About free mixing in Islam

About free mixing in Islam

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessing be upon his Messenger. Islam has answers for every problem facing mankind. Our utmost wish is just for all of us to adhere to the teachings of this great religion which came to save mankind from the peril of succumbing to the material life, to rescue them from darkness of following whims and self-inclinations to the light of guidance and eternal prosperity.
Muslims should have good relations with all people, both males and females. However it is not allowed in Islam to take a non-mahram person or person of the opposite gender as friend. This kind of friendship often leads to harm.
Responding to the question, Sheikh Ahmad kuuty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic institute of Toronto, Ontario Canada, states the following:
It is common knowledge that in Islam, fornication and adultery are grave sins and committing either bears serious consequences in this world and hereafter.
However, what is not so well known is that while declaring fornication and adultery as haram (forbidden), Islam does not merely forbid the actual acts, but it also declares as forbidden each and every circumstance or way that leads to fornication and adultery. Allah says:
ولا تقربوا الزنا إنه كان فاحشة وساء سبيلا.
And do not come near fornication, for it is indeed lewdness and an evil way; (of life style). Al-Isra, 17:23.
Explaining this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “the fornication of the eyes is looking at, the fornication of the ears is listening to, the fornication of the tongue is talking to, the fornication of the hands is holding, the fornication of the feet is walking, the fornication of the heart/mind is craving and lusting, and finally the private part confirm or negate it. He also said: “staring is one of the arrows of Satan”. In another report, he said: “You are allowed to have the first accidental look (which is unintentional), but do not continue to stare”.
The laws of Islam are from Allah our Creator, who knows our witnesses as well as our strengths better than we can ever do. Women by nature desire to be looked at, adored and cherished, while man is inclined to look at women. Allah the Almighty therefore, warns us against our won natures which may lead us astray if we do not exercise caution and take the necessary safeguards.
Thus Allah, the Almighty said:
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُم ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُون.
Tell the believers to restrain their looks (in the presence of women not closely related to them and so lawful for marriage) and guard their chastity. That is purer and best for them. Surely, Surely, Allah is Well-Aware of what they do; Surah Noor, Ayah 30 (Verse).
Having friendship with members of the opposite gender may lead to staring, lustful thoughts, flirtatious behavior and seduction. Although it may not always be the case, there is no way to tell when it could happen and when it would not happen. That is why it is forbidden to mingle and mix freely with members of the opposite six and to develop friendships with them.
It is all part of zena (fornication), (which Allah and his prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) strongly ordered us to abstain from.
Allah has given us laws in order to guard us against the evils that are inherent in our own souls. One recent study conducted about male-female interaction in the workplace concluded that one in every tree women had been sexually involved with a co-work or boss. If this is the case in a professional, business-like environment, then the potential for illicit relations in more casual circumstances has much greater potential.
Those Allah has been most gracious by not only forbidding fornication and adultery, but also by closing all the doors that lead to them.

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