Sexual Revolution

"Have you seen such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire?  God has, knowing him (as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (understanding) and put a haze on his sight.  Who then will guide him after God?  Will you not hen receive admonition?  And they say: What is thee but our life.  We (some of us) die and we (some of us) live and nothing but time can destroy us.  But of that they have no knowledge...they merely conjecture."     (45:23-24)
           
The sexual revolution as witnessed today, started earlier than many writers report. The Time Magazine (April 9, 1984 p 76) claims that the sexual revolution had been borne in the mid sixties, the product of affluence, demographics and the pill. In a society putting a great influence on individuality, self-fulfillment converted every sexual whim into a need and hence a right. Patterns of behaviour that had been condemned over history until the near past, were nicknamed "alternative life styles" ...and as long as they entailed self fulfillment for those attracted to them, society had to accommodate them and they aquired legitimacy.

The origins of the sexual revolution started much earlier, and in close association with atheism and 'microtheism', a term we will shortly explain. As Destoevsky said 'without God everything is permissible' . Nor was the sexual revolution a spontaneous autonomous change as the Time simplistically figures. As we analytically follow the events; since the turn of the century until now, one can see a logic sequence leading up to the present state. The early touches of the brush of the painter meant nothing to the onlooker and gave no clue as to the final product. Every successive stroke did not mean much to the casual passer by who glimsed and went on his way. The few perhaps could make some projection as to what the colours and the lines would eventually be, but the majority never could.  It is only in retrospect that they can have the story, and only if someone takes the trouble to tell them.

God always had His enemies. Most of the time they could justify for themselves their negative attitude towards him. They just missed one crucial fact: what they really confronted was not God, but someone claiming to speak on His behalf without necessarily reflecting His views. The major event in European history was the rebellion against the Church of the middle ages, a rebellion that had no difficulty in justifying its cause. After Christ the christians lived under oppression and wronging, in the fashion of a secret movement that lived, worshipped and operated underground, communicating amongst themselves with ciphers and symbols. An accident of history reversed the situation. As a young man, Constantine was leading Roman armies in battle in north Europe. When his father died, it was his right to replace him in the seven man council that ruled over Rome, but he received news that the junta were plotting to exclude him. Returning with his army to fight for his right, he came across a Christian stone bearing the figure of a fish and the words' , Under this you have victory' , . For the good omen, he pledged to support that religion if he won the battle, which he did. Constantine became Emporer and recognized Christianity as an acknowledged religion in 319 AD. Coming overground and enjoying safety and security, Christianity, however, suffered the revival of old doctrinal divisions and witnessed bitter disputes between various sects that were thought to have been settled a long time before. The Emperor, guided mainly by political expediency, sided with one group against the other, and the creed of 'Trinity' was decreed in the Congress of Nicea in 325 AD. The following episode of history saw a tremendous expansion of the authority of the Church, to have its wings spread over-practically- all aspects of human life. The overreaction to previous years of opression entailed an upheaval of emotionalism that the Church fostered and utilized. Power is an intoxicant to which the Church was not immune. Healing the sick belonged in the realm of faith and not of medicine. Indeed medicine was branded as a godless science as it was alledged to interfere with the will of God. Father Gregory of Tours accused with heresy any patier:. who sought the physician's advice, and yet he prescribed a pinch of dust from the shrine of St. Martin as a cure for dysentry and licking its rails for inflammation of the tongue. The endorsement by the Church of healing by faith made the climate ready for the resort again to mystic methods of therapy such as hand-laying, the use of amulets and exorcism, and the field was fertile for charlatans to flourish to the exclusion of real doctors. Patron saints were declared as healers of organs that were traumatised during their martyrdom. St. Agatha's breasts had been amputated with huge tongs and so she was announced patron healer for women with breast cancer. St. Erasmus was speared in the abdomen and was made faith-healer of abdominal conditions; and so on. When Servitus assumed the earlier writings of Ibn al-Nafis about the pulmonary circulation and published them under his name (long before William Harvey), he was burnt on the stake with his writings for the heresy of deviating from Galen's views one thousand years earlier, but whose teachings were protected by the Church for stating that the body was the vehicle of the Spirit, and that after death only the body perishes. The picture concerning medicine was no different from other disciplines of science, and the 'Trial of Galileo' is household knowledge.

It was the interaction with Islam that shook Europe out of the dark ages. The first word of the Quran to be revealed was "Read" and Islam made the pursuit of knowledge a religious dictate.

"Say: Are they equal those who know and those who do not know'?" (39:9)

"Soon We will show them Our signs in the (furthest) regions (of earth) and in their own selves. until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth." (41:53)

"Those who truly tear God, amongst His servants, are those who have knowledge." (35:28)

The prophet taught:

"The pursuit of knowledge is a (religious) duty on all Muslims."

The ink of scholars is equal to the blood of martyrs.

What we know now as 'scientific research' was referred to as "the discovery of God's tradition in His creation" and was a chapter of worship. The West encountered-in war and peace the expanding Islamic civilization, and received its earliest lesson in academic freedom, and as there is no clergy in Islam that no one is to censor thought or to intercede between Man and God. The earliest schools, libraries, universities and teaching staff relied entirely on Islamic sources. Students learned Arabic to seek education, and as the Islamic era started eclipsing a huge translation movement took place, and when the printing press was invented in Holland about eighty percent of its output was knowledge translated from Arabic. That was how Europe escaped the dark ages and started the renaissance. Justice and honesty should have dictated that the current civilization be appropriately called "The Islamo Christian Civilization"

But during the process Europe had to liberate itself from the grip of the Church. It was inevitable that knowledge would overcome ignorance and light overcome darkness. Unfortunately Europe did not only depose the Church, but also that the Church stood for: God Himself! With the progress of sciencc and the miraculous accomplishments of science and technology, and with the fading of the image of God, the stage was set in favour of a replacive ideology: science worship and the deitification of the human mind. Microtheism was born and still engulfs most of the West. the minimization of the role of God. He exists and may be visited at church every sunday but He should never step out into our world and interferc with our personal lives, social behaviour, individual freedoms, civil rights and indeed our economic, political or military affairs. This ideology reigned and still does. In 1966 the Time Magazine posed the question: "Is God dead" and three years later reported: 'The new ministry: Bringing God back to life' (26 December 1969, p 40).

Whoever was planning for total chaos, took a deceptive detour around the unsuspecting masses who still clung to religious morals, and an ideology made its appearance between the two world wars under the slogan: 'Morality without religion' .The very values religion endorsed were recommended, but not necessarily through religion, seeing that the different religious affiliations were over history the causes of prejudice and conflict. The hidden intent of course was to lure the masses through respecting their values-into accepting anQther arbiter than their faith. Once the authority of religion was cast aside, tampering with the values then becomes an easy matter.

