Islam and Sexual Stimulants

Islam bans all actions that lead to arouse the sex other than the permissible. Islam, out of precautious, bans all activities that lead to unlawful practices. It is a bare fact that when a person is sexually aroused and overwhelmed with sexual emotions he would be tempted to involve even in prevented courses. Such a person will not hesitate to resort to any means to gratify his sexual passions. Such a sexually charged and aroused person may tend to discharge such drive unlawfully. The sexual prevention may be attained with mutual consent of the two parties involved, or by force, or rape. Both, adults and minors may participate in such unlawful activities. Some individuals may tend to discharge it by another unlawful mean that is homosexual, lesbian, or masturbation. All the above-cited forms are unlawful in Islam.

Means to Restrict Stimulants

Islam commands to apply the following methodology in order to restrict sexual intercourse:

• Islam commands parents to separate male and female children, who reach the age of puberty and maturity as they sleep. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ Command your children to [begin] offering prayers [on a regular basis] at age seven. [Then] discipline them if they don’t maintain it [on a regular basis] when they become ten years of age. [Moreover] separate [male children from females] when they sleep at that age” [12].Islam ordains, through Allah’s Messenger’s command and instruction (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), to avoid any contact between males and females while sleeping together alone in the same bed or room. Such contact may arouse the potential sexual urges.
• Islam ordains that Muslim women be segregated from stranger males. This is ordained, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) knows best, in order to maintain the honor and preserve the dignity of both and in order to avoid any sexual intimacy between both. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Ahzab [The Confederates] (33:59):“ Oh Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons [when abroad]: that is most convenient, that they should be known [as such] and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”.Islam, however, gave a permission to the elder, unmarriageable ladies, who are neither sexually desirous nor sexually attractive, to wear normal modest attire such as long garments and basic head cover [other than covering the face] and do not wear any facial makeup, to appear as such before stranger males. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Nur [The Light] (24:60):“ Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage, there is no blame on them if they lay aside their [outer] garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and Allah is One Who sees and knows all things”.
• Islam commands to protect and lower the eyesight against all unlawful scenes. Eyesight may generate a sexual desire in the eyes of the beholder. As such, this may develop later on to a wanting, eager and meditating evil desire, and eventually executing these desires, unlawfully. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Nur [The Light] (24:30-31):“ Say to the Believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what [must ordinarily] appear thereof…”.Furthermore, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ The look [of the eyesight] is a poisonous arrow of Iblis [Satan]” [13].Imam Ibn-ul-Qayyim is reported to have commented on this issue as follows: “While eyesight or eye contact is the beginning of the sexual stimulants, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) began with it first, prior to the protection and chastising of the private parts. In fact, all sexual drives begin with an eye contact. Similarly, the greatest fire begins with the smallest fire spark. A person begins with an unlawful look, then this develops into a thought in the mind and heart, then this develops into a step or an action of movement towards the sexual partner, and finally this would end up in a sin of an unlawful sexual intercourse. Therefore, it is wisely said: ‘whoever preserves the following four items, would surely preserve his faith. These are as follows:
  1. Eyesight or looks and gaze.
  2. [Evil] thoughts that cross the mind and heart.
  3. [Sexually seductive] words that are uttered [with evil and unlawful intention] or flirting with women or men.
  4. Steps [that lead to unlawful sexual practices] [14].

  Furthermore, as it is potentially possible to unlawfully glance at something, Muslims are commanded not to prolong such unlawful looks. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) which read as follows:“ Oh Ali [Listen]! Don’t continue with looking [at unlawful items], as the first look is [permitted] for you, while the second is not” [15].Islam urged and encouraged its followers and Believers to seek the Pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) by protecting their looks. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ Whoever lowers his gaze by not looking at the charms of a [stranger] woman, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) would substitute him for this with a faith, which he would feel its sweetness in his heart” [16].

