere to the teachings of Islam and
his responsibility to enjoin good and forbid evil – which is social
reform. There is a reason why enjoining good and forbidding wrong
comes first, even before faith. It emphasizes the Muslim's duty and
implies faith can only be realized by certain actions, which maintains
a relationship between the individual and society.
Neglecting these duties leads to widespread corruption and an increase
in evils that consume the core of the community, such as the
following:
Indifference:Muslims are commanded to play a positive role in their
community and assist in enjoining matters of virtue and preventing
evil by as much as they can. Many Muslims stray away from the right
path because they do not find anyone to assist them and rescue them
from straying in their communities, as those around them act
indifferently. One should not underestimate any input he can give in
such cases and consider the story of the imprisonment of Imaam Ahmad,
may Allaah have mercy upon him, to see how effective a person can be
if he takes the initiative and does not act indifferently. When Imaam
Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was imprisoned, a thief was
with him in the same cell. The thief said to him, "O Ahmad! I
persevere and tolerate the punishment I receive while I am upon
falsehood and being punished for a sin. Would someone like you, who is
suffering as a result of being upon the truth, not persevere and
endure?" Thus, this thief played an important role in comforting and
consoling Imaam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, in a difficult
situation.
Underestimating the harms of intermixing and neglecting to lower the
gaze:If members of a particular community give free rein to their
sight, do not adhere to the Hijaab )Islamic attire for women( and
women wear perfume before leaving their homes, the most obvious
outcome is the spread of immorality in the community. Immoral films,
TV programs, obscene content on the internet and intermixing between
the two sexes are other causes that have led to people committing sins
and indulging in immorality. People nowadays mix with the opposite sex
in universities, schools and workplaces, while Yoonus bin 'Ubayd, may
Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Never be in seclusion with a woman,
even if you wish to teach her the Quran, and even if only you would be
the one reciting."
Being ill-mannered:Many people possess three very evil qualities,
namely: lying, cowardice and miserliness, and these are the worst
three qualities a person can possess. There are also many other evil
qualities that we must be mindful of and hold ourselves to account
regarding, such as backbiting, badmouthing others and tale-bearing,
while replacing them with praiseworthy qualities and morals.
The Salaf )righteous predecessors(, may Allaah have mercy upon them,
would rebuke themselves for every word they uttered, words which would
be considered very normal to people nowadays. Maalik bin Dhayghan, may
Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
"Rabaah bin Qays once came asking for my father after the 'Asr prayer,
but he happened to be sleeping, so we informed him of this, to which
he remarked: `Who would sleep at this time of the day?` Then he left.
We sent a man after him to see if he wanted us to wake my father up
for him, but this man did not return until it was time to pray
Maghrib. When we asked him why he returned so late, he said: `I
followed him to ask him, but found that he was headed to the graveyard
while rebuking himself, saying: `What business is it of yours to ask
this kind of question? Why do you ask what does not concern you? What
is it to you when people go to sleep? People are free to sleep any
time they desire, why did you indulge in what does not concern
you?...`'"
Note how lightly such a question would be taken in our time, and how
strongly he rebuked himself for asking it.

Women site, - Social evils that are destroying Muslim communities - II

Severing ties with kinfolk: The most important of kinfolk are one's
parents, and yet we find many people dealing with them in an
inappropriate manner or even severing ties with them altogether. As
for those who do try to fulfil the needs of their parents, many of
them do it begrudgingly, while expressing discontent or complaining
that it is a burden upon them. This is in spite of the fact that
Allaah The Almighty commands us to not say even the least expression
of discontent in this regard, saying )what means(:}"…Say not to them
]so much as[ 'Uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble
word."{]Quran, 17': 23[
The mother of Huthayl bin Hafsah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
"He would collect wood during the summer and peel off the outer layer
of bark himself. Then, when winter would come, he would come to me
whilst I was praying, light a brazier )in my room( and place the
peeled wood in it, as this does not give harmful smoke. He would do so
just so that I would be warm during prayer. He would do so even though
we had a servant who could do the job. Whenever I thought of stopping
him and commanding him to return to his family, I would remember why
he was doing it, and thus I would allow him to continue."
Why was he doing this himself despite him having a servant who could
have done it for him? It was nothing but a reflection of his full
dutifulness towards his mother.
This type of nobility is not limited to ones parents; rather, one
should be kind to all his relatives and even his fellow Muslims.
