It is not surprising that all the revealed religions have prohibited fornication and adultery (zina) and have fought against these crimes against society. Islam, the last of the divinely revealed religions, is very strict in prohibiting zina, for it leads to confusion of lineage, child abuse, the breaking-up of families, bitterness in relationships, the spread of venerable diseases, and general laxity in morals, moreover, it opens the door to a flood of lusts and self-gratifications. Assuredly, the command of Allah,” And do not come near Zina; indeed, it is an abomination and an evil way,” (17: 32), is just and true.
As we know, when Islam prohibits something, it closes all the avenues of approach to it. This is achieved by prohibiting every step and means leading to the haram. Accordingly, whatever excites passions, opens ways for illicit sexual relations between a man and a woman, and promotes indecency and obscenity, is haram.
Khulwah (Privacy)
Islam prohibits khulwah between a man and a woman who are outside the degree of a mahram relationship. The reason for this is not a lack of trust in one or both of them; it is rather to protect them from wrong thoughts and sexual feelings that naturally arise within a man and a woman when they are alone together without the fear of intrusion by a third person.
The Prophet (SAW) said:” Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must never be in privacy with a woman without there being a mahram (of hers) with her, for otherwise Satan will be the third person (with them).” (Imam Ahmad).
Allah (SWT) tells the companions of the Prophet (SAW),” And when you ask the (the Prophet’s wives) for anything, ask them from behind a curtain; that is purer for your hearts and their hearts.” (33: 35)
In explaining this verse, Imam Al-Qurtubi says,” This means such thoughts as occur to men regarding women and to women regarding men. This will remove any possibility of suspicion and accusation and will protect (their) honor. This command implies that no one should trust himself to be in privacy with a non-mahram woman; avoiding such situations is better for one’s purity of heart, strength of soul, and perfection of virtue.” (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi)
The Prophet (SAW) particularly warned women concerning khulwah with male-in-laws such as the husband’s brother or cousin, since people are quite negligent in this regard, sometimes with disastrous consequences. A relative has easier access than a stranger to a woman’s quarters, something concerning which no one would question him. The same is true of the wife’s non-mahram relatives, and it is prohibited for any of them to be in khalwah with her.
The Prophet (SAW) said:” Beware of entering where women are.” A man from Ansar asked:” O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-law?” He replied:” The in-law is death.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
He meant that there are inherent dangers and even destruction in such privacy: religion is destroyed if they sin; the wife is ruined if her husband divorces her out of jealousy; and social relationships are torn apart if relatives become suspicious of each other.
The danger lies not merely in the possibility of sexual temptation. It is even greater the possibility of gossiping about what is private and personal between the husband and wife by those who cannot keep secrets to themselves and relish talking about others; such talk has ruined many a marriage and destroyed many a home.
In explaining the meaning of “The in-law is death” Ibn Al-Atheer says,” It is an Arabic figure of speech like, the lion is death or the king is fire, which means that meeting a lion is similar to facing death and a confrontation with the king is like being in the fire. Thus privacy between an in-law and a woman is far more dangerous than in the case of a stranger because he might persuade her to do things against her husband’s wishes, such as asking him for things he cannot afford, nagging him, and the like.”
Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qardhawai