Religion was dealt another blow with the rise of communism in Russia. The extensive corruption of both church and throne leading to extensive misery and bitterness in the nation, paved the way to the communist take over and the dictatorship of an ideology that denies God altogether and hence religion, and hinged human destiny to a purely materialistic approach with hardly any room for values. Atheism is the official religion: and whereas communism per se meets with resistance in the West, atheism does not. An important product thereof is the movement of secular humanism, maintaining that human values should be made by humans, without heed or need of any supernatural reference.

One tactic of fighting against God is to put disobedience of His injunctions into more and wider application. With 'mind' acting God, human suggestibility was utilized to influence it. The sphere of sex is quite attractive and seductive, for sex is perhaps the most pleasurable human physical experience.  Old values become taboo, and when Freud warned against repressed sexualse of communism in Russia. The extensive corruption of both church and throne leading to extensive misery and bitterness in the nation, paved the way to the communist take over and the dictatorship of an ideology that denies God altogether and hence religion, and hinged human destiny to a purely materialistic approach with hardly any roal, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The vehicle of the woman's emancipation movement was made to carry an extra passenger... and to the call to equalise women with men in political and economic rights, was added the call to justice and equality, for since man was free to practise sex without social stigmatization, woman should enjoy the same rights.  Whereas male sexing was not inhibited with the fear of an unwanted pregnancy, the search for a reliable contraceptive was spurred up, and the discovery of the pill was supported by a substantial donation from Mary Sanger.  Extramarital sex became more and more socially accepted.   This would have not been that tragic if the values were kept intact but merely disobeyed.  What was immoral a short while before became normal and even commendable.  Worse still, that time honoured bastion of religion, the Church, cracked down as many churches denounced sexual exploitation, blessed sex in marriage, but rejected the idea of continence before mariage or that of strict fidelity within it.   It permissible in certain cases between two consenting adults as a total encounter (Time, 28 October, 1966, p 38).  The report urged the provision of young girls with contraceptives and called for more relaxation in abortion legislation, which was in fact forthcoming in one year's time.

Western democracy is great.  Had the early Islamic nation escaped falling into the grips of dictatorship, it would have in all probability devised the same or a very similar formula  for the choice of government and the transfer of authority from hand to hand by the free will of the nation and with neither coup nor blood shed.   This would have been the perfectly Islamic formula.  A vital difference from western democracy, however, would be the lack of a constant yardstick in the latter.   Islamic democracy would operate within Islam.  Western democracy operated without a frame, and whoever can muster enough following can outvote God himself...as is indeed happening.

With the compromise of many churches, the place of moral leadership became vacant or even occupied by the immoral.  The church became follower and not leader, and whatever the people wanted was automatically sanctioned by the Church.

The fruits of sexual license in the West were quite discordant with the doctrine of justice and equality that justified it in the first place. In our view, a relation between two people the sequelae of which is not equally shared by both, cannot be regarded.asjust. As a gynaecologist with a history of practice in the West, I am in a position to see the other side of the coin, which spells a definite exploitation, injustice and discrimination against woman. If the outcome of an affair is just to desert her she is the looser . If she gets pregnant and secures abortion she is the looser. If she ends up with a fatherless baby she is the looser and if she gives her baby away for adoption she is the looser. In the clatter and glammer of the affluent western society. it is clear to my eyes that woman is being wronged on a scale far exceeding all thejust and unjust criticisms directed at the status of woman in oriental communities. She is widely propagandized as a sex object on a large scale, and completely unrelated advertisements promoting the full gamut of products from soft drinks to motor cars rarely fail to expose the female body in nude or almost.

Besides this degradation of woman and tarnishing the beauty of "love" as a sacred value, the problem of venereal disease soon came in the wake of the increasing promiscuity. The estimated number of new cases of venereal disease every year in the U.S. was reported to be (Time, February  4, 1985, p 85):

Chlamydia 3-10 million
Gonorrhoea 2 million
Venereal warts 1 million
Genital herpes 0.2-0.5 million
Syphylis 90,000

Earlier in this century, with the discovery of chemotherapy and then antibiotics, medical circles thought that the problem of venereal disease was solved once and for all. Unfortunately resistant strains of bacteria emerged, a process that followed on the preparation of every new antibiotic, so that the microorganisms have remained one step ahead of every new therapy. The coming back of venereal disease took a new and unwelcome epidemiologic pattern. The age incidence became much lower and the sex distribution almost equal. In old days it was the single prostitute infecting her many clientel, usual1y middle aged men. Now that free sex was declared allright, physiological, natural and even commendable so as to avoid the complications of repression, the patients are ordinary boys and girls and men and women in all walks of (respectable) life.

To the hurdle of venereal disease was added carcinoma of the uterine cervix, also at lower age and high incidence. It seems as if it were a new form of the disease different in aetiology and biological features from the pattern hitherto known, the mean age incidence of which is 45-55 years. The venereal nature of this form of cervical malignancy that became a teen-age problem in some Central American countries has been established, find its aetiological association with early sexual exposure and multiplicity of sexual partners has been documented.

Inspite of guaranteed widespread availability of contraceptive methods to young girls, the climate of carelessness and irresponsibility has lead to an epidemic of teen-age pregnancy: 'children having children' as Time Magazine put it (December 9, 1985, p 84), reporting the following rates of pregnancy per 1000 teenage female population:
                                    U .S. 10 (of whom 5 are aborted)
                                    Britain 4.5 (of whom 1.75 are aborted)
                                    Canada 4.5 (of whom 1.8 are aborted)
                                    France 4.5 (of whom 1.8 are aborted
                                    Sweden 3.5 (of whom 2.1 are aborted)
                                    Netherlands 1.5 (of whom 0.5 are aborted)

This category of pregnancy is a special hazard category associated with high perinatal and mf.lternal mortality and morbidity. But it has its social sequelae also, for in the U.S. it is estimated that 80% of pregnant teenagers drop out of school; if they marry they face a 60% divorce rate within five years; and the repeat pregnancy rate is 40% within two years (Hardy J, Welcher D and Stanley J Clin Obstet Gynecol, 1978,21, 1215-1232). The average age at first intercourse has been decreasing and the incidence of premarital sex has been increasing over the years, as are the abortion rate and the occurrence of gonorrhoea. Although female teenagers make up only 16% of the childbearing population in the United States, they account for one third of all abortions: 400,000 annually (Cates W J r , J Adolesc Health Care, 1980 1:18-25). In 1978, 250,000 cases of gonorrhoea were reported in 15-19 year old teenagers in the U nited States, a quarter of all cases reported, and an increase of 216% over 1960 (Centers for Disease Control, STD fact sheet, ed 35,1981). The sexual license is just a thread  in a mesh. Teen-age drug abuse is rampant. For Americans 12-17 years I old: 16.3 million have used cigarettes (71%) and 4.8 million are daily  smokers (21 %),21.4 million have used alcohol (93%) and 1.2 million are daily drinkers (5.5%), 13.1 million have used marijuana (57%) and 1.2 million use it daily (5.5 % ) , 8 million have ever used stimulants (35% ) , and 3.7 million have ever used cocaine ( 16 % ) (Strasburger v, Paediatrics, Supplement vol 76, part 2, October 1985, p 660).