Wasting time: The issue of wasting time is a very important one
indeed. We must be careful about it and hold ourselves to account
regarding it because we spend much of our time uselessly instead of
spending it in acts of obedience to Allaah, as it should be utilised.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}"And it is He who has made the
night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or
desires gratitude."{]Quran, 25: 62[
Therefore, time was created so that we would fill it with acts of
obedience to Allaah, The Almighty but many people do the exact
opposite of this. The Salaf )righteous predecessors(, may Allaah have
mercy upon them, were very keen to make use of every second of their
time. Al-Hasan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "I have met some
people who were stingier with their time than they were with their
wealth."
People nowadays waste their times in games, late nights, socializing,
watching television and in vain talk. They may even go as far as doing
so at the expense of their religious obligations, such as their daily
prayers, and so on.
Wasting wealth:Many men cave in under pressure from their wives and
children and therefore spend extravagantly, but when they are asked to
spend in charity, one would find that they are so stingy that if they
were to pull out two bills to give in charity, one would invariably
return to his pocket. However, if this same person were to go to a
restaurant, he would have no problem in spending multiples of this
amount.
Allaah The Almighty will ask us about our wealth because we were
informed as such by the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Abu
Barzah, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported, "The Messenger of
Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:"Man's feet will not move on
the Day of Resurrection before he is asked about his life and how he
consumed it, his knowledge and what did he do with it, his wealth and
how he earned it and how he disposed of it, and about his body and how
he wore it out.""]At-Tirmithi[
This does not imply that people do not spend generously or that there
are no people who do any of the abovementioned matters correctly. The
purpose of highlighting these points is to serve as a reminder for
Muslims – at both the individual and community level – so that we
realize the importance of these matters and hold ourselves to account
with respect to them, as there are many of us who are failing to do
so.

Women site, - Quran is the source of glory and happiness for the Ummah - I

Praise be to Allaah Who Revealed His Noble Book in the best style and
Impressed hearts with its good wording and eloquent compositions. He
Revealed it in the form of clear verses, Segmented it into Surahs and
verses, Arranged it in the best way with His Extensive Wisdom and
Composed it in the greatest way with the most eloquent words and
sublime structure. Blessings and peace be upon the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, to whom the Quran was revealed to warn
and remind. Allaah Revealed the Quran to his noble heart and this
alleviated his hardship and expanded his breast. Also, blessings and
peace be on the Prophet's, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, family and
Companions from among the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar.
Despite technical advancement, the prosperity of industries and
inventions and the new world order, the world today is failing with
all its organizations, institutions and innovations to bring happiness
to humankind or provide it with security and comfort. Here are the
ratios of the disease of the age; anxiety and depression, increasing
day after day. Here are also the ratios of poverty, ignorance, hunger,
killing, suicide as well as the collapse of values, principles and
morals multiplying year after year.
Villa Spaza, a Spanish scientist, said, "All the amazing discoveries
of the West are neither able to prevent even one tear nor to make even
one human smile..."
Alexis Carrel said, "Modern civilization does not suit us …. Although
it was established through our contributions, it does not suit us. We
are indeed unhappy people because we have morally and mentally
deteriorated."
The same applies to some of those who are called Muslims. They have
their wealth, positions and dreams, though they live in worries,
anxiety and pain. What is the solution? What is the refuge? It is the
Quran!
The Quran is the source of glory and happiness for the Ummah, the
basis of knowledge, action and tranquility, and the spring of
steadfastness at the time of conflicting ideas and changing concepts.
It is the fortified dam in facing temptations, allegations and
desires.
At such a time, all of us need the Quran to strengthen our faith and
certainty so that we keep steadfast before such desires and
challenges.
Each Muslim needs the Quran to reassure him when he feels alienated,
soothe him when he is afflicted with a disaster, create hope in him
when he is distressed or suffers from despair of the Mercy of Allaah
and warn and frighten him when he is overcome with fancies and lusts.
O Muslims, nation of the Quran, there is neither steadfastness, nor
affection for the self, nor relief for the soul, nor fulfillment of a
promise nor security from a punishment nor firmness of belief nor
continuity of one's good mention unless one moves with all his
feelings, sentiments, heart and body to the Book of Allaah, the Noble
Quran through recitation, reflection, learning and acting accordingly.
This key actually opens the locks of the heart. The Quran is the key
of the hearts. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Then do they not
reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon ]their[ hearts?{]Quran
47: 24[
O Muslim, you should read the Quran with your heart first before your
tongue to find:
Purity of meanings which quench your thirst from the water of
eloquence, gentleness where you smell the breeze of the garden as well
as words when they are strict, they are like waves of the overflowing
seas and when they are lenient, they are the breaths of the life to
come.