• Islam ordains both adult and mature males and females to seek permission prior entering any private residence. Such permission, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) knows best, is ordained in order to avoid looks at any unlawful scene. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Nur [The Light] (24:58):“ Oh ye who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess, and the [children] among you who have not come of age ask your permission [before they come to your presence], on three occasions, before morning prayer; the while you take off your clothes for the noonday heat; and after the late-night prayer: these are your three times of undress: outside these times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about attending to each other: thus does Allah make clear the Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom”.In addition, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Nur (24:59):“ But when the children among you come of age, let them [also] ask for permission, as do those senior to them [in age]: thus does Allah make clear His Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom”.
• Islam bans impersonation for both sexes; males and females. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) curse impersonating men [as females], and may Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) curse impersonating females [as males]”.
• Islam bans listening to sexually oriented songs and the like. Naturally, such acts would mentally prepare and lead normal people to commit unlawful banned sexual practices. In fact, Muslim scholars of early generations described sexually motivating songs and singings: “It is the essential mean for committing adultery”.
• Islam bans sitting alone, for an extensive period, with young men, i.e., minor males, especially the attractive looking ones among them. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ The fornication of the eye is to look [at unlawful items or actions]. The fornication of the tongue is to speak [using unlawful words, phrases, terminology, descriptions and stories]. The fornication of the hand is to commit [unlawful acts or actions]. The fornication of the foot is to walk [even steps] to an unlawful place or activity. The fornication of the ear is to listen [to unlawful items such as songs, stories, words, secrets and the like]. Yet, the human soul wishes for all of that or promises to obtain. However, the private parts would either confirm [any of these actions and activities] or falsify them”.
• Islam bans male Muslims to be alone with any female, other than immediate relatives that are not permissible for marriage, or a spouse. Such privacy may lead to satanic seduction. Consequently, this may lead to adulterous acts or fornication. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ Any man, who sits in a privacy with a female, [whom he can marry], would be accompanied by Satan as the third companion to the two” [17].In fact, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained the best method to be with a female saying, which read as follows:“ A man must not be alone with a woman, unless one of her male (Mahram) immediate relatives [i.e., a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson] is present with them” [18].
• Islam further bans any mingled activities. This is because such activities and meeting may lead to suspicious relationships between non-related males and females. In fact, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala)states in Quran Sura Ahzab [The Confederates] (33:53):“ And when ye ask [his one of his wives] for anything ye want ask them from behind a barrier [partition]: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs”.Professor Muhammad Qutub in his book, ‘Man between Materialism and Islam’, comments as follows:” Innocent co-ed was a mammoth myth came from the West [i.e., Europe and the North Hemisphere]. The West, at the beginning of its dissolvence, wanted to treat its’ sexual pressure. The Western social scientists and psychologists exaggerated the immense value of co-ed. Later, they denied it all and never mentioned it after that. They truly discovered the real picture and results of co-ed. As such, physiatrists, psychologists, and neurologists withdrew completely from their previous opinion regarding co-ed. Those even denied slow dance [innocent] parties, co-ed tea parties, and co-ed picnics under the supervision of parents and teachers. Today, the same scholars claim that any co-ed meeting would stir the sex and not the opposite. The personal feelings may be suppressed, or they are forced to be suppressed because of social circumstances. At other times, such personal feelings would be suppressed due to shyness before other people. Consequently, suppression of personal feelings would instigate psychological or mental anxiety and apprehension. Such anxiety occurs because of the social co-ed meetings. At such point, one of two things may take place. A young male may seek a different place where he can freely practice his personal feelings and emotions without any barriers or controls. Or else, the young male would remain under severe anxiety that may lead to certain disorders. Therefore, we can easily wonder: “What an innocent meeting these co-ed meetings are!”
• Islam bans a wife to describe the physical details of another woman. This is so to prevent the slightest attraction of that married man to the other woman. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ A woman must not see another woman [exposed in a private females meeting], then describes the details of that woman to her husband” [19].
• Islam bans women to get out of their homes wearing full make up and perfume. Such a practice would attract the attention of males to them. As such, the woman may be trapped into unlawful relationships with males who are awaiting such opportunities.Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Ahzab [The Confederates] (33:33):“ And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance”.In fact, Islam bans a female to speak softly and in an attractive tone with a male who is not related to her. This practice is a mean of protection for the female against males who are desirous for adultery and fornication. A female Muslim must speak with a male only as necessary. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Ahzab [The Confederates] (33:33):“ Oh Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the [other] women: if ye do fear [Allah], be not too complaisant of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye a speech [that is] just”.
• Islam further bans nudity and displaying women’s physical attractions. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Aaraaf [The Heights] (6:26):“ Oh ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. However, the raiment of righteousness, that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!”.
• Islam instructs women allowed to appear before lawful relatives to do so with casual clothes and ornamentations. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura Nur [The Light] (24:31):“ …and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And, Oh ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss”.
• Islam bans a woman to travel alone. A woman must travel with an immediate relative described earlier as Mahram. This escort or companion must be one of the following relatives: a husband, a father, a brother, or a relative whom she is not allowed to marry on a permanent basis. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ A woman must not travel without a Mahram. No male must enter the privacy of a woman without an immediate Mahram is available with that woman. A man raised a question to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: Oh Messenger of Allah! My wife set out to perform pilgrimage while I have registered for such and such Ghazwah [Fighting Troops, what should I do?]. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed the man as follows: Go and join your wife for pilgrimage” [20].

