Grand Qur’ān teaches the subject of Human Sexuality


Introduction

Allah the Exalted, through the elevated Messenger who is the admonisher in timeline, has informed about Grand Qur’ān:

  • This (Qur’ān) is a communication explicitly elucidated for the mankind.

  • And it is guidance: regulatory information for aright conduct and counselling: results of affairs- disclosure of factual outcome of acts: good and bad eventuality, reward and punishment - penal code, for those who sincerely endeavour to attain salvation. [3:138]

Allah the Exalted has informed that everything is created in measure and then disciplined in a cohesive single unity by the choice of attraction and repulsion amongst things. The purpose of disciplining every thing was to make it easy for comprehension and perception of human beings since the objective of entire creation was to expose who among human beings conducts himself in an appropriate and balanced manner. The purpose of creation of physical realm is:

  • Moreover, He the Exalted is the One Who created the Skies and the Earth in a time duration of six days [time reckoned in outside this/your universe].

  • -- And His Throne, the Seat of Supreme Sovereignty, is ever located above the Water --.

  • The purpose and consideration of this creative activity was that He the Exalted might expose, by subjecting to a test, as to who amongst you people is more appropriate-balanced-beautiful-moderate with regard to conduct, behaviour and actions.

  • And would you the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] tell them: "It is a fact that you people will be resurrected after the death"

  • Those who have disavowed would certainly say: "This proposition is not but evidently illusory perception." [11:07]


  • It is a fact that Our Majesty has rendered and declared that which exists on the Earth as appealing - attraction for her

  • The purpose and consideration for rendering it attractive is that Our Majesty might expose them by subjecting to a test as to who amongst them is more appropriate-balanced-beautiful-moderate with regard to conduct, behaviour and actions. [18:07]


  • The Omnipresent, the Perpetual, the Absolute is the One Who created the matter and the life

  • The purpose and consideration of this creative activity was that He the Exalted might expose by subjecting to a test as to who amongst you people is more appropriate-balanced-beautiful-moderate with regard to conduct, behaviour and actions.

  • And He the Exalted is the All Pervasive Dominant, the Oft-Forgiving. [67:02]

The purpose and consideration for the creation of matter and life is to subject the man; who is bestowed autonomy of self governance and freedom of choice, freewill, to trial for exposing who of them remains relatively better, moderate, proportioned, meets the standards of beauty with regard to determined and volitional acts.

: This nominal sentence is the second object of preceding verb. The Comparative noun: is the Predicate of : "who amongst you people". Comparative Noun, in Arabic [اسم التفضيل], derived from primary active voice verb, is a relational word which signifies that the excess in meaning is in comparison to others. This noun means more beautiful, more proportioned, more balanced, more moderate; more manifest in beauty with regard to. : It is disambiguation accusative for: . It thus shows that the trial is with regard to beauty of volitional acts, conduct. 

: It denotes act: something that somebody does. What is an act and how is it performed? This Arabic word denotes only those acts which are performed by design and will. It can be performed only when data and information about it is already saved in the memory. Retrieving that information and translating-executing it into action is called: "عمل". And the data in memory is called: "علم" in Arabic. Both these words have similar particles with different sequencing:  ع , ل , م. The act signified by:could thus be termed as transposition of علم: information, knowledge.

And it is matter of common knowledge that all our wilful-volitional acts are caused by the desire to satisfy the appetite, attractions, pleasures or lust of three areas of our body; chest/heart; stomach, and the genitalia. There is no other point where we have an appetite.

: It means that our conduct with respect to these areas of appetite is moderate and balanced, avoiding excesses and extremes. since all these appetites can be satisfied by going into the society where everyone is a shareholder. Anyone on extremes will effect and jeopardize the rights of others and there will be disquiet and disturbance in society, a situation that negates the perception and meanings of verbal noun:  Submission to the discipline establishing orderly state of peace, security, tranquillity, harmony and dynamic balance for all.

Pleasure and Pain are stimulus for: volitional action, conduct, behaviour. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pleasure and pain. Appealing features and attractions tempt and sooth us giving pleasures and comforts. In timeline, attractions, allures for human beings have been in this sequence:

  • Know it; the love of erotic predilections - stimulators has become alluring for the people (Men), fetish from the women

  • And liking for having sons has become a longing for people

  • So has become the desire to have a state of hoarded abundance of Gold and Silver

  • And the marked-pedigree horses [top of the line products], and abundance of herbivore-mammals/livestock, and for plenty of harvesting lands.

