Living in a society in which people have accepted western lifestyle as their own way of life brings immorality at every step. It is a society where the forbidden is easy and the righteous is made difficuilt. Modesty, shame and honour seem to have no place in western civilisation. Today, Muslims too are increasingly banishing their modesty of which Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Modesty is part of Iman.”
Many Muslims who are so called ‘religious’ are also the victims of immoral acts and the evils of this immodest society, i.e. alcohol, drugs, adultery, fornication, etc. A Muslim should realise that these acts bring the displeasure of Almighty Allah and their consequences are severe in this world and in the next.
One of the most common of these evils is adultery and fornication. The committing of adultery is from the category of major sins. The Shari’ah not only prohibits the ultimate evil of adultery, but all means leading to this evil act. Allah ta’ala says in the glorious Qur’an: “Do not come near to adultery, indeed it is a shameful deed and an evil way.” (17:32)
This verse is an eloquent expression of the prohibition of the ways and acts which are introductory to adultery. Thus adultery as well as all the approaches to it are forbidden. A Hadith on this says: “The adultery of the eyes is evil looks. The adultery of the feet is to walk towards the sin. The adultery of the tongue is lustful talk. The adultery of the heart is the evil desire and in the end the sexual organs testify all this or deny it.”
The Qura’n condemns this evil act which ruins families, destroys household peace, breaks friendship and strikes at the root of pure and pious living, and also prescribes exemplary punishment for it. Allah ta’ala says: “The women and man guilty of fornication, flog each of them with a hundred lashes: let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the believers witness their punishment.” (24:2)
In another verse Allah ta’ala says: “ Those (are the servants of the Most Gracious Allah) who invoke not, with Allah, any other god; nor take the life which Allah has forbidden except for just cause; nor commit adultery; and whoso does this, shall meet the punishment. The punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will dwell therein disdained forever.” (25:68-69)
The punishment for these acts are also severe during this life, Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: “When an unmarried male commits adultery with an unmarried female they should receive one hundred lashes and excile for one year, and in case of married male committing adultery with a married female, they should be stoned to death.”
In another Hadith Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: “When a person commits adultery, Iman comes out from him and it stays like an umbrella over his head; and when he stops committing adultery, iman returns to him.”
The great mufassir Ata Ibne Abi Rabah under the tafseer of the verse, “It (Hell) has seven doors…”, states: “The most severe of these doors, from the point of grief, heat, punishment and bad smell, is for those people who committed adultery after having knowledge (of it being a sin and haram).
There are many effects and consequences of these acts, Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: “Avoid adultery/fornication, for it has six effects; of these three are experienced in this world and the other three in the hereafter. The three experienced in this world are:
The three experienced in the hereafter are:
The aforementioned verses and the Hadith of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam are explicitly clear that this evil act of adultery/fornication is harmful both in this world and the everlasting life hereafter. We are living in a society where temptations dominate every individual, and the protection from such temptations is taqwa, and taqwa is aquired through obedience to Allah and His Rasool sallallahu alayhi wasallam. A person who obeys Allah and controls his/her desires, will be deserving of the following promise made by Allah’s truthful messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam: “Whosoever gives me the guarantee of safeguarding his tongue and his private parts, I give him the guarantee of Paradise.”
My dear brothers, sisters and others interested in Islam, there is a saying in Arabic, ‘Youth is a branch of insanity.’ This is a very crucial and critical stage of a growing child, who may be attracted to many evils leading in different directions. A person who fights temptations of youth and fulfills the Commands of Allah, he will be protected under the shade of Allah’s Throne on the Day of Qiyamah. As a final point I tell you the following that Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: “Allah will shelter seven (categories of) people under His Shade. (They are:) a just ruler; a young man who passed his youth in the worship and service of Allah – the Lord of honour and glory; one whose heart is perpetually attached to the masjid; two such persons who loved each other for the sake of Allah, they joined together for His Sake and parted for His Sake; a man who is invited (for sin) by a beautiful women of a high status (and he declined), saying: I fear Allah; one who spent in charity in a secret way (without making a show), so that his left hand did not know what his right hand spent; and one who remembered Allah in solitude and tears flowed from his eyes.”
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has prescribed a remedy for those who are concerned and wish to abstain from this heinous crime. He said: “O group of youths, whosoever amongst you has the means of getting married, should do so because it lowers the gaze and protects the private parts; and whosoever does not have the ability, should fast, for indeed, it is a protection for him.”
May Allah ta'ala safeguard us from all evils, give us the ability to obey His Commands, and resurrect us on the Day of Judgement amongst the followers of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam under His Throne. Ameen.
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