The weakened position of the family institution is both cause and effect  of the sad state of affairs in the moral ecology in the U .S .Sexual gratification does not need the family any more, which until recently was one of nature's strongest devices to bring man and woman together to form a family. In an ideology of radical individualism the family ties tended to loosen as the capacity to give-and-take became shallow. The rate of divorce has been accelerating in the American society over the past two decades : 413,000 divorces in 1962, 845,000 in 1972, 1.2 million in 1981 (National Center for Health Statistics: Monthly Vital Statistics Report, vol 32 no 9, 1984). For every two marriages there is currently one divorce, and the trend is expected to continue through the next century (National Center for Health Statistics, reported in The New Haven Register, February 26, 1984, p 27). The effects on the children of divorced parents is naturally very negative (Lobowitz M L, Paediatrics vol 76, no 4, Supplement October, 1985).

In the absence of God-awareness and acceptance of His authority on people's lives, the interpretation of personal freedoms naturally stretches beyond any plausible or unplausible limit, just as malignant cells multiply and multiply unchecked by the normal growth regulating mechanisms of the healthy body. Freedom ceases to be the happy match between an individual's rights and those of other individuals or of the society at large. The reins that should have been in God's hands are taken by the most selfish. destructive and base whims and desires of a perfectly un-Godly creature endowed with intelligence but lacking a moral compass. What follows just a train of variable symptoms that regrettably are tackled both if they marry they face a 60% divorce rate within five years; and the repeat pregnancy rate is 40% within two years (Hardy J, Welcher D and Stanley J Clin Obstet Gynecol, 1978,21, 1215-1232). The average age at first intercourse has been decreasing and the incidence of premarital sex has been increasing over the years, d molestation ring of teachers in a small children's school, regulations were tightened and some schools devised special courses to teach children how to recognize and combat sexual abuse (Time, November 12, 1984 ). It took the authorities two years to decide that two of the culprits should be ref'ered to court for trial; the smokers (21%, 21.4 million have used alcohol (93%) and 1.2 million are daily drinkers (5.5%), 13.1 million have used marijuana (57%) and 1.2 million use it daily (5.5%), 8 million have ever used stimulants (35%), and 3.7 million have ever used cocaine (16%) (Strasburger v. Paediatrics, Supplement vol 76, part 2, October 1985, p 660).

The weakened position of the family institution is both cause and effect of the sad state of affairs in the moral ecology in the U.S. Sexual gratification does not need the family any more, which until recently was one of nature's strongest devices to bring man and woman together to form a family.  In an ideology of radical individualism the family ties tended to loosen as the capacity to given-and-take became shallow.  The rate of divorce has been accelerating in the American society over the past two decades: 413,000 divorces in 1962, 845,000 in 1972, 1.2 million in 1981 (National Center for Health Statistics: Monthly Vital Statistics Report, vol 32 no 9, 1984).   For every two marriages there is currently one divorce, and the trend is expected to continue through the next century (National Center for Health Statistics, reported in The New Haven Register, February 26, 1984, p 27).  The effects on the children of divorced parents is naturally very negative (Lobowitz M L, Paedi-atrics vol 76, no 4, Supplement October, 1985).

In the absence of God-awareness and acceptance of His authority on people's lives, the interpretation of personal freedoms naturally stretches beyond any plausible or unplausible limit, just as malignant cells multiply and multiply unchecked by th enormal growth regulating mechanisms of the healthy body.  Freedom ceases to be the happy match between an individual's rights and those of other individuals or of the society at large.  The reins that should have been in God's hands are taken by the most selfish, destructive and base whims and desires of a perfectly un-Godly creature endowed with intelligence but lacking a moral compass.  What follows  just a train of vairable symptoms that regrettably are tackled both inefficiently and postphylactically (post-phylaxis is a term we coined to refer to management of a problem after it happens, contradistinction to the term prophylaxis ie preventive, anticipating and preventing the illness by preventing its causes).  When Time Magazine shook an unsuspecting nation (April 23, 1984) with the news of a child molestation ring of teachers in a small children's school, regulations were tightened and some schools devised special courses to teach children how to recognize and combat sexual abuse (Time, November 12, 1984).  It took the authorities two years to decide that wo of the culprits should be refered to court for trial; the  charges being dropped gainst the others because of unsolid evidence upon the testimony of the too young victims. A radical approach entailing the revision of the life style of society and eradication of the moral pollution that engult:') it and the revival of the proper values was of course beyond the horizon.

Until the early eighties the large outcry in America was the tear of genital herpes, in view of its possibly tatal eftect on the neonate of the affected mother, its intractability and its incrimination with cancer. But worse was yet to come, heralded in the summer of 1981 by the CDS (Center for Disease Control) commenting in their weekly news-letter on the unexpected occurrence in five young homosexual Los Angeles men of an unusual and often lethal type of protozoan intection of the lung (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). Some also had an even rarer form of disseminated cancer , Kaposi's sarcoma. Reports of other serious intections and of Kaposi's sarcoma in homosexuals and in patients who had abused intravenous drugs soon followed in the same and following years, caused by a disease that suppressed the Tlymphocytes of the body and therefore undermined the immunologic detence of the body against infections considered minor and of no serious import under ordinary conditions. The disease was soon given its current name by the CDC: Aquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), in recognition of the fact that it developed in subjects previously healthy and immunologically normal. Because it proved both lethal and transmissible, it was made a notifiable disease (Relman A S, Hastings Center Report, Special Supplement, August 1985) .Thus was born a new epidemic of an entirely new disease, transmissible, always fatal, medically uncontrollable, plaguing the most advanced countries, with a mortality rate of about 50% but a case fatality rate of 100% (ie the likelihood that any given patient will die of AIDS is 100% ), whose number of patients is growing exponentially (doubling every 9 months) and for which any effective therapy or vaccination remains out of sight for years to come (Krim M, Hastings Institute Report, August 1985). The sure thing about this new catastrophy is that it was raised and nurtured in the cradle of homosexuality.

Homosexuality is as old as history but in a few episodes it took epidemic proportions and was a widespread social phenomenon. Perhaps the earliest of these episodes involved the people of prophet Lut, whom God sent to reform them:

"The people of Lut rejected the apostles. Behold! Their brother Lut said to them: Wiii you not fear (God)? I am to you a messenger worthy of trust, so fear God and obey me. No reward do I ask you for it, my reward is only from the Lord of the Worlds. Of all the creatures of the world will you approach males, and leave those whom God has created for you to be your mates? Nay: you are a people transgressing (all limits).

