It is a brief study of Islamic and Quranic teachings on men and women relationships.
Now days in the modern societies as well as the Islamic countries the western cultural influence is spreading like an illness amongst the Muslim youth. Due to this problem, we see some of the young Muslim girls and boys, knowingly or unknowingly, want to have pre-marital relationships which is strictly Haram (forbidden) in Islam. In this article we are going to have a look at some of the verses of the holy Quran which forbid such a relation between the young generations.
Before mentioning the verses of the holy Quran, it must be noticed that Islam does not forbid any sort of good and respectful relationship between the people, rather, Islam commands Muslims to have good relations with all people including males, females, young or old in the universities, schools, workplaces neighborhood etc. According to the Islamic teachings Muslims must be kind and courteous to everyone, but they should not take a non-mahram person of the opposite gender as a very close friend that could lead to haram.
In the Qur’an, Almighty Allah (J) mentions that good men and women are those who marry, do not have fornicating relationships and do not have "paramours" or Akhdan. [1] In chapter Al-Ma'idah Allah (J) says "This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, … And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers." [2]
According to the Quranic teachings all men and women are responsible not to attract the other sex for whom it is unlawful to do so, but, it does never mean that Islamic sharia is totally opposed to working or studying rather these are commended and supported by Islam, but in Islam the values of guarding one’s modesty and chastity are very important. Thus, Muslim youth could be friendly with their classmates, boys and girls both; but, they must not take a girl as their intimate friend. It must be also mentioned that in Islamic Sharia, homosexuality is strictly forbidden that is why boy should not a boy either as his intimate friend in the "gay sense" of the word.
Notes:
[1] Chapter 4, verse 25. فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ
[2] Chapter 4, verse 5. الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلُّ لَّهُمْ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