Islam has set restraints that govern Muslims’ sexual relations. It forbids any extramarital sexual affairs. These affairs represent obscenity. They smear man’s purity and tarnish his soul. They derail him from the straight path. This contradicts man’s interest in life.
Limits of Sexual Relations
Allah did not want man to live his sexual instincts chaotically. He should not instantly respond to every incidental state. Allah wanted man to live his sexual instincts as part of deep human relations. He would then experience serenity, stability, and tranquility. This integrates materialism with spirituality. It achieves a balanced order that governs his relations. He satiates his sexual needs in a calm and stable ambience. This ambience is flourished with love and mercy. A small society forms from this spiritual and physical relation. Marriage and parenthood come together to form a family. The family provides love, kindness, and affection for human bonding. It also determines each one’s responsibility. Each person plays his role in life. The family is the first tutor. It teaches how to shoulder general responsibilities. This is after training in the private realm.
Extramarital affairs represent obscenity which smears man’s purity.
Marriage in Islam is not a mere partnership. It is not just a contractual life. It is the unity of a joint spiritual and materialistic life. Allah expressed this in the verse: "They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them." Surah Al-Baqarah (2:187). This is the basis Islam wanted for social relations. He made the sexual craving in men and women a force. This force propels them to communicate and know each other more. It leads them to seal the relation with a sacred bond. Thus, he satiates both his yearning and his desires. He leads a sweet, soft, and open life. In this way, the sexual need is no longer subjected to the moment's demands. It turns into a movement in life that embodies affection and great responsibilities. The sexual instinct is no longer man’s primary concern. It turns into a mere natural need. It is like other natural needs that exist within the circle of responsibilities. The state of fantasy ceases to exist. It paves the way for a realistic psychological conception of the instinct’s call.
It is mentioned in Nahjul Balaghah that Imam Ali (a.s.) was sitting with his companions. They gazed at a beautiful woman as she passed by. The Imam said: "The eyes of these men are covetous and this glancing is the cause of their becoming covetous. Whenever anyone of you sees a woman who attracts him, he should meet his wife because she is a woman like his wife." With this saying, the Imam implied that sex is a natural need. Man should perform it within the legitimate sphere of marriage. It should be away from the fantasies that could arouse him.
How Islam Regards Adultery and Marriage
In light of the aforementioned, adultery represents a deviation from the straight path. It satisfies sexual desires outside the sphere of marriage. It creates negative ambiences that destabilize man’s emotions. It disrupts his general conditions. It creates many psychological complexes. He stands perplexed between his need to satiate his desires and his need for stability. Moreover, it leads to the mixing of lineage. It destroys families after losing emotional solidarity and spiritual blessings. Family members lose the intimate ambiences of spiritual unity. This unity is based on solidarity, compassion, and a sense of responsibility. It is a unity of course towards the future through cooperation on fixed bases.
Marriage is the only way for satiating one’s sexual desires in Islam. It might entail certain emotional disadvantages. It could have life restraints at the level of the individual and society. It could lead to complicated problems in the couple’s life. However, when we study the positive results of marriage throughout history, we notice a comprehensive human system. This system maintained balance, stability, and tranquility in man’s life. This is despite differing situations, legislations, and traditions. Although marriage throughout history might have inflicted injustice, it produced a system. This system governs family human relations in their various forms of unity. It founded a dynamic live model for other relations in the wider social circle. If the individual got used to shouldering his responsibilities in private, he would continue to do so in his wider general life.
Although adultery might have some positive aspects, its negative results are limitless. It could create many problems and complexes. It causes emotional deprivation and spiritual anxiety. This is especially true for the woman. She naturally yearns for emotional and physical stability. She might lose her picture as a human. In man’s fantasy, she becomes a means to satiate his whims. This is away from her human characteristics. She is a human who thinks, works, and takes part in building life.
If we make a comparison, we find that the advantages of marriage far exceed the advantages of adultery. The disadvantages of adultery surpass those of marriage. Thus, if man cannot reach a flawless system, he should choose the system whose benefits surpass its damages. His life would then take the straight path towards integration, balance, and righteousness.