They said: If you desist not, O Lut, you will be assuredly cast out. He said: I do detest your doing. ..O my Lord! Deliver me and my family from such things as they do. So We delivered him and his family, all except an old woman who lingered behind. But the rest We destroyed utterly. We rained down on them a shower, and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not). Verily in this is a sign: but most of them do not believe." (26: 160-174)

"We also (sent) Lut. He said to his people: do you commit lewdness   such as no people (in creation) ever committed before you? .for you practise your lust on men in preference to women; you are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds. And his people gave no answer but this: Drive them out of your city they are indeed people who want to be clean and pure. But We saved him and his family except his wife; she was of those who lagged behind. And we rained down on them a shower, then sea what was the end of those who indulged in the crime." (7:80-84)

"When Our messengers came to Lut, he was grieved on their account and felt powerless to protect them and he said: this is a distressful day. His people came rushing towards him and they had been long in the habit ofpractising abominations. He said: O my people here are my daughters; they are purer for you (if you would marry). Now fear God and cover me not with shame about my guests is there not amongst you a single right-minded man? They said: You well knew we have no need of your daughters, and you know quite well what we want. He said: I wish I had power to suppress you or that I could take to a powerful refuge. (The messengers) said: O Lut, we are messengers from your Lord by no means shall they reach you. Now travel with your family while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look back but your wife (will remain behind), to her will happen what happens to these people. Morning is their time; appointed is not morning soon (enough)? When Our decree issued, We turned (the city) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay, spread layer on layer, marked as from your Lord, now are they ever far from those who do wrong." (11:77-83).

More references are made in the Quran to Lut and the deplorable sin of homosexuality rampant among his contemporaries. Warning and admonition were vigilantly given by Lut, but when obstinacy was the outcome they deserved God's punishment. Islam utterly forbids homosexuality and considers it a grave sin as well as a legal crime if it fulfils the I\i legal formal specifications. The prohet said: "May God curse those who commit the deed of Lut's people." And he repeated this three times. (Nissa'i)

There is complete consensus of the various juristic schools that homosexuality is both sin and crime, although they had various views on the prescribed punishment, ranging from capital punishment to other punishments the court may seem suitable.

Lesbianism, that is sexual intercourse between woman and woman, is also prohibited in Islam, as evidenced by the saying of the prophet:

"Let man not look at the awra of man. ..nor woman at the awra of woman. And let man not 'approach' man under one cover, nor woman approach woman under one cover."   (Ahmad-Muslim-Abu Dawood- Termizi)

'To approach under one cover' is a linguistic reference to sex. All juridicial schools are unanimous that lesbianism is both sin and legal crime (if legal specifications hold), but the punishment is left to the judgement of the legislature.

Homosexuality, ever existing, has not become that horrendous wave except recently. It was only a personal affliction to hush-hush and shy about. It was considered an illness to be treated, until in 1971 the American Psychiatric Association declared it was no more an illness. Socially it was considered an inherent orientation, legally it became one of the personal freedoms, and religiously; the church wanted to prove that there was a place in the church for every one including homosexuals. The word   homosexual was changed to 'gay' hoping a nice name would make ! homosexuality nice. There are four gay churches in Los Angeles. And ! look at what a member of the clergy, Pastor Jim Lowder of the Dolores Street Baptist Church at San Francisco, said in defence of gays and lesbians: "My feeling is, scripture does not condemn all homosexual relationships. Jesus doesn't even address the issue of sexuality " Lowder appeared on a San Francisco television show in November 1985 and said that he believes the Bible affirms relationships that are .faithful, loving, life-enhancing and caring, even if they are gay (Star News, Saturday April 26, 1986 page 7, Pasadena, California). The gay became a cult, a political movement and a power. When the mayor of a city was murdered, and he was a homosexual, there were gay demonstrations demanding that the replacement should also be homosexual. The' gay rights' has become a political slogan, and as a recognized minority they were always greedy for more rights and more power. During an election campaign, when one of the candidates-it must have taken him great courage-declared in a speech that the gays should straighten, the radio-commentator simply commented: 'he has burnt his chances'.

And now America faces the scourge of AIDS. The people know that 500,000 to one million Americans have been infected with the HTLV-III virus (up to mid 1985) and may develop AIDS. They know that AIDS cases are doubling every nine months, that no one has ever been cured of AIDS and that no cancer kills as surely and as rapidly as AIDS, and that transmission of the disease, originally by sexual intercourse, is possible through body fluids including blood, semen, tears and saliva, all of which were shown to contain HTLV III, as announced by the CDC (Medical Laboratory Observer, November 1985). This turned a lot of people against homosexuals, on several occasions they beat them and shouted at them: "You will kill us all" (Gay bashing: AIDS fear cited as attacks on male homosexuals grow-Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1986). And yet the homosexual lobby focus only on their rights-indeed wrongs-and ignore all the rights of the innocent majority who want to stay away from the spreading fire. Attempts at screening by blood testing are protested on grounds of discrimination and stigmatization. AIDS victims are sometimes portrayed in the media as heroes when they are ill and as martyrs when they die. Effective public health principles applicable to all contageous diseases including isolation and quarantine when necessary are played dowr. as taboo. "The doctor should not moralize" is at the hub of American medicine and western medicine generally, even if this "moralizing" was the very essence of practising preventive medicine. Doctors may moralize against smoking, liquor, saccharine, cholesterol. obesity and what not. ..but when it comes to sexual license the matter becomes different irrespective of the sequelae. In dismay and disquiet, the scientist writer William Checks asks: "Where are the public health officials who should be taking aggressive, action to maintain a correct perception of this disease's spread? And how long can this one sided presentation persist bcfore people begin to think of AIDS as a lethal version of the flue? ' , (Hasting' s Center Report, August, 1985). As we write this, we are told that 25 percent of hospital admissions in San Francisco are AIDS patients occupying beds without a hope of cure.

The writer is worried lest the reader may think that we have something against America. ..for this chapter may look as if it alludes only to America. We assure the reader that this is not the case, although America is the leading example. Besides. this whole book was written during my '. sabbaticalleave that spent in Los Angeles, California, during which my eyesight naturally tell on the American scene.

Contrary to what the reader might conclude, I honestly declare that there is much in America that is ..ldmirable. Some aspects of American life are more concordant with my Islamic concepts than is the case with many other countries; some of them Muslim. History tells us that it takes more than plentiful affluence and sophisticated technology to maintain a civilization, ..lnd it is pitiful to see the current civilization, ..It its epic, incubating in its body the germs of its own destruction. Besides, America plays a role of leadership over much of the world in various spheres, and whatever happens in America might reflect in a positive.or a negative way, on other communltlcs on our ever shrinking globe. It is no wonder therefore that one cannot tcel detached or neutral over the goings on in America, although some ot these goings on did cause my back to qulver. It was a surprise, to get to know that 25% of children have a biological father different to their supposed-legal-father. It was painful to read that every sixth girl is  subject to an incestuous relation at some time in her life (Diana Russel: !ic The Incest Legacy, The Sciences-publ. The New York Academy of Sciences, March/ April 1986, p 39) and of the dimensions of the problem of rape. Listening to the radio one evening I hit accross a programme on sex run by a lady doctor (a jewess of Rumanian ethnicity), who wuld receive questions live on the phone and offer immediate counseling.  On the line was a wife married for one year.  Before marriage she had lived with a man for three years, who apparently was much more an expert in sex techniques than her husband, so that she was missing those pleasures that her husband was seemingly ignorant about.  The doctor advised her to buy some illustrated sex books that she would look up with her husband and suggest they try this and that etc.  A homosexual complained that his lover, a fairly elderly man, was both jealous as well as lacking in the power of erection.  The doctor reassured him that this was quite within normal for elderly men, and advised him to help his lover perhaps with a bit of manual stimulation, which the gay confirmed gave his lover great delight. On a television show once appeared a lesbian and two homosex- ual men who decided in trinity to have a baby. She slept with both men in succession, so that the real father of the baby would remain unknown. The baby came and they were very proud about it and the audience gave a lot of applause. When one person among the audience expressed disap- proval and defended the rights of the baby of legitimacy and knowledge of his father who should be responsible for raising him, it was as though the critic was sick of mind or just spoke another language. These are just samples. But I will never forget the woman who was reporting her obstetric history innumerating her children one by one, and commented on the penultimate baby: but that is not from my husband; it was from my boy friend. What surprised me was that the husband was calmly attending and listening.

This is the information passively aquired by a person like myself. ..living on the conservative fringe of life. But more is sure therefor someone who cares to seek.

The following story was told by a teacher of mine some forty years ago, and seems to make an appropriate conclusion of this chapter.

Once upon a time there was a little village located at the top of a mountain. When the children played, they accidentally fell down and died. One elder suggested they should build a hospital at the foot of the mountain to immediately receive the casualties. Another suggested that the hospital should be built half way down, and perhaps the fallen children could then be caught before they hit the bottom. But it was the wise and sane who pointed out that the effective approach was to build a fence around the village to prevent the childrcn from falling in the first instance.

Prevention is better than cure, and problems should be solved by preventing their cause. A good lesson for the world and for America in particular: whether she is combating AIDS or combating terrorism.

"Never did sin spread in a people and they flagrantly perpetuated it even more, but God inflicted them with illnesses that were unknown to their ancestors"

The Prophet (Ibn Maja)

An Islamic Perspective on Sexuality

In Islam, sexuality is considered part of our identity as human beings. In His creation of humankind, God distinguished us from other animals by giving us reason and will such that we can control behavior that, in other species, is governed solely by instinct. So, although sexual relations ultimately can result in the reproduction and survival of the human race, an instinctual concept, our capacity for self-control allows us to regulate this behavior. Also, the mere fact that human beings are the only creatures who engage in sexual relations once they are beyond the physical capacity for reproduction, sets us apart from all other species which engage in sex for the sole purpose of reproduction.

Marriage

For Muslims, based on an understanding of Qur'an and hadith, sexual relations are confined to marriage between a wife and husband. Within this context, the role of a healthy sexual relationship is extremely important. Having and raising children are encouraged among Muslims. Once a child is born, the parents are expected to care for, nurture and prepare the child for adulthood, with a goal of imparting Islam so that the indivdual is equipped with knowledge and willingness to accept and practice Islam and thus become a productive member of society. Beyond childbearing, sexual relations assume a prominent role in the overall well-being of the marriage. In reading hadith, one is impressed with the Prophet's ability to discuss all issues including those dealing with human sexuality. The topics range from questions about menstruation to orgasm. He apparently was not embarassed by such inquiries, but strove to adequately guide and inform the Muslims who asked. Both Qur'an and hadith allude to the nature of sexual relations as a means of attaining mutual satisfaction, closeness and compassion between a wife and husband. "Permitted to you on the night of the Fasts is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and you are their garments."(2:187) Also, Muslims are advised to avoid sexual intercourse during menses so as not to cause discomfort to the woman (2:222).
The goal of marriage is to create tenderness between two individuals and satisfy the very basic human need for companionship. "And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between you; in this are signs for those who think."(30:21) The hadith which address this issue are numerous. The Prophet himself, while not divulging all aspects of his own sexual life, was known for his nature as a loving husband who was sensitive and physically demonstrative. In several hadith, he speaks about the importance of foreplay and speaking in loving terms during sexual relations. Again, the concept of mutual satisfaction is elucidated in a hadith which advises husbands to engage in acts that enable a woman to achieve orgasm first. (see Ihya ulum-id-din (Revival of Religious Learning) by Imam Ghazzali, chapter on Marriage). Sexual dissatisfaction is considered legitimate grounds for divorce on the part of either wife or husband.

Sex Outside of Marriage

Naturally, attraction between individuals is necessary to initiate a relationship that leads to marriage. But sexual relations can obviously take place between any couple, consenting or not. Because of the far-reaching ramifications of sexual relations outside of marriage, Muslims are prohibited by God from such behavior. And because the process that leads to physical attraction and ultimately intimacy is part of human nature, Muslims are advised to behave in a way and avoid circumstances that could potentially result in extra- or pre-marital sex. Modesty in dress and behavior between women and men figures prominently as a means of exhibiting self-control. Similarly, unmarried couples are admonished against spending time alone in isolated places where they would be more likely to act on their feelings and thus be less inhibited. Some of the negative results of sex outside of marriage include the potential for unwanted pregnancies, transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, disruption of the family and marriage (in cases of adultery), and emotional and psychological difficulties resulting from the lack of commitment associated with most relationships outside of marriage. As in other religions, extra- and pre-marital sex are considered major sins. Muslims believe that God does not simply forbid or allow behavior whimsically, but does so with our best interest at heart, guiding us away from potentially destructive behavior and towards behavior that allows us to achieve our most fulfilling potentials as human beings. For a similar reason, Muslims give up the consumption of alcohol because of faith in God's wisdom that the negative effects outweigh the positive for individuals and society at large. "Whoever submits his whole self to God, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy handhold..."{(31:22)

Contraception

Although Muslims are encouraged to have children, contraception is not prohibited. The method used during the time of the Prophet was coitus interruptus (known as 'azl) about which several hadith exist. His basic response when asked if such a practice was lawful was that individuals can do as they will, but if God intends for a child to be born, she/he will be born. Some interpreted this to mean that preventing pregnancy is not recommended because child-bearing is preferred; yet the act is not specifically prohibited. Also, other hadith stipulate that 'azl could not be practiced without the wife's consent as it might interfere with her sexual satisfaction or desire to bear children. By analogy, the methods that exist today as contraceptives are lawful for Muslims to use at their discretion. Basically, it is our position that any method that does not involve pregnancy termination is permissible. Imam al-Ghazzali (see previous reference) lists a number of legitimate reasons for practicing contraception, including financial difficulty, emotional or psychological hardship of having many children, and even the preservation of beauty and health.
It should be clear from this discussion, that since sexual relations should be confined to marriage, contraception is so limited. It is not considered a means of easing the difficulties associated with sexual relations outside of marriage.