  • This is the wealth-sustenance-provision of the transitory worldly life.

  • Mind it that Allah the Exalted grants the most appropriate return and abode by His Grace. [3:14]


Woman are the first attraction and this is the primary cause of Human Sexuality, the subject of this study from Grand Qur’ān, which includes human sexual interests, behaviour, and function.

 How sexual system turns-on

Why Men want sex? Do woman also want sex?

What is the cause behind it? Sex is the greatest urge-appetite and pleasure of human beings, particularly men. Medical experts inform that the reason humans want sex is due to the hormone testosterone, which is predominantly male hormone. A normal male’s body produces 20 times more of this hormone than a female’s. This difference in real life experience may result in male feeling the same way after one day without sex as a female after twenty days; a male that has not had sex in twenty days feels the same as a female after more than a year without sex.

Wikipedia has the following outline as an overview of human sexuality:

 Human sexuality is the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also refer to the way one person is sexually attracted to another person of the opposite sex (heterosexuality), the same sex (homosexuality), or having both tendencies (bisexuality). The lack of sexual attraction is referred to as (asexuality). Human sexuality impacts cultural, political, legal and philosophical aspects of life, as well as being widely connected to issues of moralityethicstheologyspirituality, or religion.

Desire and sexuality are still mysterious subjects despite successes of scientists by examining the reactions and activities within the human brain to understand the phenomenon. 

Grand Qur’ān has disclosed that men have varying sensual excitements and some women are fascinatingly attractive for them.

  • Know it; the love of erotic predilections - stimulators has become alluring for the people (Men), fetish from the women

This part of the Ayah is structurally a simple sentence which will become compound with the following conjunction particle Waw; and is declarative by function. Declarative sentences are used to convey information or to make statements. This Ayah is an information report which classifies, describes and gives factual information about people. Information report usually begins with a general classification or definition, lists a sequence of related information about topic; and ends with a concluding comment.

The topic of information statement is: زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ: Something has become alluring for the people

زُيِّنَ  Verb: Perfect; third person; plural; masculine; Passive; [Form-II]; مصدر-تَزْيِيْنٌ Verbal Noun. Its Root is:   ز ى نIt leads to the perception of proportionality and beauty of a thing; and its adoration, ornamentation, beautification. It gives the thing alluring quality.

لِلنَّاسِ Prepositional phrase: لِ Inseparable preposition (الإختصاص) + Noun: Definite by article; Plural; Masculine; genitive; meaning "the people". The definite article is of the kind: الْجِنْسِيَّةُ لبَيَانَ الحَقِيقَةِ:  It is to point only a fact, it does not include all members of the genus; thus means: generally speaking. In relation to women, it will denote generally speaking about Men, not the entire genus; and for other information it denotes "the people, generally speaking or the majority of people.

حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَٟتِ: It is a possessive phrase which is Proxy Subject of the preceding Passive Verb. This is what has become appealing, fascinating, alluring for the Men, generally speaking.

حُبُّ :  Verbal Noun: Indefinite; nominative. It stems from Root:  ح ب ب. It signifies strong lasting attachment, beloved, an object liked and loved.

ٱلشَّهَوَٟتِ: Noun: Definite; plural; feminine; genitive. It stems from Root:  ش ھ و. Ibn Faris [died 1005] stated:

(مقاييس اللغة)

الشين والهاء والحرف المعتل كلمة واحدة، وهي الشّهوة. يقال: رجلٌ شَهْوانُ، وشيءٌ شَهِيّ.

That it signifies desire, longing, yearning; it refers lustful, erotic, libidinous, over-sexed man. and appeasing, delicate, stimulating or appealing thing.

Thus ٱلشَّهَوَٟتِ signifies "The erotic predilections (special liking or preferences) - stimulators".

The prepositional phrase: مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ "some of the women; from the women" relates to  elided circumstantial clause - state [متعلقان بمحذوف حال من الشهوات] for ٱلشَّهَوَٟتِ. The circumstantial clause with prepositional phrase relating to women restricts it to:شَهْوَةٙ: sexually exciting, arousing, sexually turning-on signals.

Preposition: مِنَ  denotes the commencement. The temporal point of departure, the point at which a state has commenced. When used in this signification, Arab Grammarians call it "denotes the commencement of the limits in place and time" or simply "lil ibteda" to denote the commencement.