Islam has set restraints that govern Muslims’ sexual relations. It forbids any extramarital sexual affairs. These affairs represent obscenity. They smear man’s purity and tarnish his soul. They derail him from the straight path. This contradicts man’s interest in life.
Limits of Sexual Relations
Allah did not want man to live his sexual instincts chaotically. He should not instantly respond to every incidental state. Allah wanted man to live his sexual instincts as part of deep human relations. He would then experience serenity, stability, and tranquility. This integrates materialism with spirituality. It achieves a balanced order that governs his relations. He satiates his sexual needs in a calm and stable ambience. This ambience is flourished with love and mercy. A small society forms from this spiritual and physical relation. Marriage and parenthood come together to form a family. The family provides love, kindness, and affection for human bonding. It also determines each one’s responsibility. Each person plays his role in life. The family is the first tutor. It teaches how to shoulder general responsibilities. This is after training in the private realm.
Extramarital affairs represent obscenity which smears man’s purity.
Marriage in Islam is not a mere partnership. It is not just a contractual life. It is the unity of a joint spiritual and materialistic life. Allah expressed this in the verse: "They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them." Surah Al-Baqarah (2:187). This is the basis Islam wanted for social relations. He made the sexual craving in men and women a force. This force propels them to communicate and know each other more. It leads them to seal the relation with a sacred bond. Thus, he satiates both his yearning and his desires. He leads a sweet, soft, and open life. In this way, the sexual need is no longer subjected to the moment's demands. It turns into a movement in life that embodies affection and great responsibilities. The sexual instinct is no longer man’s primary concern. It turns into a mere natural need. It is like other natural needs that exist within the circle of responsibilities. The state of fantasy ceases to exist. It paves the way for a realistic psychological conception of the instinct’s call.
It is mentioned in Nahjul Balaghah that Imam Ali (a.s.) was sitting with his companions. They gazed at a beautiful woman as she passed by. The Imam said: "The eyes of these men are covetous and this glancing is the cause of their becoming covetous. Whenever anyone of you sees a woman who attracts him, he should meet his wife because she is a woman like his wife." With this saying, the Imam implied that sex is a natural need. Man should perform it within the legitimate sphere of marriage. It should be away from the fantasies that could arouse him.
How Islam Regards Adultery and Marriage
In light of the aforementioned, adultery represents a deviation from the straight path. It satisfies sexual desires outside the sphere of marriage. It creates negative ambiences that destabilize man’s emotions. It disrupts his general conditions. It creates many psychological complexes. He stands perplexed between his need to satiate his desires and his need for stability. Moreover, it leads to the mixing of lineage. It destroys families after losing emotional solidarity and spiritual blessings. Family members lose the intimate ambiences of spiritual unity. This unity is based on solidarity, compassion, and a sense of responsibility. It is a unity of course towards the future through cooperation on fixed bases.
Marriage is the only way for satiating one’s sexual desires in Islam. It might entail certain emotional disadvantages. It could have life restraints at the level of the individual and society. It could lead to complicated problems in the couple’s life. However, when we study the positive results of marriage throughout history, we notice a comprehensive human system. This system maintained balance, stability, and tranquility in man’s life. This is despite differing situations, legislations, and traditions. Although marriage throughout history might have inflicted injustice, it produced a system. This system governs family human relations in their various forms of unity. It founded a dynamic live model for other relations in the wider social circle. If the individual got used to shouldering his responsibilities in private, he would continue to do so in his wider general life.
Although adultery might have some positive aspects, its negative results are limitless. It could create many problems and complexes. It causes emotional deprivation and spiritual anxiety. This is especially true for the woman. She naturally yearns for emotional and physical stability. She might lose her picture as a human. In man’s fantasy, she becomes a means to satiate his whims. This is away from her human characteristics. She is a human who thinks, works, and takes part in building life.
If we make a comparison, we find that the advantages of marriage far exceed the advantages of adultery. The disadvantages of adultery surpass those of marriage. Thus, if man cannot reach a flawless system, he should choose the system whose benefits surpass its damages. His life would then take the straight path towards integration, balance, and righteousness.