In a world of intense shamelessness, immodesty and weakness of faith, logic demands that the defence strategy towards Fitan (trials) be fortified exponentially to allow for the preservation of Imaan and for spiritual development. Among the great trials of the time is the trial of falling into Zina through the temptation of women.
NABI SALLALAHU ALAYHI WASALLAM HAS SAID:
مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِيْ فِتْنَة اَضَرّ عل الرِجَالِ مِن النِسَاءِ
I HAVE NOT LEFT AFTER ME A TRIAL MORE HARMFUL TO MEN THAN WOMEN. (SAHIH AL-BUKHARI #5096)
The scourge of Zina within our communities is on a rapid increase and this is eating away at our strength as an Ummah. Nabi has said: “If a man commits Zina, Imaan comes out of him and hovers over him like a cloud, then when he stops, Imaan returns to him. (Jami`-At-Tirmidhi #2625).
ALLAH TA`ALA MENTIONS IN THE QURAAN MAJEED:
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةٗ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلٗا
«AND DO NOT EVEN GO CLOSE TO FORNICATION. IT IS INDEED A SHAMEFUL ACT, AND AN EVIL WAY TO FOLLOW» (SURAH BANI ISRAEL VERSE 32)
Allah Ta`ala`s beautiful system is that while Zina has been declared Haraam, those actions that may lead to Zina are also unlawful and should be shunned completely. Among such actions are the intermingling between non-Mahram men and women. The obvious result of such free-mixing which has become the norm of the day in almost all segments of society is the ultimate slip into Zina. Ulema say:
ما اجتمع تبرج النساء واختلاطهن بالرجال الا كان ثالثهما الزنا
THE DISPLAY OF WOMEN`S BEAUTY AND THEIR MIXING WITH MEN DO NOT COMBINE, EXCEPT THAT THE OUTCOME IS ZINA!
NABI SALLALAHU ALAYHI WASALLAM WARNS US IN THE HADEETH OF SAHEEH MUSLIMS #2658: “THE ZINA OF THE EYES IS LOOKING, THE ZINA OF THE EARS IS LISTENING, THE ZINA OF THE TONGUE IS SPEAKING, THE ZINA OF THE HAND IS TOUCHING AND THE ZINA OF THE FOOT IS WALKING. THE HEART WISHES AND LONGS AND THE PRIVATE PART CONFIRMS THAT OR DENIES IT.”
The wisdom of the Shariah is that it stops vice in its roots to create a society of piety and purity. Thus, we have to understand that a carefree society of free-mixing is only leading to our downfall and spiritual death! Unrestricted intermingling between strange men and women undoubtedly leads to perpetration of many sins which blacken the heart.
NABI SALLALLAHU ALAYHI WASALLAM STATES IN A HADITH:
الْمَرْأَةُ عَوْرَةٌ فَإِذَا خَرَجَتِ اسْتَشْرَفَهَا الشَّيْطَانُ
“A WOMAN OUGHT TO BE THE PERSONIFICATION OF CONCEALMENT, FOR WHEN SHE GOES OUT THE DEVIL PEERS AT HER.”
)JAMI`-AT-TIRMIDHI #1173)
It is mentioned in the commentary of this Hadith that Shaytaan looks at her and causes gazes to be directed towards her enticing her (towards evil) or others to be enticed by her.
ALLAH TA`ALA MENTIONS IN SURAH NOOR VERSE 30:
قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ
«TELL THE BELIEVING MEN TO LOWER THEIR GAZES AND GUARD THEIR PRIVATE PARTS. THAT IS PURER FOR THEM. INDEED, ALLAH IS ACQUAINTED WITH WHAT THEY DO»
وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ
«AND TELL THE BELIEVING WOMEN TO LOWER THEIR GAZES AND GUARD THEIR PRIVATE PARTS AND NOT EXPOSE THEIR ADORNMENT EXCEPT THAT WHICH [NECESSARILY] APPEARS THEREOF….
In the obedience of these commands of Allah Ta`ala lies our success and preservation of our Imaan. Thus, we as an Ummah need to introspect over the harms of intermingling and correct our ways. From our family settings, social gatherings, Walimah ceremonies to even our religious programs, there is no scope for the allowance of free-mixing between genders. Segregation is essential in all settings within our control.
Ulema have written: (Adapted from: Ahsan al-Fatāwā, Vol. 8, p. 61 – Fatāwā Qāsimīyah, Vol. 3, p.412 – ʿAuratõ se ikhtilāṭ kā ḥukm – Maulānā Marghūb Aḥmad Lājpūrī Ṣāḥib, pg. 25)
IN RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS SUCH AS SERMONS OR DARS OF QURʾĀN SESSIONS, THE MIXING OF MEN AND WOMEN WITHOUT PROPER SEGREGATION IS NOT PERMISSIBLE. WHETHER IT IS A RELIGIOUS PROGRAM, A SERMON, OR A LESSON ON TAFSĪR, IF THERE IS UNRESTRICTED INTERACTION BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN, SUCH GATHERINGS ARE NOT PERMISSIBLE. THESE BECOME EVENTS UNDER THE GUISE OF RELIGION THAT LEAD TO IRRELIGIOUSNESS. IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT SOME SCHOLARS HAVE BEGUN TO INITIATE SUCH GATHERINGS AND PROVIDE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THIS IMPERMISSIBLE PRACTICE, PRESENTING ARGUMENTS BASED ON FLAWED ANALOGIES TO SUPPORT THEIR STANCE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS TO WISELY AND GENTLY PREVENT WOMEN FROM ATTENDING SUCH MIXED-GENDER PROGRAMS AND TO CULTIVATE THEIR RELIGIOUS MINDSET.
Mufakkirul Islam Moulana Abul Hasan Ai Nadwi rahmatullah alayh has mentioned:
فأي بلد إسلامي سار على هذا الدرب، وطرح الحشمة، وسمح بالاختلاط بجميع أنواعه، وشجع التعليم المختلط، كانت نتيجته ذلك التفسخ الخلقي والجنسي، والثورة على سائر الحدود الخلقية والدينية…( الصراع بين الفكرة الإسلامية والفكرة الغريبة ص8)
ANY ISLAMIC COUNTRY THAT HAS FOLLOWED THIS PATH, REJECTED MODESTY, ALLOWED ALL TYPES OF MIXING, AND ENCOURAGED MIXED EDUCATION, HAS RESULTED IN MORAL AND CARNAL CORRUPTION, AND A REVOLUTION AGAINST ALL MORAL AND RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES.
Imam al-Qastallānī rahimahumullah has written in his commentary of Saheel Al-Bukhari Irshād al-Sārī 10/197,
Book of Trials
AND KNOW THAT THE FREQUENT WITNESSING OF IMPERMISSIBLE ACTS CAN, IN EFFECT, BECOME EQUIVALENT TO COMMITTING THEM IN TERMS OF STRIPPING HEARTS OF THE LIGHT OF DISCERNMENT AND CONDEMNATION. THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN IMMORAL ACTS CONSTANTLY CONFRONT THE HEART AND REPEATEDLY PASS BEFORE THE EYES, THEIR GRAVITY GRADUALLY FADES FROM THE HEART, UNTIL A PERSON VIEWS THEM WITHOUT IT CROSSING HIS MIND THAT THEY ARE WRONG OR THINKING THAT THEY ARE SINS. EXCESSIVE FAMILIARITY WITH THEM, THROUGH REPETITION, HAS MADE THEM SEEM ACCEPTABLE TO THE HEART.
MAY ALLAH TA`ALA LET US SEE THE TRUTH, UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH AND PRACTICE ON THE TRUTH.