Abortion

Abortion is viewed in the same context as having relevance only regarding pregnancies occurring in marriage, again, not as a response to conception as a result of extra- or pre-marital relationships. Early Muslim jurists considered abortion lawful for a variety of reasons until 40 -120 days after conception (first trimester). This was based on interpretation of Qur'an (22:4 and 23:12-14) and hadith that implied that ensoulment or 'life' did not exist until after that time (see Sex and Society in Islam, B.F. Musallam, Cambridge University Press, 1983). Contemporary thinkers, considering available technology that allows visualization of the embryonic heartbeat at four weeks of gestation, are of the position that life begins much earlier than previously thought, and therefore to terminate would be to take a life illegally. The majority of Muslims today believe that abortion is allowed only if the mother's life is significantly endangered by the pregnancy. Some also feel that the presence of certain congenital anomalies (particularly those that are lethal) make abortion lawful. Also, some scholars consider abortion appropriate in pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

Homosexuality

Human beings are capable of many forms of sexual expression, orientation and identification. The existence of such a variety again is not found in any other species and thus further demonstrates our uniqueness among God's creations. The potential for behavior, such as homosexuality, does not mean that its practice is lawful in the eyes of God. Therefore, individuals are expected to control themselves and not act on their desires if such action is contrary to the guidelines of Islam. Homosexuality, like other forms of sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage, is thus prohibited. In any discussion of prohibited acts follows the question of what happens if they nevertheless occur. The Qur'an and hadith are explicit regarding severe punishment by the State if a person is convicted of such a crime. However, in order for conviction to take place, the individuals must confess or be accused by at least four eyewitnesses of the act of actual intercourse. Obviously, the likelihood of these criteria being met is small which means that most couples who engage in unlawful acts will not be punished by the State. They will then deal with the consequences of their behavior in this life and will be accountable to God on the Day of Judgement. How He ultimately judges is known only by Him.

Sex Education

Clearly, from the above discussion, Islam is explicit about many aspects of human sexuality. Also, based on the numerous hadith showing the Prophet's willingness to discuss these matters openly, it should be obvious that education about matters related to sex is acceptable. Muslims may disagree about the age at which sex education begins; some don't discuss the subject at all. Explaining anatomy and the changes one's body experiences during puberty are essential for enabling young people to grow up with a healthy self-image. Also, in an age where sexual activity in many countries begins at an early age, Muslim adolescents must be informed to better enable them to deal with peer pressure. Sex education can be taught in a way that informs young people about sexuality in scientific and moral terms. In countries with very diverse populations, such as the United States, the main limitation in developing sex education curricula, particularly in public schools, is the inability to select a universally acceptable moral position. Therefore, young people are given facts and information, and advised that if they choose to engage in sexual relationships, they should take measures to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The moral and religious aspects of sexuality can be incorporated either in schools of a particular religious denomination or in adjunctive coursework offered by religious institutions. Regardless of the challenges of each society, young people must be adequately informed. Also, in some Muslim communities, individuals are encouraged to marry at young ages. They need to be educated regarding sexuality prior to the marriage such that they know what to expect and can consider their options for birth control prior to consummating the marriage.

Female Genital Mutilation

The practice of clitoridectomy preceded the introduction of Islam in Arabia and in different parts of Africa. This results in severe sexual debilitation of women, who cannot possibly achieve sexual fulfillment -- which is their right as Muslims. Therefore, this practice is totally unIslamic because it is in direct violation of both Qur'an and hadith, which clearly stress the importance of sexual satisfaction for both the husband and wife.

Chastity

Chastity, on the other hand is mandatory in Islam. It is also so in Christianity and Judaism. ..but it is regrettable to say that the word has almost been deleted from the code of personal behaviour in the great majority of western societies. Sex outside legitimacy is prohibited, for both men and women whether married or unmarried. The most famous personal example of chastity in the Quran is Virgin Mary (Miriam) mother of Jesus: "And remember her, who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her of Our spirit and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples." (21 :91) "She screened herself away from them (her people) then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you to God, Most Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said I am only a messenger from your Lord (to announce) to you the gift of a holy son-She said: How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me and I am not unchaste?" (19:17-20) Extramarital sex is forbidden and the Quran says: "Nor come near to adultery. ..for it is a shameful deed and an evil road (to other evils)." (17:32) "Those who invoke not with God any other god, nor slay such life as God has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication: and any that does this (not only) meets punishment, but the penalty on the Day of Judgement will be doubled to.him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy. Unless he repents, believes and works righteous deeds, for God will change the evil of such persons into good, and God is Oft-Forgiving Most-Merciful." (25:68-70) The injunctions and forbiddings in Islam apply equally to men and women. The legal punishment for adultery is equal for men and women.  Social hypocricy in many societies over history had lead to a double standard when considering sin committed by men versus sin committed by women. Society tended to be more lenient and permissive towards men forgiving men for sins not forgiveable when women do them. At the root of the contemporary wave of free sex for both sexes was appa-rently to establish equality and remove discrimination between man and woman. Instead of calling for equal cleanliness the call was for equal dirt. Not so in Islam. and in a list of commendable deeds the Quran says: "For muslim men and women, for believing men and women. for men and women who are patient and constant. for men and women who give in charity , for men and women who observe fasting, FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO GUARD THEIR CHASTITY and for men and women who engage much in God's praise. for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward". (33:35) Because the sex desire is usually attained before a man is financially capable of marriage, the love to God and mindfulness of Him should be sufficient motive for chastity: "Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God gives them means out of His grace." (24:33) The prophet's prescription to the youth was: Those of you who own the means should marry for this should keep their eyes uncraving and their chastity secure. Those who don't, may practise fasting for it curbs desire. " (Ibn Massoud) Chastity is an attitude and a way of life. In Islam it is both a personal and a social value. A muslim society should not condone relations entailing or conducive to sexual license. Social patterns and practices bent on flaring up the sexual desire are frowned upon by Islam be the means permissive ideologies, pruritic art or neglect of moral upbringing.  Personal freedoms should never be taught as the freedom to challenge God's injunctions or trespass over the limits He drew.

