Your Eminence! You spoke about unlawful sexual intercourse—may Allah protect us from it—and its causes.

The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : You spoke about unlawful sexual intercourse—may Allah protect us from it—and its causes. The causes of unlawful sexual intercourse have multiplied, and the greatest of them is the woman, from whose affair the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned; as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Is there any guiding word regarding the warning against this trial?

The Shaykh : Yes. The word on this subject is that we should know that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is the possessor of perfect wisdom. He distinguished between men and women by nature, and He distinguished between them by law. As for His distinguishing between them by nature, ask the anatomists and you will find that the composition of the woman is not like the composition of the man. Indeed, there is a great difference between them. Look at the created difference that does not require scholars between the woman and the man. The voice differs. So much so that if some men have a voice that resembles women, they say: “So-and-so’s voice is like a woman’s voice.” And some women have a loud, thick voice like a man’s voice. So the first is censured and the second is censured, because she has departed from the requirement of the custom that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) established for the two categories. Likewise in strength, endurance, and resilience. For this reason, jihad was lifted from women, because they are not qualified for it. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: . Meaning, it is not possible for her to stand firm in fighting. And if a rare woman is found, that is a rare thing with no ruling. He said: . Then there are other things I do not wish to address regarding their private matters. The difference is a known matter, and no one denies this. Allah distinguished between them by law. There are obligations upon women that are not upon men, and there are obligations upon men that are not upon women. And although the principle is that men and women are equal in the rulings of Allah, there are rulings that the wisdom of the Lord (Mighty and Majestic) necessitated be specific to women, and rulings that the wisdom of Allah necessitated be for men. If there were nothing of this except the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) to the women, addressing them: This is a deficiency in religion. The man prays and fasts in Ramadan, and she does not pray and does not fast in this blessed month. This is a deficiency in religion. As for intellect, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) gave the example of testimony. The testimony of a man is for what? The testimony of two women. The testimony of a woman is not accepted in the legal hudud. It is not accepted in unlawful sexual intercourse. If a hundred women testified against a man that he committed unlawful sexual intercourse, it would not be accepted. And if four men testified, yes? It is accepted. And many legal matters in which Allah distinguished between the man and the woman. Then, because the trial of women is great, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against it, as in the hadiths mentioned by the questioner, and by his guidance and direction (peace and blessings be upon him). Where he ordered the women to keep away from the men, even in the places of worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Why? Answer? Because the last of them is farther from the men than the first of them. So it became the best of them. And he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), when he would conclude the prayer with the taslim, would remain for a little while and not depart, in order for the women to depart before the men mix with them. And hadiths were narrated regarding the prohibition of a woman blocking the road, meaning: being in the middle of the road, so that she does not mix with the men. And this is a known matter in the Shari'ah, which no one is ignorant of except one who has not read what the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) wrote regarding it. For this reason, I say: It is upon the person to protect himself and his family from the Fire of Hell, by directing the women to what they should be of modesty, shyness, covering, and keeping away from free mixing with men. Indeed, and from addressing the men in a way that becomes a cause of trial. For this reason, Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: What? .