That sex stuff again

Salaams Yameen and all others who have responded to this thread:

Not sure where the suspicions come from about this thread but there is no 
hidden agenda.

Let me say where I am coming from:

Saying no to sexual intercourse outside marriage is the major plank of the 
entire religious sector - virtually across the spectrum. When one works with 
Muslims on awareness-raising on HIV/AIDS then this seem to be a basic 
premise that must be stated. (nothwithstanding opening the question of 
condoms usage and even its permissability - but that is not the issue)

Second, the sexual act is often assumed to be vested with some kind of 
sanctity in Islam. If it is then, besides the inherent value of this notion, 
it is also a very useful argument to make in prevention strategies and in 
behaviour modification arguments.

Yet, while I am desperate to make this argument, I am struggling with the 
notion of the sanctity of sex in Islam as is problematized in the issues 
that I raised, sex with slaves, muta'ah/sigheh, four wives and speedy 
divorces.

My problem with some of the responses, perhaps part of larger difficulty 
with Muslim apologetics, is that we seem to think that we can change the 
text sheer dint of our moral convictions:

For example someone wrote – not sure if it was you:

>>>1.  A muslim is never allowed to be unfaithful.  You are NOT allowed to 
>>>have sex with slaves as if they're objects.<<<

Now the Qur’an and all the classical Islamic legal texts are very clear 
about its permissibility

I do not understand that several of the responses to my mail have challenged 
the basic premise of my arguments of say slave ownership and polygamy and 
cited scholars such as Barlas. My difficulty, and perhaps it is the 
arrogance of my background in classical Islamic scholarship – is that so 
much of the liberal interpretations – however desperate I may be for them - 
are not rooted in the classical texts or based on scholarship which display 
a familiarity with Arabic. There is just so much of raw liberal / modernist 
opinion insisting on nearly imposing itself on the Qur’an, not because of 
the Qur’an but despite it.

Anyway, perhaps it is time for me to back off.


Salaams to everyone

Talib

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