SHAFAQNA-
he Islamic sexual morality is fundamentally different from that of the Christian Church. This is because of the all-encompassing nature of the Islamic shari’ah. Bertrand Russell says, “Great religious leaders, with the exception of Muhammad -and Confucius, if he can be called religious- have in general been very indifferent to social and political considerations, and have sought rather to perfect the soul by meditation, disciple and self-denial.” Yet, Islam has surely not been indifferent to social problems.
The Islamic sexual morality is also fundamentally different from the new sexual morality in a sense that it does not accept the concept of free sex. Islam aims at teaching its followers not to suppress their sexual urges, rather to fulfill them but in a responsible way. 1. Marriage and Morals, p.175-6.
Islam recognizes the sexual needs of human beings and believes that the natural instincts should be nurtured, not suppressed. Islam say that biological parts of our body have a purpose, they have not been created uselessly. No text in Islam can be found to equate sex with inherent evil or sin; whatever has been taught by the Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad and his Ahlu ‘l-bayt is pointing in opposite direction. What the Qur’an and the authentic sunnah -and I emphasize on authentic- have said about sex and marriage will now be discussed under the following headings: Islam has very highly recommended marriage as a good deed and not as a lesser of two evils; Islam has very strongly opposed celibacy and monasticism; and Islam believes that marriage is not a hindrance in spiritual way-faring, on the contrary it helps the wayfarer.
Adapted from: “Marriage & Morals in Islam” by: “Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi”