Married Life

Adopted from the book "Woman" by : Mahdi Mahrizi

One of main instincts of man being the sexual instinct to which and whose position the Islamic Law "Shari'ah" has paid good attention and consideration. In fact Islam's realistic view and attention to the sexual instinct excites so much wonder.

Masadah Ibn Sadaqah is reported to have said: I have heard that Al­Imaam As­Saadiq was once asked: Why don't you regard the adulterer as kaafir "disbeliever" while using this term for the prayers­forsaker. What is the cause of this? Al­Imaam As­Saadiq replied: The incentive that pushed the adulterer to commit that sin "adultery" being the bestial passion "Libido" that overcame him, but the incentive that made the prayer­forsaker to abandon prayers is only belittling and despising the Salaat. The fornicator gets pleasure from the act he practises, and what he intended to gain of his act was only sensual pleasure, while it is not so in case of prayers, as his intention can never be pleasure. 85

In another hadeeth, in a reply to the same question, Al­Imaam As­Saadiq said:

The reason for this lies in the fact that whatever you yourself hasten to do, with no strong incentive forcing you to doing it, or no overcoming factor, like adultery and wine­imbibing, and you called upon yourself to forsake the prayers without any lust or desire, hence this is considered only disdainment and contempt." 86

Yet in another hadeeth Al-Imaam As-Saadiq"A" declared:

"Stone the old man and old woman for adultery because they have passed and spent their stage of lust and sensuality. 87

Also in fiqh and hadeeth books it is stated that every wife and husband that fails every morning and night to satisfy her/his lust lawfully, is counted as muhsan "continent, chaste". If any of them commits adultery "double adultery", her/his penalty is commuted, and the execution "stoning to death" will be changed to flogging "jald"." 88

Once Al-Imaam As-Saadiq"A" put this question to his followers: Do you know what the best pleasure is? But they showed ignorance of the answer. Thereat he"A" declared:

"Verily the most pleasing thing is to lie with women." 89

In another narration Al-Imaam As-Saadiq"A" said: "People have never delighted themselves in the world and hereafter with a pleasure better than the joy of lying with women."

Of course this pleasure for woman and man is not in the way that only men get pleased, so in continuation of this hadeeth this matter is indicated with general expression thus:

Then he said: The heaven­dwellers never find pleasure in the Garden with anything more desirable to them than copulation with women, neither in "heavenly" food nor drink." 90

All these traditions reflect the strong power of the sexual instinct inside every human being, the fact to which the Islamic legislator paid good attention and consideration.

Now I see it inevitable to say that this instinct with that strength should be satisfied within the boundary of the house, and its healthy basis is marriage contract.

In a continuation of a hadeeth cited in the previous chapter, the following statement is quoted:

"Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, said to Adam:

You can ask her hand from Me, as she is My slave and may fit you too as a wife for satisfying your sexual instinct." 91

If any exciting look to non­consanguine woman "la mahram", unlawful, and indecent "lewd" deeds like adultery, sodomy, masturbation and alike acts have been forbidden "by Islamic Law", and on the other side strength and intensity of sexual instinct be confirmed, so the only means left for satisfying it being the atmosphere of family. Thus only marriage can also achieve this human need and desire.