Religious Man Tempted by Women

The most important principle on which a
person’s life is based is his faith in Allah and the righteous deeds that
are enjoined upon him. This is the only protection against loss in this
life. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“By Al‑‘Asr (the time).

Verily, man is in loss,

Except those who believe (in Islamic
Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the
truth, and recommend one another to patience.”

[al-‘Asr 103:1-3]

This is also the means of attaining a good
life in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male
or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism)
verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect,
contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward
in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the
Hereafter).”

[al-Nahl 16:97]

But a person’s worship of his Lord should
not be something seasonal or occasional, whereby he obeys his Lord at
certain times or on certain occasions, then after that he does whatever he
wants to or feels like doing. Rather his worship should encompass his whole
life. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Verily, my Salah
(prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of
the al-‘Alameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

He has no partner. And of this I have been
commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.’”

[al-An’am 6:162-163]

Because of this the effects of having faith
and worship should appear in the person’s life and in his behaviour. The
believer cannot be a liar. The adulterer cannot be a believer at the moment
when he is committing adultery. True faith prevents this, and true prayer
keeps a person from committing immoral actions. Allah says (interpretation
of the meaning): 

“Recite (O Muhammad) what has been revealed
to you of the Book (the Quran), and perform As‑Salah (Iqamat‑as‑Salaah).
Verily, As‑Salah (the prayer) prevents from Al‑Fahsha’ (i.e. great sins of
every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al‑Munkar (i.e. disbelief,
polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed) and the remembering
(praising) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed
[than your remembering (praising) of Allah in prayers]. And Allah knows what
you do.”

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:45]

I invite you to join us in a moment of
honesty. Let us study together the hadeeth (narration) reported by Abu
Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that a young man came to
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “O
Messenger of Allah, give me permission to commit zina
(fornication/adultery).”

The people turned to him to rebuke him,
telling him to be quiet. But the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said: “Leave him alone.” Then he came closer to him and
told him to sit down. He said: “Would you like that for your mother?” He
said: “No, by Allah, may Allah make me your ransom.” He said: “No, and the
people do not like it for their mothers either.” Then he said: “Would you
like it for your daughter?” He said: “No, by Allah, may Allah make me your
ransom.” He said: “No, and the people do not like it for their daughters
either.” He said: Would you like it for your sister?” He said: “No, by
Allah, may Allah make me your ransom.” He said: “No, and the people do not
like it for their sisters either.” He said: “Would you like it for your
paternal aunt?” He said: “No, by Allah, may Allah make me your ransom.” He
said: “No, and the people do not like it for their paternal aunts either.”
He said: “Would you like it for your maternal aunt?” He said: “No, by Allah,
may Allah make me your ransom.” He said: “No, and the people do not like it
for their maternal aunts either.”

Then he placed his hand on him and said: “O
Allah, forgive his sins and cleanse his heart, and protect his chastity.”
And after that the young man never thought of any such thing again.

Musnad Ahmad,
21705; al-Albani classed its isnad (chain of transmitters) as saheeh
(authentic) in al-Saheehah, 370.

I ask you during this moment of honesty
before Allah: would you want such a thing for your daughters, or for your
wife? Then you should not want it for someone else’s daughter or wife…

Do not say that the sin that you have
committed did not reach the level of zina (adultery), for the question still
remains: Would you want that for your womenfolk and family members? You know
that whoever approaches the limit will soon transgress it, as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said.

If you are young, then there are other
people who are also young. If you are a man then there are other men among
the people.

If you think that you have any sense of
gheerah (protective jealousy) for your honour and that others do not have
any sense of protective jealousy, then you are mistaken and delusional and
if we assume that you are correct and that is not the case, then what about
the protective jealousy of Allah concerning His sacred limits? At the time
of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there
was an eclipse of the sun, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) led the people in prayer. He stood (in prayer) for a
long time… then he moved away when the eclipse was over and addressed the
people. He praised Allah, then he said: “O ummah (nation) of Muhammad, there
is none more jealous than Allah when His male or female slave commits zina.
O ummah of Muhammad, by Allah, if you knew what I know you would laugh
little and weep much.” Al-Bukhari, 1044; Muslim, 901.

Do you not praise Allah for your wife with
whom you are living a good life? Are you not afraid?

Don’t you realize now that you have not been
fearing Allah, and have not even tried to?

Allah has set the limits of what is
permissible for you: your wife and those whom your right hands possess –
i.e., slaves, for those who had slaves. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And those who guard their chastity (i.e.
private parts, from illegal sexual acts)

Except from their wives or (the slaves) that
their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame;

But whoever seeks beyond that, then those
are the transgressors.”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:5-7]

What more do you want than that? Then you
will be questioned about what you did.

Have you lowered your gaze as Allah
commands?

Have you avoided being alone with women or
entering upon them, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) commanded? 

Have you protected yourself against shaking
hands with women, or touching a woman who is not permissible for you, as the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded?

Don’t you realize now that you have not been
fearing Allah, and have not even tried to?

If you do what Allah and His Messenger have
commanded, and avoid being tempted by women then the pure and permissible
relationship with your wife is sufficient for you.

If you need to, then Allah has permitted you
to marry women of your choice, two or three or four. If you cannot afford to
do that, then you have to fast, and it will be a shield for you.

And Allah knows best.