The Quran is the source of lighting the heart as well as life and
remedy for souls. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}O mankind,
there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for
what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. Say,
"In the Bounty of Allaah and in His Mercy - in that let them rejoice;
it is better than what they accumulate."{
]Quran 10: 57-58[
The Quran achieves happiness for the human, spreads security and
tranquility and provides glory, prosperity and safety. All this is
achieved through the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, who said:"I have left among you two things you will
never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allaah
and my Sunnah."]Al-Albaani: Hasan[
Brothers and sisters, we do not need to clarify a fact which is known
to friends and confirmed by enemies. We do not need to clarify this
fact which the believers believed in and the opponents admitted. We do
not need to assert that the Noble Quran is a sublime summit and a high
peak in eloquence and fluency. The masters of eloquence failed to
bring anything like the Quran. We do not need to repeat this whenever
we talk about our Quran. It is enough for us in terms of glory and
honor that the Quran is the Words of Allaah.
We hear many of those who try to prove the strength of eloquence and
effectiveness in the Quran for the enemies. Had we been truthful with
ourselves, we would have wondered: What is the effect of the Quran on
our souls? What is the effect of its eloquence on our hearts? Is this
not poof against us that we are away from the Quran and therefore we
are weak? Where are we from the Quran; the light of our hearts, the
constitution of our lives, the Favor of Allaah and His greatest Bounty
over us?
We are often in dire need of those who remind us, admonish us, soften
our hearts and help us to stay always on the straight path, with
neither exaggeration nor negligence.
There are moderate souls which accept, are disciplined and even become
happy and demand this reminder. Contrary to this, there is another
type of Muslim who is far away from the Islamic etiquettes and morals.
They are even away from dedicating worship to Allaah and doing what
befits the Majesty of Allaah of love, exaltation, submission and
surrender. Such people need strong alerts and admonishments which put
an end to their heedlessness and take them out of their deviation.
There are no stronger alerts than the alerts of the Noble Quran which
greatly influenced the Arabs, not only due to its inimitable style but
also due to its alerts, prohibitions as well as the way of narrating
stories in all its Surahs.
Have such people heard the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(:}O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or
your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief.
And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the
wrongdoers.{]Quran 9: 23[
Have such people read in the Quran the verse in which Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}Say, ]O Muhammad[, "If your fathers, your
sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have
obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which
you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allaah and His Messenger
and Jihaad in His Cause, then wait until Allaah Executes His command.
And Allaah Does not Guide the defiantly disobedient people."{]Quran 9:
24[
When one of the leaders of the Quraysh heard the Messenger of Allaah,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, reciting the verse in which Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}But if they turn away, then say, "I have
warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt ]that struck[ 'Aad
and Thamood.{]Quran 41: 13[, he begged him to stop the recitation.
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, strictly warned against
returning to the morals of the pre-Islamic era saying:"The example of
the one who helps his people with falsehood is like a camel that fell
into a well and it moves its tail but can not get out."]Al-Albaani:
Saheeh[
He also said:"I am seizing your waistbands and trying to pull you away
from the Fire but you are trying to get away from me."]Muslim[
Why are those who are enslaved by traditions and vain pretensions and
their words and deeds have become so far from Islam, not frankly told
that their status is due to weakness of faith and keeping away from
reflecting on the verses of the Quran? Actually, the Quranic stories
and examples as well as the sayings of the Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, have a wonderful effect on reforming and deterring
the soul and putting it on the straight path. O people of the Quran,
when will we realize that civilization and advancement do not
contradict adherence to religion? When will we realize that the Quran
is a light and guidance for the Muslims?
It is really astonishing! Why do we quickly respond to the enemies
when they dictate that advancement can not be attained unless one
abandons Islam? Could we not be civilized while we are praying and
fasting? Could we not be civilized while we are straight and
righteous?
I wonder in astonishment; is the condition of civilization and
advancement to disobey Allaah and contradict His commands? If it is
so, then this is the real backwardness. This is actually backwardness
to the ages of ignorance, Shirk, darkness and worshipping desires and
the idols of fancy! Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed,
this Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good
tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a
great reward.{]Quran 17: 9[
Is this the effect of ignorance about the Quran? Or is it shame to
follow the truth of Islam? Or it is the effect of desires and lusts
and surrender? O people of the Quran, the Quran calls to progress in
all fields; all worldly and religiously matters. Nevertheless, it is
the type of progress which is controlled by the noble Quranic
etiquettes and divine teachings. Non-Muslim scientists and wise people
wondered about the Noble Quran which preceded them to reflection and
advancement by hundreds of years. This is happening at a time when
many Muslims have deserted the Quran.
To be continued...