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Guidance for your Sexual Health
From:
www.islamway.com
One of the rights of human beings is to satisfy
their sexual needs. This may be aural, by listening to amorous words;
visual, by looking at that which arouses sexual desire; or physical, by
engaging in sexual acts of different types.
However, the only legal way to satisfy sexual urges is that which occurs
between married couples.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to engage in sex before marriage.
Youths of both sexes must avoid all forms of sexual arousal; they should
get married early and not delay it; because this is the safer route for
them. Whoever cannot get married should depend on fasting to help curb
their desires.
The Purpose of Sex
Islam strives to suppress illicit sexual urges so as to bring
good back to human sexual intercourse, and to make its aim the
establishment of a family and to have children. Allah said, "And of His
signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find
tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy."
(Holy Quran, 30:21)
In fact, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) made the relationship between a
married couple a source of reward for Muslims in the following wonderful
hadeeth. He (PBUH) said "… and in man's sexual intercourse (with his
wife) there is Sadaqah (act of charity)." They (the Companions) said, "O
Messenger of Allah! Is there reward for him who satisfies his sexual
passion among us?" He said, "Tell me, if he were to devote it to
something forbidden, would it not be a sin on his part? Similarly, if he
were to devote it to something lawful, he should have a reward."
(Muslim)
Islam acknowledges the existence of sexual desire, and considers it to
be one of the pleasures of this worldly life. Allah said, "Beautified
for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons,
heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and
tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with
Him the best return (i.e., Paradise)." (Holy Quran, 3:14.)
Sexual desire is instinctive, and life without pleasure, enjoyment, and
happiness becomes miserable, dreary and uninteresting. Is there anything
better than the romantic hours spent by a loving married couple in the
marital home?
Protection from Sexual Arousal
Islam's philosophy in life is clear and unchanging. It is
founded on firm principles, including the great principle that
'prevention is better than cure' and among the applications of this
great concept is Islam's recognition of the danger of sexual arousal
between the two sexes.
For this reason, laws and systems were introduced that prohibit sexual
arousal, stirring of desires, and inflammation of passions, other than
those between a married couple.
If you think about modern day life, you will realize that men flirt in
the street, at work, at school, and in the shops. It is a game of cat
and mouse. You will find that it is expected of a woman to make herself
up and beautify herself with the most splendid finery when she goes out.
For this reason, Islam ordered women not to beautify and adorn
themselves when they go outside, but to limit their beautification for
when they are with their husbands or when they are with other women.
In relation to this, two verses of the Quran were revealed, which later
came to be known as the two verses of the hijab. They are the following
words of Allah, "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to bring down over themselves (part) of their
outer garments." (Holy Quran, 33:59). The second verse is, "… and not to
display their adornment except that which (ordinarily) appears thereof."
(Holy Quran, 24:31)
Islam also warned both sexes about listening to music that arouses
passions, because arousing romantic music, which has an immeasurable
effect on youths, is unchanging with the passing of the centuries. This
prohibition came before the invention of television and its stark
portrayals of sexual acts.
The Call for Marriage
When Islam forbade sexual arousal, and prohibited sexual relationships
before marriage, it did not just leave youths without an outlet for
their natural instincts. Islam invited them in a clear and open way to
get married early. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "O young people! Whoever
among you can marry, should marry because it helps him lower his gaze
and guard his modesty (i.e., his private parts from committing illegal
sexual intercourse etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast;
as fasting diminishes sexual power." (Bukhari)
If a youth does not have the way or means to get married, then what is
the solution? The following verse of the Quran has the answer, "But let
them who find not (the means for) marriage abstain (from sexual
relations) until Allah enriches them from His bounty." (Holy Quran,
24:33)
Repulsion towards Adultery and Homosexuality
It is unfortunate that modern civilization is so eager to turn a blind
eye to prohibited sexual behavior, that it gives it different euphemisms
so that people are not revolted by it. These euphemisms do not directly
signify the word 'adultery' or the term 'illegal sexual relationship',
but rather say that someone is 'sexually active' or 'has multiple
partners'.
Muslims, on the other hand - even those who are religiously weak
-consider extramarital relationships to be adulterous and greatly
sinful; sins that would never befit a Muslim. This repulsion, which
people feel towards adultery, arises from the many legal texts that
condemn adultery and make it unattractive in the eyes of a Muslim. These
include: "And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is
a Fahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits), and an evil way
(that leads one to Hell unless Allah forgives him)." (Holy Quran, 17:32)
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was asked what most
commonly causes people to enter the Hellfire, he said, "The two hollow
things, the mouth and the private parts." He was (then) asked about what
most commonly causes people to enter Paradise, he said, "Fear of Allah
and good character." (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
Ubadah ibn-us-Samit said, "I was one of the Naqibs (a person heading a
group of six persons), who gave the (Aqaba) Pledge of Allegiance to
Allah's Messenger (PBUH). We gave the pledge of allegiance to him that
we would not worship anything other than Allah, that we would not steal,
would not commit illegal sexual intercourse, would not kill a person
whose killing Allah has made illegal except rightfully, and would not
rob each other. We would not be promised Paradise if we did the above
sins, and if we commit one of the above sins, Allah will give His
Judgment concerning it." (Agreed upon)
Conclusion
Islam is an amazing religion that has changed the lives of the
Companions and of believers around the world. Once there was a time when
adultery was deemed a normal part and acceptable happening in society
and Islam rectified that notion by placing clear guidelines on sexual
behaviors within a society, thus ridding the complications of liberal
sexual behavior - both the physical and mental - of its believers.
We can learn much by becoming observers of the heartaches and hardships
non-Muslims encounter because of the lack of sexual abstinence amongst
non-married couples and how that impacts their lives as individuals and
that of their communities. We can take pride and respect ourselves as
Muslims by living our lives following the examples of the pious
predecessors of the past, who followed the righteous teachings of our
Prophet (PBUH).
Islam has generously and thoughtfully provided its believers with the
prevention to the societal ills of pre-martial sexual relations, where
others can spend millions of dollars and many hours seeking in
desperation just waiting on the cure.
Let us each take a proactive stance in our lives to ensure that our
families and ourselves are utilizing the preventive measures our
religion has given us so that we may be able to thwart the day when it
is too late, and we too, are left in desperation, seeking the cure. [Al
Jumuah Vol. 14 - Issue: 8]
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