God Made Me Do It

From: ON FAITH Newsweek.

By Pamela K. Taylor.

With the modern Muslim fixation on the evil of sexual permissiveness, it would be reasonable to assume that Islam frowns on sex. Prophet Muhammad, however, taught that sex within marriage is an act of worship.
Perhaps even more astonishing, he instructed Muslim men that they should not lay with their wives as though they were animals, but to begin with kisses and caressing, to ensure the woman's pleasure.
Thus, it's not just sex for procreation, or sex to relieve masculine needs, but sex as pleasure and intimacy between two human beings that can be holy.
This view of sex, pleasure, intimacy and love reflects Islam's understanding of human nature. The Qur'an affirms that everything in creation is made in pairs. Heaven and Earth. Salt water and fresh water. Male and Female. Having a mate is part and parcel of being a created creature. God alone is single. God alone is complete with no need of any partner. Sex, then, is the manifestation and fulfillment of the essence of humankind as created beings.
Further, the Qur'an tells us that God created mankind with certain innate qualities -- a yearning toward the Divine, the ability to recognize right and wrong, and the inclination toward virtue, including love and mercy which are two of God's greatest characteristics. Sex, as an expression of that love and mercy, is not only according to human nature, but a Godly act in as much as God is Loving and Merciful.
As for the Prophet's insistence that the woman's pleasure is as important as the man's, this again echoes the Qur'anic view of human beings. While many Muslims today talk about the different and complementary roles men and women play in society and in marriage, the Qur'an makes no such distinction. Indeed, it doesn't even have separate words for husband and wife; rather both are called "zauj." They are, quite literally, equal partners to one another. Small wonder, then, that the Prophet would teach that women's enjoyment deserves as much consideration as men's.
On a more personal level, I am struck that this affirmation of sex tells us something interesting about God as understood by Islam. On the one hand, the Prophet taught us that the highest achievement a believer can strive for is the constant awareness of God. And yet, at the same time, Islam frowns on monasticism, and on abstinence, and encourages this act which pretty much guarantees our focus will be somewhere else. God, then, is not petty, or jealous. Nor does God expect perfection, only a sincere attempt at goodness.
(Those interested in references from the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad's sayings can visit this post at my personal blog).

Blogger Comment:

1- God had created us and knows all our ins and outs.
2- One of the most important in human sociology, psychology, health.... is sex. He did not let it go without guiding us to what is right.
3- He clearly indicated in the Quran that sex is a normal human need. He did not impose celibacy in any one and he indicated it is not kept its righteousness for those who imposed on themselves. No doubt some are holy and many are struggling.
4- Sex for God is an important part for family integrity and it reflects many times on other virtues of human.
5- Sex between a husband and wife as prophet Muhammad indicated is an act of worship.
6- Women enjoyment is not only allowed but persuaded and asked for by God.
7- Sexual corruption usually precedes decay and fall of civilizations and God wrath as indicated in the Bible and Quran.
8- Although God wants us to be honest all the time, for sexual sins he do not want us to talk about any one sex life and for sexual sins to be covered. Sexual sin is between the person who sinned, his God and people involved. The wisdom behind that is to allow sinners a new life and integrity and if people would feel that sins are the common norm sexual corruption will spread and take us all down.
9- One of the ten commandments of God is not to commit adultery. As sons and daughters of Adam if we conspire and fight his commandments he would pull out his mercy and he will let us test his wrath.
10- The Sharia of Islam made it very difficult to persecute adultery and in fact protected sinners and gave them chance to repent and change the direction of their lives.
11- God likes us to be polite we can talk about sex in public in religious, social and health terms. Meanwhile it is not allowed in public in other ways as part of abuse, excitement and what is like.