Celibacy

Celibacy was introduced into Christianity with the good intention of self discipline and rising above the calls of the flesh. Islam deals with natural instincts by controling them but not by their denial. Because it is against nature, history tells us of the betrayal of celibacy by some monks and nuns in earlier times, leading to illicit sexual relations or sexual perversion. In a general theme of praise to christians, the Quran refers to the matter of celibacy stating that it was not decreed by God:

"Then in their wake (referring to Abraham and Noah) we followed them up with (others of) Our apostles; We sent after them Jesus the son of Maty, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy: but the celibacy (and monasticism) which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them. (We commanded) only the seeking for the good pleasure of God. And they did not regard it as they should have done." (57:27)

Indeed modern times are witnessing a number of celibate clergy in the United States of America giving away celibacy and getting married, in the face of the objecting Church. At the time of prophet Moharnmad peace be upon him, three muslim men enquired about the worship of the prophet. Finding that it was not as much as they had expected, they said: and who are we in comparison with the prophet who was blessed with God's forgiveness of all his trespasses. One of them decided to stay up all night in prayer, the second to make fasting everyday for good, and the third to remain celibate and never to marry. When he knew about them the prophet rebuked them saying:
"I am indeed the most fearful of God and mindful of Him, but I do not fast continuously, I pray (part of the night) and sleep, and I am married." (Bukhari and Muslim) On another occasion the prophet said:

"God has replaced to us the celibacy of the christians with this truthful religion." (Tabarani)

This relation between man and woman is considered by God as one of His signs and blessings:

"Amongst His signs is that He created consorts for you from amongst you, so that you may find tranquility with them, and (He) set love and compassion between you. Verily in this are signs for people who reflect. .." (30:21)

Sexual Ethics

Sex is the ultimate expression of love and is a total physical and emotional encounter. In a brief but beautiful expression the Quran refers, to this relation between husbands and wives saying: "They are your garments and you are their garments." (2:187) The sexual unison between husband and wife is more than seeking a relief from the urge of desire. Indeed the prophet taught that it is one of the charities in Islam. He said to his companions, enumerating examples of charitable deeds : "And when the one of you makes love (has sex) it is a rewardable charity. " His companions were surprised and asked him' 'How come the one of us answers the urge of his desire and out of this gets the reward of a charity. To which the prophet answered: Don't you see that if he does the same but in a forbidden situation it would be counted against him as a sin? And so if he does it in legitimacy it is counted for him as a charity." (Muslim) The sexual relation is a very special relation between consorts, and should be accorded the privacy it deserves. It is not befitting that either of them divulges this aspect of their life to anyone. The prophet peace be upon him emphasizes this ethic in the strongest terms. He said: "Amongst the lowest grades of people before God on the day of judgement, is the man going to his wife (and making sex) and she going to him: then either of them divulging their common secret."  (Abu Said) Addressing a gathering of men and women the prophet looked to the men and said: "Would it be that the one of you locks his door and draws his curtains and seeks his need (sex) from his consort: and later when he goes out he talks to his friends about it?"   He then turned to the women and said' 'Would it be that the one of you locks her door and draws her curtains and seeks her need from her consort: and later when she goes out she talks to her women friends about it? There was an air of admitting silence and a woman said It happens apostle of God. The prophet said: 'Never do that Or it would be like a male devil who encountered a female devil and copulated with her out in the middle of the road and then left her and went away. (Abu Said) In order to maintain the bliss and pleasantness of the relation, both husband and wife should aquire the hygienic and esthetic habits that keep them attractive to one another. It does not behove the woman only to beautify herself for her husband, but this is a reciprocal right. The prophet is reported to have rebuked a man who looked shabby and neglected to tidy his hair and clothing, stating that it was his wife's right that he looks at his best to her, as she to him. Ibn Abbas, a notable scholar of the first Islamic century, stated: Most certainly I am keen on making myself handsome to my wife, just as I like her to beautify herself for me in keeping with God's saying in the Quran that: "Women have rights even as they have obligations in an equitable way." (2:228) It is not only a woman's duty, but indeed also her privilege to look at her best in her husband's sight. Husbands away on a journey should announce their coming back rather than taking their wives by surprise, so that the wife has time to beautify herself before meeting her husband. Whenever the prophet's caravan arrived back at Madina, they would camp in the suburbs, send a messenger to announce their arrival, and go to their homes after suitable notice. One of his traditions says: "If you are in a journey do not enter your home all of a sudden so that the tuggy haired would comb and the unprepared get ready". (The five except Nissa'i)                                                                                In modern times sexology has become a science by itself, and modern western societies almost congratulate themselves for at last recognizing woman's right to attain sexual satiety out of sexual intercourse. The 'right to orgasm' is amongst the latest in the inventory of rights claimed by the "Women's Lib." and other feminist movements. Fourteen centuries ago, Islam recognized that right, as evidenced by the saying of the prophet: "If any of you has sex with his wife let he be true to her. If he attains his pleasure before her then he shouldn't hurry her away until she also attains her pleasure." (Anas )  Standard writings in sexology over the past few decades have described the physiological human sexual response and classified it into the four phases of excitation, plateau, orgasm and resolution. Ideally these phases should coincide in both partners, otherwise there will be sexual dysharmony, often due to the man getting his orgasm while the woman is still eagerly awaiting, with inflamed desire, to also achieve her orgasm. As orgasm is followed by resolution where the male organ gets flacid and the man enters into a refractory period after his sexual desire has been satiated through orgasm, the conclusion of the act at that stage would be unfair to the woman having been aroused but not satisfied, and that is what the prophet warns against. The man should not just turn his back and go away or go to sleep, leaving his wife frustrated. The coital exercise should proceed until she is satisfied. An effective method of correcting this form of dyshan:nony is to spend time enjoying their intimacy and helping themselves to one another's bodies in totality, before moving on to genital intercourse. The pleasures of sex spread themselves over a much wider area than the genital region, as manifest in kissing, embracing and caressing the body especially over the erogenous zones of the female physique. This indeed is the normal and commendable approach to sex. It adds to the mechanistic element of sex, the emotional dimension of tender love and mutual affection beautifully portrayed in the Quran as: "They are your garments, and they are yours. " It also ensures that by the time the couple move on to genital introduction, the woman would have been aroused over a sufficient period of time and become so excited that she is already quite near her orgasm. In modern medical jargon this prelude is called the' 'foreplay', but again long before it was dreamt in the rest of the world of such women's rights, the prophet of Islam gave the same guidance, politely referring to foreplay as the "messenger", in his saying: "Let-not the one of you fall upon his wife like a beast (camel) falls.  It is more appropriate to set a messenger afore the act" Amongst good sexual ethics also is that the couple should be sensitive to each others needs and limitations, and ups and downs. Even a virtuous excuse like deep involvement in worship is not accepted if the man forgets or ignores his wife's rights. In such a case it is the woman's right to protest. History reports the woman who went to Umar ibn al Khat tab (second caliph) consulting him: My husband fasts by day and prays all night. and I feel embarassed to complain seeing that he spends his time worshipping God. The man was summoned for a hearing. The final verdict was to have three nights for his own worship and to heed the needs of his wife during the rest of the week. Umar also asked his daughter Hafsa how long a woman should stand being away from her husband, Upon which he decreed that fighting troops should be given leave to come back home every six months. Similarly a woman should be responsive to her husband's call. Seeing that men are more prone to sexual arousal by a variety of visual stimuli as they move about all day, the prophet's advice was that the wife should always answer her husband's call: "The right of the husband is that when he calls his wife to sex she should not deny him herself." (Tialissi) The prophet also advised that whenever a man sees something that arouses his sexual desire, he should go and have sex with his wife.