It also denotes the casual point of departure, the origin and source of a thing; Grammarians say that in this case مِنَ  is used for assigning the reason

وَٱلْبَنِيـنَ :  It is conjunct to earlier part of the sentence since it is not conjunct to previous feminine word while it is plural masculine. It is common sense that it does not conjunct to: مِنَ meaning only some sons are desired and others not.

The information is about the experience of the majority of men. We find in the literature specifically studying men's arousal patterns repeatedly emphasizing their sensitivity to visual cues. As soon as the lust-inspiring image registers in their brain, they become turned-on—not only physically but psychologically, too. This is the reason that believing men are instructed to reduce their gaze to escape arousal by fetish - any sexually arousing stimuli and to guard their genitals.

 

  • You the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] pronounce for the Believing Men that they should reduce their focused observation-gaze [visual attention upon women-most powerful stimuli to excite-first step]

  • And they should guard their genitalia [the end area in sex process]

  • It is a purer and elevated course of conduct for them.

  • Indeed Allah the Exalted is fully aware of what they people [lust mongers] artfully devise. [24:30]

As an extreme caution, believing women are also instructed to reduce their gaze:

  • And you the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] pronounce for the Believing Women that they should reduce their focused attention upon men [just for info: it is most powerful stimuli to excite]

  • And that they should preserve their genitalia [Refer 24:31]

Reduced gaze will help an individual avoid Partialism: sexual interest with an exclusive focus on a specific part of the body.

Generally speaking, men avoid actually sharing their erotic predilections and experiences with others. It is evident from the information that the erotic predilections and fetish could be different for individuals:

  • Know it; the love of erotic predilections - stimulators has become alluring for the people (Men), fetish from the women

The most attractive body parts that are considered fetish are those which are ordered to be kept under extra veil when women are in the company of males or other women. The injunctions for women in this regard are not in the sense of restricting their preferences for dress code but in fact to facilitate men since sexual system can become self operative even without the desire of an individual. Thereby women are advised:

  • And that they should not cause their bosom noticeable - prominent (by artificial methods) except that of her which has naturally become noticeable. [Refer 24:31]

Verbal sentence: comprises of Verb: Imperfect; Transitive; Third person; plural; feminine; Mood: Jussive by prohibitive particle; [Form-IV] + suffixed Subject Pronoun in nominative state; مصدر-اِبْدَاءٌ Verbal noun.

Verb stems from Root: ب د و . It signifies appearance, emergence, rise, display, manifestation, and disclosing, revealing some thing. It is antonym of hiding, concealing, veiling something.

Form IV verb is Causative - Causing someone or something to perform the action of Measure I.

The direct object of verb is: ; a possessive phrase; Noun: Definite by construct; singular; feminine; accusative + Possessive pronoun: Third person; plural; feminine; in genitive state. It has no meaning other than "their bosom, their object of attraction" as is evident from the exceptive clause:   إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْـهَا  barring that which has become noticeable. The excepted part is of their allure - attraction and it is: مَا ظَهَرَ  

مَا : Relative Pronoun, masculine; its Linkage clause is verbal sentence: ظَهَر   Perfect verb with subject pronoun hidden, third person, singular, masculine. Prepositional Phrase: مِنْـهَا  related to verb and object pronoun of preposition is referent to meaning a part of their allure. The verb stems from Root: ظ ھ ر  which signifies a thing became outward, perceptible, manifest or noticeable.

Make up and all other adornments are purposely made or worn. There is no point of their being naturally surfaced above ground level. Their natural allure-a source of attraction for other sex is their bosoms which are naturally surfaced upon chest.

Women are advised to let their bosom as they are naturally developed noticeably and try not making them more prominent by artificial methods. There is no denying many women are concerned and interested in enhancing shape and size of their bosom.

The following conjunct injunctions make it explicit that: is euphemism for their breast and that that the protuberance visible in the normal dress should be covered by extra unsown sheet:

  • And they should strike barrier for covering their bosom by putting their unsown sheets upon their chests. [Refer 24:31]

It is conjunct to the previous clause with conjunction particle, followed by prefixed Imperative Particle. Next to it is Verbal sentence:  Verb: Imperfect; Transitive; Third person; plural; feminine; Mood: Jussive; نَ Subject pronoun, in nominative state; مصدر-ضَرْبٌ Verbal noun.

