Sex and Piety in Islam

 Sex and Piety in Islam

A. R. M. Zerruq

THE physical object of marriage is sexual gratification which calls for legalization and discipline. The bodily retention of the sperm can be harmful to human beings unless they find an outlet for it through pure sexual intercourse. The opinion -that Gonorrhea and Syphilis are the “bitter fruits of sexual license,” is proved more often than not. There are also other forms of vice associated with sexual indulgence—sodomy, masturbation and other modes of substitute sexual gratification. All such vices are deprecated for reasons of their demoralizing effects; Indeed, very few refrain from this licentious indulgence of sexuality and those few individuals are deeply religious, and have been schooled in sexual discipline.

For this reason, an education with more emphasis on the ethical values of life becomes a matter of practical importance to the youth. Thus it says in the Quran: “Examine the orphans before they attain the age of marriage": In explanation of this verse, the Commentators express their views that boys and girls should be taught religious and economic principles before they are united in matrimony. They must acquire a knowledge of these principles by instruction and practice.

It is a decided fact that religious education is an essential background to secure oneself against the snares of sex-love. The dramatic life-story of Prophet Yusuf is in itself an evidence of how piety can curb the baser instincts of sex-love? Countless men of spiritual standing have proved this theory by practice. All that one needs is to check—and check always—the motives of sexual desire. We also need to discipline them according to the dictates of our rational soul and not of the animal, We let our passion get out of hand—we court either ignominy or death. It is well to remember that our self-reproaching spirit (Nafs Ammarah) is inclined towards perversity—and at times, it runs riot like an unruly steed—and we need to put all possible restraints on it lest it might enslave us.

Licentious sexuality brings in its train social complications with much damage to personal life and society. One need hardly go too far for evidence when the conditions of people in certain countries bear ample testimony to it. Such countries are now facing the evil consequences of sexual license and are grappling with problems too difficult to be solved.

Sex theme in modern American life is a shining evidence of its upheaval. It has changed the lives of American men and women. The traditional functions of marriage and of family life are fast changing. The tendency of men and women is more towards sexual promiscuity ad illicit relations; a phenomenon though worldwide in scope yet more marked in American life. According to press reports, call girls in America provide a fillip to business enterprise and many girls from all walks of life—secretaries, receptionists, school teachers, models, dancers and the like – take part in this nefarious trade.

License in sexual gratification defeats an important purpose which the institution of marriage seeks to achieve,—a knowledge of parentage. A child born of a licentious woman would find it extremely difficult to be positive about its begetter or its legitimacy. One would possibly argue that such things occur for reasons of poverty; but it is not largely a question of poverty: it is due to a lack of matrimonial sense of discipline, of unselfishness and of the sense of sacredness of marriage relationship.

Barbara Cortland’s book entitled “Love, Life And Sex,” echoes the last dictum of the preceding statement, thus: “In marriage there is not merely the union of man and woman but also the welding together of the potent forces of spirituality with the dynamic powers of natural life.” Hence the idea of Islam that marriage is not a mere pattern of sexual gratification but a mode of devotion. For this reason, piety, that is acts of devotion, essentially become a need of sexual gratification. “Only he is saved who purges his soul of every dross and every evil,” is a Qur’anic principle which no sensible person can trifle with. How can man do better in setting himself against the snares of sex-love than with adequate pre-occupation with devotional acts?

The displaying of posters, containing admonitions such as “Don’t pick up twilight women,” “Don’t visit houses of ill-fame”, and “Save yourself and your family from V.D” are not so much productive of good psychological effects on people as the life of devotion which can be effectual in keeping back men from the evil course. Unlike posters, a life of devotion can practically purge us of our perverse thoughts which operate always within us.

The Islamic Faith teaches practical methods which enable man to suppress his evil desires. The Holy Qur’an, however, admits that prayers and fasting are difficult and exacting in seeking help from God to overcome the power of evil. (52: 45-46). The Holy Book calls it a hard undertaking; but it is the only effective way of opposing the forces of evil, and with every difficulty in this “ Battle against the flesh” there is relief, ease and grace from the Almighty; and one does not feel the strain of it as he gets used to it.

To a Muslim, marriage is not an expression of carnal love devoid of piety—-piety inspired by a holy feeling of love. Our minds seek to purify the baser thoughts by adapting sexual indulgence to the requirements of religious principles which teach men and women purity of sex, decency and kindness. It says, for example, in the Quran thus: “They ask you about women‘s menstrual flux. Say: they are a hurt and filth, so shun them (women) in their (period) of menstrual courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. (2: 222)” The pattern of our sexual behaviour is also governed by spiritual laws.’ They give us the necessary drive to develop our spiritual potentialities and deter us from committing crime or moral treason. Thus inspired with a holy feeling of love we progress spiritually until we attain to a true and perfect knowledge of God and of union with Him. The Faith emphasizes the ‘Unity of God”, and takes love to be a mode of union, that is, a way of adapting to Divine Nature. This idea is clearly expounded by Frithof Schuon in his splendid book entitled “The Transcendent Unity of Religions.” He says, “This ‘nobility’ of sexuality derives from its Divine Prototype, for ‘God is Love’. In Islamic terms one would say ‘God is Unity ’, and that love being a mode of union (Tawhid) is for that reason a way of conforming to the Divine Nature. Love can sanctify the flesh, just as the flesh can debase Love. Islam insists on the first of these truths.” This holy union can trans form carnal love into a heavenly one. This is the greatest object of married life which most of us fail to realize. Indeed for this reason, there is a cry for “more emphasis on spiritual aspects of the sex relationship and less preoccupation with the physical and the mechanical.”

In the recent past, the Research Council into Marriage and Human Relationships, in England, probed into the causes which led to the disruption of marriage. The data which this Council collected are revealing. It reported that the religious enjoyed a greater degree of happiness than the non-religious. According to its survey, 91% of the informants are reported to have stated their married life to be exceptionally happy—and this where husband and wife went to Church—and where neither went, 62% of the informants were less happy. From the facts given above, one may infer that matrimonial relations with devotion are a determinant factor in making married life exceptionally happy. This might sound something novel in the ideas of marriage, but scientific surveys have proved this to be so beyond doubt. This is the object which formed the keynote of life among prophets and sages of all times.