Sex Technique

Any manoevre or position that adds to the pleasure of the sexual encounter between husband and wife is permissible and commendable. One exception is anal intercourse, which is forbidden in Islam. A man may get to his wife from her behind, provided the male organ is introduced in the vagina and not in the anus. This was clearly indicated by the Quran and the Sunna- The Quran says:

"Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when and how you will" (2:223)

The similie on this verse makes intercourse similar to agriculture, entailing putting the seed into the soil in the hope of getting the fruit; and this does not apply to anal sex.

Several prophetic traditions forbid the practice of anal sex:

"Do not visit women into their back passages" (Ahmad, Termizi, Ibn Magah)

When the jews of Madina argued with some muslims and said that vaginal coitus approached from behind would cause the baby to have squint in his eyes, the prophet denied this and said:

"From behind or from the front as long as it is in the vagina."  (Muslim and Abu Dawood)

"Cursed he. ..who has sex with a woman through her back passage." (Ahmad)

It is reported that the occasion when the verse of the Quran "Your wives are a tilth unto you, so approach your tilth how and when you will", was when Umar ibn al Khattab (prophet's companion and later second caliph) had (vaginal) sex with his wife approaching her from behind and was worried lest it be unlawful. He went to the prophet looking distressed, and asked why he was worried, he used the modest and shy expression: Apostle of God. I changed my saddle'last night' , He was relieved when the Quran and the prophet announced the permissibility of the practice. Another Quranic reference to this matter came with the injunction that intercourse is to be avoided while the woman is menstruating:

"They ask you concerning menstruation. Say it is a hurt and a pollution. So keep away from women during their periods and do not approach them until they become clean. But when they have purified themselves you may approach them in any manner, time or place ORDAINED FOR YOU By GOD." (2:222)

In Islamic law, anal intercourse even with the wife is illegitimate. If legally proven, it is punishable according to the discretion of the judge. It stands as legal justification for the wife to apply for divorce if the husband is unwilling to desist.

Over the past two decades the subject of anal sex started to make its: : appearance in scientific medical meetings that I attended, and one couldn't miss the special furyor some medical people went into, in order to prove that it Was completely harmless. Clinical series and over-whelming statistics Were presented which contradicted basic knowlege, and on one occasion the researcher even proved that anal sex Was safer than vaginal sex. The discussions were all within the context of homosexuality , and the proponents were all the time the same who advocated free sex, free abortion and freedom from religious' 'relics and taboos'. Since then, I lost my trusting nature and my faith in the integrity of some researchers and at the beginning this Was an agonizing feeling. As time passed, one became even more disillusioned. Until 1970 homosexuality was considered to be a disease necessitating treatment. But when the American Psychiatric Association declared that it was not a disease, homosexuality became a wave, a cult and a growing power until the dream became shattered with the emergence of AIDS (aquired immune deficiency syndrome) that threatens to be the Scourge of Our century.

"SEX, VIAGRA, AND ISLAM"

By Dr. Shahid Athar

 

Sex to most Muslims is a dirty word. A word that they don't even want to talk about. On the other extreme, many Muslims' are obsessed with sex. This I can say from the questions about sex that I receive on E-mail from the Islam-USA Web-page.

The desire to have a better sexual performance for men is again, not a new preoccupation. Muslim Hakims (traditional physicians') have been working on medications for over one thousand years trying to achieve a magic love pill. Now that this "love pill" seemingly has arrived, wealthy Muslims' are ecstatic. Viagra which is sold around $10 per pill in the U.S.A., is being sold at $100 per pill on the black market in Saudi Arabia. Kuwait recently had allowed the sale at about $49 per pill officially. The grand religious scholar of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Baaz has allowed it to be used by men if it does not cause any harm to the body.

Recently a visitor from Pakistan wanted to get some samples of Viagra, and I asked him why. He stated " that he wanted to give them as a gift to his boss". Obviously, he did not get the gift.

Sexual desire is a gift from God, just like all other desires that He has built in us. It is not our fault that we get aroused at sexual thoughts. These are built in physiology. In order to have a legitimate outlet for this built in desire, God has created mates for us.

Quran says, "He that created you mates from among yourselves that you can dwell in them in tranquility". (30:21)
Sex outside of marriage is not permitted in Islam.

Impotency is a disease and should be dealt with as any disease. To seek a cure for a disease is advised by Prophet Mohammed (P) who said that "God has created no disease unless he created a cure for it as well, except old age". Thus, before we physicians' start a new treatment, we either must find out the cause for impotency which could be vascular, neurogenic, infection, diabetes, or hormonal deficiency. To treat all the causes with one type of treatment would be wrong, and that is why many patients' on Viagra do not respond because they have not been screened properly to see if they would be good candidates. In addition, if the mental stimulation is not present before, then Viagra alone will not achieve the desired results as the brain is the most important sex organ.

The appropriate way for a man to deal with this is to see his physician for a thorough evaluation, hormone testing, and psychological testing. There is some suggestion that patient's who may have underlying coronary artery disease, who have not been actively involved in sex, should be screened first for coronary artery disease before using Viagra. About 20 men have died after sex while taking Viagra. It is not clear that any of these deaths were directly related to Viagra.

I see several social problems in the use of Viagra indiscriminately. It may lead to more sexual promiscuity and infidelity. Recently and old man in New York who used Viagra, left his wife and then went for a much younger lady. His wife sued the company. It is also being called "the party drug", or the "love pill", and it is being distributed by some of the night clubs. What is the difference between getting high on marijuana and cocaine, or on Viagra? Many women are also complaining that they are being subject to Viagra attacks by their husbands' and boyfriends even if they are not in a mood.

Sex is an expression and extension of love. In the absence of love, sex becomes a boring routine. Forced sex even in marriage is rape. Instead of trying to achieve potency, men should try to achieve love and respect for and from their wives. Prophet Mohammed (P), who was ahead of his time, had encouraged foreplay before intercourse saying "Do not attack your women like a wild beast, but send a message before". He also was known to have said, "Do not leave her before she is satisfied". Thus Islamic sexuality is based on nature and not attempting to achieve a quick result. The human body is a wonderful creation of God, but not a sex machine. It will not run better on a high octane oil or any potency drug.