Since woman's breast, being protuberant cone like fetish, is noticeable in the worn dress, they are advised to cover them by putting their extra sheets upon their chest . It will create a space to let air come in between the bosom and sheet covering the protuberance.

Breasts are surfaced upon the chest, thereby it is explicit that placing extra sheet on chests is only to cover the bosoms. Thus: refers to nothing else but is euphemism for their bosom, which is their secondary sex characteristic. It is explicitly mentioned by repeating the same injunction:

  • And they should not cause their bosom to be noticed (by removing unsown sheet)

The exceptive clauses to this injunction also render the euphemism explicit for the body part it refers:

  • Except for their husbands

  • Or before their fathers, or fathers of their husbands

  • Or before their sons or the sons of their husbands from other wives

  • Or before their brothers, or sons of their brothers, or sons of their sisters

  • Or before their own-family women [not strangers]

  • Or before maid servants under their control and obligation

  • Or before male attendants who are "other than holders of genitalia desiring for marriage- castrated" considered in state of amongst the Men

  • Or before the children who have not become aware regarding the "sexual parts/aspects" of the women. [Refer 24:31]

An exception given to women to let remain their bosom noticeable is in the presence of children who are specified that they have not become aware: ; a prepositional phrase coupled with possessive phrase which relates to preceding verb in perfect meaning by Negation Jussive Particle. The Possessive Phrase: signifies the sexual parts of women. It is because their exposure has aspect of shame. In Ayah 24:58 seeking prior permission by everyone of the household is made mandatory for visiting the bedroom of husband and wife at three timings which are appointed as of sexual privacy for the couples using the same word: : These are three privacies appointed for you (people - spouses).

This is yet another evidence that: refers only to "their bosom", a secondly sex organ of women.

It is again rendered explicit that it refers to secondary sex organ:

  • Take note, the aged single in the women folk who have no desire and intention for Nikah -marriage:

  • Take note, the aged singles, whether virgins, widows or divorcee in the women folk who have no desire and intention for Nikah -marriage

  • Thereby, no blame - objection shall lie upon them in laying off their extra sheet upon chest in the manner unlike of those women who project their bosoms rendering their selves alluring

  • However, their modestly retaining extra sheets is a better option for them.

  • Remain cautious; Allah the Exalted is eternally the Listener; the Absolute Knowledgeable. [24:60]

Laying off extra sheet is not blame worthy if this condition is there:  . It is circumstantial accusative. The Possessive Phrase: signifies those women who are other than of those fond of self exposing. Plural feminine active participle: is derived from Form-V verb stemming from Root:  ب ر ج. It signifies projection, display, and exposure of her finery and beauties by woman.

Active Participles are formed from the Present Tense Active Voice Verb. One of the unique feature of an Active participle is that it has a verbal quality. It signifies that it has the same meaning as the Active Voice Verb and can even govern words in the same manner as a verb governs in a sentence. 

Form-V verb and active participle has reflexive causative meanings. The subject receives back the impact of action. Thereby, this Participle denotes those women who by projecting their bosoms render their selves alluring for other sex.

Apart from enlarged breasts the widened hips of females are also considered secondary sex fetish. They also need to be covered when in public:

  • O you the Elevated and Chosen Allegiant [Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam]:

  • Pronounce for your wives and your daughters and for the women of believers: they intentionally drop a part of their shawls downwards upon their selves  - lower part of the body

  • This action is better suited for their recognition [by this identity as righteous non exposing women] whereby they are not harassed/embarrassed [by others in streets/markets].

  • Know it, Allah the Exalted has always been oft Overlooking/Forgiving, the Merciful. [33:59]

Wrapping unsown sheets on chest and dropping shawls on lower part of the body helps concealing the female figure which is the cumulative product of a woman's skeletal structure and the quantity and distribution of muscle and fat on the body. The bust, waist, and hips, called inflection points, define the body shapes. Once the inflection points are covered, the eyes of an onlooker will not get any cue for objectifying a woman in the street, whereby, she will be recognized as pious lady not interested in luring men. Thereby, there will be no harassing and embarrassing response from an on looking man because his eyes did not convey any alluring image and cue to his brain. 

Sex is both a psychological and physiological phenomenon and is dependent upon stimulus and preferences of an individual which plays a major role in spouse relationships. Thereby, instructions are given how to resolve displeasing situations emerging after body exposures once married.

