This is a very clear proof that one of Islam’s aims is to keep women apart from men, and that the Islamic principle is to segregate men from women—contrary to the disbelieving Western principle, which seeks to have women intermingle with men. Many Muslims today have been deceived by this, and have come not to care about women mixing with men; indeed, they regard this as democracy and progress. In reality, however, it is regression, for the mixing of women with men satisfies men’s desires at women’s expense. So where is the democracy they claim?!

This is injustice. Justice, rather, is for a woman to remain protected and safeguarded, not to be exploited by men—neither through looking, nor speech, nor touch, nor anything else that gives rise to temptation.

Yet, because of weakness of faith and distance from the teachings of Islam, these deceived people have been taken in by the condition of the disbelieving nations. We know, through well-established reports, that the disbelieving nations are now groaning like a critically ill patient under the burden of these circumstances and wish to free themselves from this mixing. But they are no longer able to do so, for the tear has grown too wide to mend. What is also regrettable is that some Muslims wish to join the ranks of those who call for what they term “freedom,” though it is in reality freedom of whim, not freedom of guidance. As Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

They fled the servitude for which they were created,
Only to be afflicted with servitude to the self and Satan.

The servitude for which they were created is servitude to Allah, the Most High: that one should be a true servant of Allah. But they fled from it and were afflicted with servitude to the self