In this article we will continue our discussion regarding The Treatise of Rights by Imam Zayn Al-Abidin (AS). We will discuss the Right of the Hearing. Regarding this, the Imam (AS) has said:

And the right of your private part is that you should protect it from everything that is unlawful for you and help it by lowering your eyes - this is certainly the best way to help it. And you should also remember death often, and threaten yourself with God and try to make yourself fear God. Maintaining one’s decency and receiving help in so doing are possible by God’s help. There is no strength or power but in Him.

What Imam Sajj¡d (AS) means by “protecting your private parts” is covering it from other people’s eyes. Consider the following verse: “And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.” [The Holy Quran Nur 24:31]

Imam Sadiq (AS) said:

“Guarding their modesty” means protecting themselves against fornication in all verses of the Quran in this regard except for the above verse in which it means to protect their private parts from being seen.

Sexual instincts are among the major forces in man to derive pleasure in life. These strong instincts attract men and women towards each other. The love they have for each other makes them work hard to unite with one another. That is why sex and marriage have always been a hot topic of discussion in all religious or scientific gatherings. There have been many theories related to this issue. Some of these theories are extreme while others are normal.

Those who believe in sexual freedom including the followers of Freud have adopted an extreme theory. Freud whose ideas are based on sex has extended out of the domain of influence of sexual instincts to affect many other natural instincts that are in reality very independent of sex.

He considers this instinct to be the main foundation of human culture and civilization. Freud thinks that seeking sexual pleasure and fulfillment is not limited to adulthood and exists throughout our lifetime. He considers a baby’s sucking of the mother’s breast to be sexually motivated and pleasing. Freud bases his psychological theories on sexual failures. He thinks that when sexual desires are not fulfilled due to social restrictions, they are forced into the subconscious where they lend themselves to severe stress and psychological illnesses. Freud believes that all the various forms of psychological problems are rooted in the sexual instinct. Thus, a psychoanalyst must become very aware of the person’s experiences in order to treat him. Freud’s opponents disagree with his idea that sexual instincts are the root of all psychological illnesses. Freud’s mistake lies in his considering unusual sexual emotions to be the source of nervous or psychological illnesses. He fails to consider the person’s social, economic, or material environment. For example, when a simple worker has psychological problems due to lack of income, poverty and hunger, his illness is not rooted in sex. To treat him we must provide him with better work opportunities, not satiate him sexually!

The followers of the Church, some religions, some philosophers and some teachers of ethics have considered sex to be an animal act and have called it filthy. By going to the other extreme, they have totally abandoned sex. Saint Jerome always used to say: “Let us chop-off the tree of marriage by celibacy.” In the Church, we see great scholars like Paules who was one of the heads of the Church. He never married and advised all men and women not to marry. In his first treatise addressed to Qarantian we read: “About what you wrote to me, it is better for men not to touch women. However, in order to avoid fornication, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his wife’s rights. The wife should fulfill the husband’s rights. I wish all men were like me, but each person has a divinely given gift. Some are this way. Others are that way. Thus, I tell those who are single, and the widowed women that it is best for them to remain like me. But if they cannot restrain themselves, it is better for them to marry since it is better to marry than burn in the Fire of Hell.”

Islam condemns both extremist views. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) has considered going to either extreme to be out of ignorance. He said: “The ignorant is always going to either extreme.” Taking a moderate stance regarding sexual instincts is liked by Allah and is according to the nature of our creation. In the moderate method, sexual instincts are neither let loose, nor are they totally abandoned. The law and social ethics support the fulfillment of this natural instinct in a moderate degree, and the means for its proper fulfillment are provided. In the method that is supported by God’s Prophets, people are instructed that Allah has encouraged people to get married. On the other hand, any form of sexual deviation or being loose is seriously fought with, and human societies are advised against these things.

The Almighty Allah has expressed one of the main characteristics of believing men or women in the following verse: “Who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess, - for (in their case) they are free from blame: But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors.” [The Holy Quran Muminun 23:5-7]

Islam has ordered its followers to get married since sexual instincts are the most difficult to control. Islam has ordered us to make love with our legal wives. This implies both permanent and temporary wives. There is also a mention of the misconception by the Christians who considered any sexual contact to be wrong, and went so far that the Catholic priests and the nuns did not marry all their life long and considered marriage to be contrary to their spiritual position. The Noble Prophet of Islam (PBUH) has paid attention to sexual instincts in his teachings and has instructed his followers not to follow celibacy. Allah’s Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever likes my nature should follow my traditions. One of my traditions is marriage.”

