The Danger of Being Lax Regarding the Forbidden Seclusion

Question:
Could you, Honorable Shaykh, explain the ruling and the danger of being lax in this matter, the matter of forbidden seclusion?

Answer:
The sin, the laxity, and the result, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: if a man is alone with a woman, Satan is the third among them. What do you think of it if Satan is present and becomes the third of the two? Satan wants to destroy and mislead the children of Adam, so there is no doubt that he will make the sin attractive to them, and there is no doubt that he will make the path to falling into the forbidden easy for them. He does not attend for good, and his presence with the two is inevitable, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: if a man is alone with a woman, Satan is the third of them, the third of them. What does a person say? That it is not necessary for Satan to be present, that he may not be present? We say: No. No man is alone with a woman except that Satan is the third of them. This is a report from the Truthful, the One who is believed (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the presence of Satan is a necessary consequence of a man’s seclusion with a woman, without any doubt in that. Yes. If Satan is present, what will be the situation? And the woman went out to seek reward, so how does she go out and seclude herself with a driver who is not permissible for her? Yes.