The Meaning of the Hadith: “Every son of Adam is destined to receive his share of zina, and he will certainly attain it…”

The Shaykh : In the Sunnah, there are many, and very many, matters that directly address the question. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is the authentic narration. There is another explanatory narration, but in terms of its chain of transmission, it is weak; however, in terms of its content, it is authentic. In place of “batsh” (seizing), it says “lams” (touching). That is, touching. This is an authentic hadith, and it is one of those reported byThe Shaykh : In their two Sahihs, it includes the two types of prohibition mentioned at the beginning of this answer. It includes prohibition for its own sake, which is what he (peace be upon him) mentioned at the end of the hadith, and it includes prohibition for the sake of something else, which are these preliminary acts, as he (peace be upon him) said: The prohibited act is not accomplished in any of these preliminary acts alone. However, the result and goal of these preliminary acts usually cannot occur unless all of these preliminary acts, or some of them, precede it. This may vary from person to person in terms of the speed or slowness with which any of these means is realized. But zina, the major sin mentioned in this hadith, must necessarily begin with the look. As also came in a hadith, and I also point out, as is my custom in such matters, that I am, as it were, killing two birds with one stone. I point out that this hadith I am about to recite for you is weak in its chain of transmission, so that you do not say, “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,” even though its meaning is acceptable. It is: “The look is an arrow from the arrows of Iblis.” So when this Muslim looks with a prohibited look, it is prohibited not for its own sake, because it will not lead him to zina and the major sin, nor will the one looked at be affected by this look; rather, she may not even have noticed it at all, so no harm or damage has occurred to her. But this look may lead to what he (peace be upon him) mentioned in the subsequent means, the last of which is falling into what Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has forbidden, namely zina. If we know this reality, and this reality, as I emphasized to you at the beginning of the answer, is without doubt or ambiguity among the scholars—I say this because there are jurisprudential issues in which the jurists have differed, both in the past and in the present, into two opinions, and sometimes into more than that. As for prohibitions, they are divided into two categories: prohibitions for their own sake and prohibitions for the sake of something else, meaning that they lead to a prohibition for its own sake. There is no disagreement among the scholars of Islam, all of them, on this. How could one imagine that there would be disagreement on such a matter, when you have heard the verse previously and this hadith later? I said that this hadith has a very strong connection to the question, so I will now say: The Muslim man who chose to have a secretary, this is undoubtedly evil and exposes him to fitnah (trial) more than the employee in a department who is required to be next to her, or at least in her office, who is constantly with her by virtue of his job. He is required to be there with a female employee. Both of the persons mentioned are in a state of transgression for committing a prohibition for the sake of something else. So now, the one who takes a secretary, or accepts that there is a female employee in his position where he is, this is undoubtedly, without doubt, bound to fall into some of these prohibitions that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) mentioned in the authentic hadith, the first of which is the look, which is an arrow from the arrows of Iblis. And I do not think a sane Muslim would exonerate himself and claim for himself that he does not look with this prohibited look. That is because the human being is a human being who has not been written as infallible. Rather, you have heard in this hadith that he meaning, the Messenger (peace be upon him) said that these preliminary acts must be reached, even if it is only some of them. As for the goal, fruit, and result of these preliminary acts, the one whom Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) has protected is the one who is protected. Many, and very many, of our good brothers may claim that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has protected them from zina, and this, praise be to Allah, is common. But no human being, after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), can claim and say, “I have not looked with a prohibited look since I reached the age of accountability,” let alone say, “I have not listened to a beautiful word from a woman that stirred my desire.” So this person who has placed a secretary in his position is undoubtedly bound to fall into some of these prohibited preliminary acts in the text of the authentic hadith.