[12] Ahmad and Abu Dawoud reported this Hadith.[13] Ahmad reported this Hadith.[14] Ibn-ul-Qayyim, ‘al-Jawab-ul-Kafi liman Saala ‘an al-Jawabi-sh-shafi’ [The Sufficient Answer for the Person Who Asks for the Healing Medicine], P.172.[15] Ahmad, Abu Daoud and Tirmithi reported this Hadith.[16] Tabarani and Hakim reported this Hadith.[17] Tirmithi reported this Hadith.[18] Bukhari and Muslim reported this Hadith.[19] Ahmad reported this Hadith.[20] Bukhari and Muslim reported this Hadith.

Islam and Female Protection

The real intent of Islam underlying all the rulings, restrictions, procedures, and commands for women is their own protection. Islam aims at preserving their honor, and upholding their dignity. Travel usually requires a lot of efforts and other expenses. Women, by nature are weak [in comparison with men]. Women are bound to have menses, after birth confinement, child nursing, and pregnancy. Women are, also, easily vulnerable to deception, as they usually follow their emotions, which may be, at times, misleading. Women are commonly passionate and easily influenced by the environment. A woman needs some kind of protection against evil people while traveling. Generally, a woman may not be able to defend herself physically against others due to her very nature. She also needs someone to care for her properly and take care of her needs. Islam requires a Mahram, immediate relative of a woman to take care of all her needs and provide her the best security and safety he could. Islam requires this from a Mahram, in order to suffice women any need for a stranger.

Islam and personal desires

• Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commands a man, who glances a woman, which stimulates his sexual instinct to return home to his family [if he is a married man] and approach his wife. This should facilitate him to satisfy his sexual desires in a lawful and proper manner. By the same token, he would be deterred from the trap of satanic way of seduction. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ A woman approaches in a shape of Satan and walks away in the same shape. Therefore, if a [married man] notices [physically] something of a woman that arouses him [sexually], let such a man go back to his home and approach his wife. Doing so would cool him if” [21].
• Islam commands both spouses to satisfy their personal [sexual] desire with each other when either spouse is interested to do so. Islam bans a woman to refuse her husband’s request to satisfy his needs. If a woman denies her husband’s request, he may be led to evil thoughts searching for unlawful sources of satisfaction, or else, he would develop mental pressure. Both such situations are detrimental, both physically and mentally. Islam, therefore, is insistent on this issue. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, which read as follows:“ If a man calls his wife to sleep with him and she does not respond, causing him to be angry with her, angels will [continue] to curse her until the morning” [22].
• Islam applies the same towards the husband. A husband must satisfy his wife’s sexual desire in order to protect her against evil thoughts and actions as well. Ibn Hazm, a renowned Muslim scholar comments as follows: “A husband must have an intercourse with his wife once a month, in the least possible ways, while he is capable of doing so. Otherwise, such a person is disobeying Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). The evidence to this from Quran is from Sura Baqarah (2:222):“ But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean”.
• Islam entitles a wife to seek a court judgment against her husband if he neglects to satisfy her sexual needs as well. This just and safe way maintains the peace, equality, and satisfaction in the family and society.
• Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) promised individuals, who attempt to spread chaos and evil activities in the Islamic community to pour on them the severest penalty. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in Quran Sura al-Nur (24:19):“ Those who love [to see] scandal published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows, and ye know not”.

If this is the case of the scandalous individuals, what about the doers and supporters of such unlawful activities? Surely, it is much more disastrous.[21] Muslim reported this Hadith.[22] Abu Daoud and Nasai reported this Hadith.