 

  • Not at all blemish-worthy shall be upon you (husbands) if you terminated the marriage [for compelling reasons] with your such wed-wives with whom you did not establish "intimate matrimonial association"

  • And/Or in terminating the marriage with such wives for whom you (husbands) did not finalize your financial obligation.

  • Take note; you (husbands) are directed to gift them: The providing of gift to them shall be commensurate to his measure upon the man of riches-affluence-abundant resources

  • And shall be commensurate to his measure upon the man of little/restricted resources. It is emphasized that sustenance gift be in accordance with the known norms of society/class.

  • This act of gifting to such divorced wife is an obligation for such men who maintain a balanced/even handed conduct in life. [2:236]

  • And if you have terminated the marriage [for compelling reasons] with them before having  established intimate matrimonial association [intercourse]

  • While you had determined for them the payable obligation, then in such case half of that is due which you had determined.

  • There is no exception to this laid down injunction except if they (the newly wed wives) remit that or [if she was earlier maidservant] that man remits it who has the decision-making right for her Unification bond/giving in marriage.

  • And to forego-ignore other's shortcomings is nearly related to mindful and restrained conduct.

  • And you (people) should not forget exercising kindness-generosity with one another.

 

  •  It is a certain fact that Allah the Exalted ever keeps watching what acts you people perform. [2:237]


  • O those people who have proclaimed to have believed in the Messenger and Qur’ān, listen;

  • When you (people) have taken the believing women into the fold of Nikha/wedding, thereafter [some time lapsed; for compelling reasons] you divorced them before having established intimate matrimonial association [intercourse] with them:

  • Thereby, there is no obligation for you to appoint waiting period upon them; which you respective husbands otherwise need to count it [just one proclamation of husband's firm decision of divorce ends the tie of Nikah in this case].

  • Therefore, you (husbands) are directed to give them the sustenance gifts [in accordance with injunction mentioned in 2:236-237]; and in par excellence respectful manner see them off [instantly to their parent's house or to the one/place where she was a maid-servant]. [33:49]

It is explicitly clarified that there is nothing wrong and abnormal in terminating the marriage if the husband has not consummated it. What is mentioned in these ayahs is already mentioned in descriptive words:

  • And those under your guardianship. living within your protection, the daughters of previous husband of your such wives with whom you have performed act of entry-intercourse, are also forbidden.

  • However, for some reason if you (husbands) had not done act of entry-intercourse with them [divorced before sexual intercourse, as is permissible] thereby there is not at all blemish-worthy upon you in marrying their daughters born from previous husbands.  [Refer 4:33]

The compelling reasons could be either ideological, psychological or physiological exposed immediately after marriage which are not commensurate to the preferences of husband which vary from man to man.

Notwithstanding this facility and permitted course of action, husbands are directed:

  • O those people who have proclaimed to have believed in the Messenger and Qur’ān, listen;

  • Sustaining the wives obnoxiously is not permissible for you people.

  • And also you the husbands should not restrain-deprive them of liberty with motive of securing some of the wealth you had earlier given them. The exception whereat women could be restrained in homes is when they might indulge explicitly in lewdness [refer instruction in 4:15].

  • And you people are hereby directed to socialize with them-wives in accordance with the accepted norms of society.

  • Thereby, [marriage is on apparent considerations, many thing emerge only after intimacy] if you (husbands) disliked them, thereat just think that it is possible that you disdainfully dislike a thing while Allah the Exalted might have rendered abundant good therein. [4:19]


  • However, if you (husbands) have firmed up your decision seeking replacement of a wife to give status of a wife to another women

  • While you had given an excessively large wealth to one of the wives intended to be divorced,  thereat upon implementing the decision you (husbands) should not take back a single penny of that paid wealth.

  • [in desire of having a new wife] Would you acquire that wealth by alleging false accusation-calumny against her and manifest/exposing dilapidating-sin? [4:20]

It is said that sexual desire itself is a drive lodged deep in the gut, working without our knowledge and beyond our control. In this section we have read about the cues that sexually effect almost all the men. Do women also get aroused subconsciously by some cues? We will study it in the real-life event that occurred in the life of elevated Messenger Yusuf alahissalam when he reached to his strengthened maturity and some respectable women unsuccessfully tried to seduce him.