Forbidding Adultery in Islam


 Muslim Families, Women in Islam Human Rights, Women Oppression Mai Ahmed

     Adultery or ‘Zina’ means illegal sexual intercourse or sexual intercourse outside the marriage bond. The basic aim of the Islamic Law ‘Sharia’ is to preserve the honor and lineage, which is the reason forbidding adultery in Islam. Moreover, it’s considered a major sin.

Why does Islam forbid sex outside marriage?


     Everything in the world is composed of small units like a house is built with bricks. Likewise, society consists of multiples of a small unit, which is the “Family”. Despite its dislike of divorce, Islam permits it as a necessary remedy when things go wrong. It encourages the preservation of the family because it is the most important institution in human society.

     Sex outside the marriage bond reduces the family into an institution that imposes unnecessary burdens; why should a man fork out money and take on responsibilities when he can have his pleasure in casual relations that are easily terminated, just like one uses and discards a used disposable napkin.

Radical and polarized movements


     Nothing is more detrimental to proper relations on the family institution than the radical and polarized movements that marginalize the other sex. Feminist movements start with a premise that is contrary to the nature of women. They imagine that they help women when they advocate free and unrestricted sex. They call on women to behave exactly like men, regardless of the physiological and psychological differences between the two senses.

This has led to the emergence of a generation that considers the marital relation too restrictive when it is the fundamental bond that promotes social security. This generation asks why should one burden oneself with children and commitments?

The question is: “Where does this lead us?”


     The result is that 16% of world children grow up with only one parent. The figure is even higher in western countries which don’t encourage the continuity of the family. In the United States, the figure goes as high as 35%, which means that over one-third of the children in the most powerful state in the world grow up in an unhealthy family environment. About 80% of such children live in families where the mother is the only parent while their fathers leave to find other women. In Canada, the figure is 22% while it is 21.5% in Britain. (1)

Forbidding Adultery in Islam


Islam describes marriage in intimate terms as the Qur’anic verse says:

And of His signs that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.”    [Qur’an 30-21] (2)

     Islam rejects the culture of free and unrestricted sex which reduces the intimate relationship between husband and wife to something akin to a take away meal. That relation then aims to satisfy a transitory desire instead of being the result of a rational decision to form a life partnership. It becomes subject to a whim of a person who has taken too much drink.

     Court cases of rape show hard debate between those who consider sex under the influence of alcohol by one party as rape of the other and those who consider it a consensus act saying that everyone is responsible for their deeds whether they are drunk or sober. The debate continues even when neither party is drunk, fears contention continues in rape cases. The evidence that courts have to consider in these cases is not different from a situation in which the two parties are in consent. In today’s fast food culture, it’s extremely difficult for a woman to prove that she has not consented; hence, the overwhelming majority of rapists escape punishment, according to statistics the figure is 80-90%.

Protecting Society


     To protect society from all these problems, Islam establishes clear boundaries forbidding all sex outside the marriage bond. The Qur’anic verse says:

And don’t approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way”   [Qur’an 17-32] (3)

     There are various guidelines given in the Qur’an which prevents a person from coming closer to adultery ‘Zina’:

Hijab has been prescribed; women’s bodies should be covered completely. The only parts that can be seen are the face and the hands up to the wrist.


Men and women have to lower their gaze while talking or dealing with each other.


 

     Briefly, Marriage is the only sound relationship between man and woman. If you are interested in more information about “Forbidding Adultery in Islam”, kindly contact our online team.