This document discusses Islamic ethics regarding sexuality from an Islamic jurisprudence perspective. It outlines core concepts like tawhid (belief in one God) which directs Muslims to fulfill God's will. Marriage is considered good and the proper outlet for sexuality, while adultery and homosexuality are forbidden as they go against God's commands. Issues like marriage, adultery, and homosexuality are examined through teachings in the Quran and hadith which emphasize living according to God's revelations and avoiding clear evil acts. Guidance is also drawn from scholarly consensus to determine rulings for issues in the broad gray area between good and evil.

1. Islamic Ethics
Sexual Ethics

2.  Core Concepts
 Overarching Virtues
 Teachings
 Islamic Jurisprudence
 Issues

3.  Individual
 Family
 Society

4.  Has been ‘honoured with goodness’ in that we are
created with the innate capability to recognise
goodness and virtue.
 Is created in ‘the best composition’ in that we have
the capacity to excel in our humanity. The Qur’an says
that only those who believe and do good deeds will
realise this potential.
 Is created as a ‘caretaker on earth’ charged with the
duty of upholding goodness and righteousness.

5.  Has been given ‘the trust’, which is self-awareness
and freedom of choice that comes with it.
 Has a nafs, the egotistical soul that acts as the
interface between the spirit and the physical body.
All human evil is a product of the unpurified nafs.

6. Overarching Virtues
 Love of Allah
 Humility
 Modesty
 Naturalness
 Selflessness

7. Core Ethical Teachings
 Follow the will of Allah, All people are equal before
Allah
 Everything is made in pairs
 “Glory be to Him Who created pairs of all things, of what
the earth grows, and of their kind and what they do not
know.”(Quran 36:36)
 Islam expects Muslims to engage in positive social
activism to promote the good and to prevent the harm
that may be inflicted on society
 “And from among you there should be a party who invite to
good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and
these are those who shall be successful.” (Quran 3:104)

8. Islamic Jurisprudence
wrong.
Although few in numbers, there are some things which can self-evidently be categorised good or evil. We don’t need to prove that integrity, selflessness, charity, saving lives, example, are essentially good. Similarly, murder, paedophilia, torture, for example, are clearly
But many things in life fall into the grey area between clear good and clear evil.
Good & Evil
Self-Evidently
Good
Broad Grey Area
of Good & Evil
Self-Evidently
Evil
Qiyas
Analogical Reasoning
The Qur’an The Sunnah Ijma
Consensus
this broad grey area of human action, human nafs interferes with our common sense and
reason. Therefore, we need independent source to guide us towards goodness. In Islam, the
revealed Word of God, the Qur’an, and the practical implementation of the Qur’an, the Sunnah,

9. How does this influence the life
of the Adherent?
 Tawhid is the core of Islamic ethics, the belief that God
is the spiritual source of life as well as direction for law.
Therefore:
 All actions directed by God are considered to be the
right course. Fulfilling God’s will is the primary goal of a
Muslim (i.e. one who submits)
 Allah directs people to good and right action.

10. Issues
 Marriage
 Adultery
 Homosexuality

11. Marriage
 Marriage is ‘Good’
 Considered to be the will of Allah
“Marry the spouseless among you…if they are poor, God
will enrich them of His bounty.” (Quran 24:32)
 It is the practical source of sexual expression
“When they have cleansed themselves, you go into them
as Allah has commanded.” (Quran 2:222)

12. Marriage
“And among His signs is that He has created for you
spouses from among yourselves so that you may live in
tranquility with them; and He has created love and mercy
between you. Verily, in that are signs for those who
reflect.” (Quran 30:21)
a) Marriage is a sign of God’s power and blessing.
b) Marriage is a highly recommended act of virtue that
should not be avoided because of poverty.
c) Sexual urge is a creative command of God placed in
human nature. (therefore sex is good, within marriage)

13. Adultery
 Considered a grave action against God. Known as ‘Zina’
The enormity of this sin is no small measure due to its dire
consequences affecting individuals, families and societies.
 It erodes the trust and tranquility of family life
 Dissipates one’s energies
 Undermines peace at home
 Corrodes the purity of one’s soul (nafs)
 It opposes the will of Allah (salvation)
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

14. Adultery
“And come not near unto adultery. Lo1 it is an
abomination and an evil way” (Quran 17:32)
Abu Hurayrah reports that the Messenger of Allah said,
“No one commits adultery while still remaining a believer,
for faith is more precious unto Allah than such an evil
act!”
“When as person commits adultery he casts away from his
neck the bond that ties him to Islam; if, however, he
repents, Allah will accept his repentance.” (Abu Dawud,
An-Nisa’I and others)

15. Homosexuality
 God created everything in Pairs….. So the language of
your writing should focus on the positive instruction
from God.
 Homosexuality as a ‘orientation’ is contested (some
groups argue if this is or isn’t the case) but all groups
agree that the act of homosexual sex (sodomy) is
considered unacceptable.
 “What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and
leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye
are forward folk.” (Quran 26:165)

16. Homosexuality
 ISRA perspective – The three levels
 Make sure you present where this view comes from. It is
not accurate to say that this is the Muslim view in a broad
sense.
 Jihad – A struggle (the comparison to Homosexuality is
that it is a test from God to overcome, similar to the
test of being born with a “condition” that separates a
person from the mainstream lifestyle (eg, born blind)
The greater the test, the greater the reward.