Re: That sex stuff again

salaam talib, I agree with you and I feel that Islam doesn't teach sanctity
of sex in marriage like Christianity does but that it teaches that sex can
create chaos if not regulated and allowing structured outlets. Hence
marriage only but permitting sex with slaves and more than one wife. An
unattached female is a risk to the community. Control her or them and save
the community from chaos. Eileen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "talib ul-Haq" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 9:55 AM
Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] 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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