Protection of honor in Islam

Honor is one of the things which Islam guarded, granted protection, and placed in its proper position that deserves protection and glorification because honor is one of the five necessities in the life of a person. These necessities are: Religion, mind, soul, money, and honor. For honoring a Muslim, the tolerant Islamic Shari`ah came to protect these necessities, and establishes all guarantees to protect honors against defects and shortcomings. Scholars and Mujtahidun (scholars who exert efforts in extending Shari`ah rulings to new events) in every time agreed that the objectives of Islamic legislation aim all to protecting these five necessities, and except for Islam, man would have been in chaos by losing them.

A beholder in the Glorious Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah sees the great interest Islam granted to honor where many Qur'anic Ayahs and Hadiths came to guard and protect honor. So, we find Islam prohibit adultery and consider it one of the major sins: "And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Fâhishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allâh forgives him)." [Surat Al Isra': 32].

Adultery slanders honors, causes lineages to be lost, as it leads to aggression against sanctities, demolition of families, and corruption of manners.

Hence, Islam prescribed a punishment for it which is lashing of unmarried people: "The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by Allâh, if you believe in Allâh and the Last Day. And let a party of the believers witness their punishment. (This punishment is for unmarried persons guilty of the above crime, but if married persons commit it (illegal sex), the punishment is to stone them to death, according to Allâh's Law)." [Surat An-Nur: 2].

Then stoning to death for married people. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) applied the punishment of stoning on the Ghamidi woman who committed adultery at his time.

The matter does not stop at the prohibition of adultery, but we find Islam prohibits all its introductions such as looking, Khulwah (being alone with a member of the opposite sex), Tabarruj (women dressing up immodestly in violation of the Islamic dress code), and others. Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded male and female Muslims with lowering gazes: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what they do. * And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.)" [Surat An-Nur: 30 - 31].

Islam prohibited Khulwah with marriageable people except unmarriageable relative. Islam also prohibited Tabarruj as Allah says: "And do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance." [Surat Al Ahzab: 33] because Tabarruj is a dangerous disease if it spreads in the community, it helps the circulation of immoral acts, spread of deniable acts, and arousal of desires. Therefore, Islam commands women with wearing Hijab, covering, and to show decency in clothes and words: "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed." [Surat Al Ahzab: 59].

And Allah's Saying: "Then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire." [Surat Al Ahzab: 32].

Furthermore, Islam prohibits the mixture between two sexes due to the circulation of deniable acts, the spread of vices, and the loss of manners, as it prohibits effeminacy for men and acting like men for women. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) cursed men who try to resemble women and women who try to resemble men." [Reported by Al Bukhari and At-Tirmidhy].

Protection of honors in Islam does not stop at the prohibition of adultery and its introductions, but also Islam exhorts to ask for permission when entering private homes because each home has a sanctity that should be guarded, and it is not permissible to break through homes without the permission of their owners: "O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them, that is better for you, in order that you may remember. * And if you find no one therein, still, enter not until permission has been given to you. And if you are asked to go back, go back, for it is purer for you. And Allâh is All-Knower of what you do." [Surat An-Nur: 27 - 28].

Seeking permission is obligatory in Islam to guard homes from looking at privates, protecting honors, and the sanctity of homes. Sahl ibn Sa`d narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Verily! The order of taking permission to enter has been enjoined because of that sight, (that one should not look unlawfully at the state of others)." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim].

After all, Islam prohibits slandering chaste believing women and consider slandering one of the major sins and one of the seven grievous sins. "And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever, they indeed are the Fasiqun (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." [Surat An-Nur: 4].

So, defamation of chaste married women results in the circulation of filthy acts, spreading deniable acts, and disassembly of families and communities. Allah (Glory be to Him) warned those who love to spread fornication with painful torment: "Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allâh knows and you know not." [Surat An-Nur: 19].

In the end, Islam prohibits all kinds of homosexuality such as sodomy, lesbianism, and others to protect the honors of Muslims.

So, if the Islamic Shari`ah establishes all these guarantees to guard and protect man's honor, so we have to stick to Islam by words and actions, by worship and manners, and by sticking to creed and Shari`ah because the reality of non-Muslim societies is awful: The spread of illegal relationships, defaming honors, circulation of deniable and obscene actions until sexual pleasure has become permissible as food and drink.

The result was the increase of bastards, divorce ratio, circulation of all kinds of homosexuality, transaction in honors, and the spread of AIDS which is a just punishment from Allah to the obscenity of this society and its homosexuality which has no limits.

The source is: At-Tawhid Magazine, edition of Dhul-Qa`dah 1408.