Islam and Purity

Islam instructs Believers purity and chastity. Islam further bestows on Believers on dignity and honor. Islam guides and directs its followers in the right direction by which they would be, Allah willing, morally respectable and productive. Listen to the story of the young man who came to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asking him to permit him to practice adultery, as he can’t live without it, after embracing Islam. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) loudly rejected the young man appeal and denied it wholeheartedly. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), however, called the young man closer to him and said, which reads as follows:“ Do you accept [to see] your mother committing adultery?” The young man replied negatively. Thus, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, which reads as follows:” As such, other people refuse to see their mothers [or any other female in their families] being indulgent in adultery. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) further asked the young man, which reads as follows:” Do you accept [to see] your sister committing adultery?” The young man replied negatively. Thus, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, which reads as follows:” As such, other people refuse to see their sisters committing adultery as well”. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) further asked, which reads as follows:” Do you accept [to see] your daughter committing adultery?” The young man replied negatively. Thus, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, which reads as follows:” As such, other people refuse to see their daughters committing adultery as well”. Thus, we notice that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was not harsh at all on the young man, but he rather prayed for the well-being of this young man saying:” Oh Allah! Purify the heart of this young man, chastise his private parts, and enable him to lower his gaze”. This young man is reported to have said:” By Allah! I had never sought unlawful relations again ever” [7].This is Islam. It is a religion that doesn’t condone monasticism and total negligence of the worldly affairs. Islam doesn’t to reject all worldly goods and pleasures completely. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)is reported to have said, which reads as follows:“ By Allah! I am, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the most God respectful amongst you and most obedient to His Commands. However, I observe fast [for some days] and break it [for other days]. I [stand up during the night] offering prayers [for some time], and I also sleep [some times of the night]. I also marry [women]. Hence, whoever chooses any other way, other than my Sunnah, tradition, he doesn’t belong to me” [8].Islam doesn’t condone a blind and uncontrolled satisfaction of personal whims and caprices. Muhammad Qutub, the renowned contemporary Muslim scholar, says:” We can find no problem for ‘sex’ in Islam. Islam erects barriers before all human desires, including sex, which do not totally block them or deny them. Nevertheless, Islam rather, elevates and controls such human desires. Islam designs these barriers like that of the regulating devices on a river during flood seasons. As such, the regulating devices attempt to raise the level of water temporarily to a level that can’t normally reach, then it let the water run at a higher level. Similarly, Islam controls the level of human desires by raising it to a higher plateau. Islam sets rules and regulations for the sex not to restrict or deny it completely, but rather to permit it within the scope that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala)permits to practice such human desires. These are the limits set by Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) as He states in the Glorious Quran Sura Baqarah (2:229):“ These are the limits ordained by Allah; so do not transgress them if any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong [themselves as well as others]”. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) , in His vast wisdom knows that these are the “safe” and “secured” limits to drain such energies stored in man through human desires. By releasing such energies in an organized, controlled and safe manner, man can achieve a great level of success for himself and his society. Nevertheless, even Jahiliyah, state of ignorance, acknowledges the necessity to organize, regulate, and control all the human desires, except for “sex”. Sex, among all human desires drives, is the crazy one. Imagine if such a crazy drive is left without control, regulation, and restrictions, what would happen to the society, its morals, honor, and individuals? Jahiliyah doesn’t permit the drive and desire of ownership without regulations. If such a desire left unrestricted, we could see man wanting to possess and own whatever he likes, through any mean. However, man made laws classify such acts as a punishable crime of theft by law. The same is practiced insofar as the food, clothing and housing drives and desires. All these drives and desires are controlled by laws and not left for personal or emotional whims”[9].