Allah’s Prophet (PBUH) said: “O’ Young people! Any of you who have the means to marry should do so since this is the best way to protect your eyes from corrupt and treacherous looks, and guard the sex organs from sin and immodesty. Whoever does not have the means to get married should fast since fasting can reduce lust.”

Islam encourages its followers to establish a family and considers the family to be the most beautiful thing in the sight of God. The Noble Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said: “There is no establishment dearer to God the Almighty than marriage.” Therefore, we must speed up the establishment of marriage. Imam Sadiq (AS) narrated that once the Prophet (PBUH) climbed up on the pulpit and after praising God said:

“O’ People! Gabriel came to me from the threshold of God and said: Virgin girls are like the fruits on a tree. When they get ripe, they should be picked up. Else, they will be spoiled due to exposure to the rays of the sun, and they will be scattered about due to the blowing of the wind. When girls mature and feel sexual inclinations, there is no cure for them but a husband. If they do not get married, they are not secure from corruption since they are people and are not immune from making mistakes.”

The Holy Quran has considered the chastity of men and women and has said: “They are your garments and ye are their garments.” [The Holy Quran Baqarah 2:187]

Our garments cover up our sex organs and protect us against many bad conditions such as heat, cold and bad weather. Marriage will help us stay clean and pure.

The Noble Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Whoever likes to meet God in a clean and pure state should protect his chastity by means of marriage.”

Those who have the means to get married and establish a family in order to save the Muslims from committing sins should do so. Islam blames those who do not do so for various reasons.

We read that Imam Ridha (AS) narrated that a woman told Imam Baqir (AS): “I am a Mutabattil.” Imam Baqir (AS) asked: “What do you mean by that?” She said: “I intend to never get married.” I am Baqir (AS) asked: “Why?” She said: “In order to attain nobility.” Then Imam Baqir (AS) said: “Forget it. If there was any nobility in not getting married, the Blessed Fatima Zahra (AS) would be more suitable to have recognized this nobility, and there is no one who can supercede her in nobility.” From these traditions, we realize that the leaders in Islam have advised men and women against celibacy so that they remain chaste.

Those who do not establish a family may commit adultery and fall into disaster. The Holy Quran considers adultery to be an evil deed and says: “Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).” [The Holy Quran Bani Israil 17:32]

This short verse stresses three important points:

1) The verse does not state: “Do not commit adultery.” Rather it says do not even approach this wicked deed. This verse shows that although adultery is a very bad deed, there are some other deeds that might ultimately lead to it. Acts like flirting, looking, nudity, not wearing the veil, reading dirty books, viewing pornography, and going to centers of corruption or being in a private place with another person of the opposite sex are all preparatory actions which might lead to adultery.

2) This verse clearly expresses the extreme degree of wickedness of adultery.

3) This verse states that adultery will also pave the way for other forms of corruption in the society.

The first problem with adultery is that it will lead to social disorder. The relationship of the father and children will become unclear. This clear father-child relationship will provide life-long support for the children. Adultery will eliminate this order. Let us think for one moment that adultery is permitted in the whole world and marriage is abolished. In such a world, none of the children born will be supported. There is also no love for these children - the love that is so critical in the raising of people who will not be criminals later. Then the whole world will turn into a big zoo where all forms of violence prevail.

Adultery is also a cause of the personal and social struggles between those who run the centers of corruption. The detailed account of what goes on in massage parlors and sex homes shows that many other crimes are committed where adultery is practiced.

It has been proven by theory and in practice that adultery leads to many contagious sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) many of which are life-threatening.

Adultery is usually followed by abortion since the women who commited adultery never wishes to keep the baby. They even think it will be an obstacle to their future practice of adultery.

We should not forget that the purpose behind marriage is not satiating our sexual instincts. Rather cooperating in the establishment of a joint life, the achievement of peace of mind, having a companion, raising children and cooperation in many social affairs are also major goals in marriage. These are not possible unless men and women are dedicated to each other through marriage and adultery is forbidden.

Imam Sajj¡d (MGB) has expressed ways to remain chaste. The first thing to do is not view forbidden scenes. The second way is to remember death a lot. Now let us look at the following verse: “And the stupor of death will bring Truth (before his eyes): This was the thing which thou wast trying to escape!” [The Holy Quran Qaf 50:19]

Death is like a state of being drunk. One will get so anxious when he realizes that he is going to be transferred from this world into the other world. He might even lose his mind realizing that he has to cut off all ties with this world with which he is used to, and he will enter a new world. Then he will be covered with fear, and experience a feeling similar to being drunk.