“And men who guard their chastity and women who guard theirs.” [al-Ahzāb: 35]

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Whoever Allah protects from the evil of two things will enter Paradise: what lies between his jaws and what lies between his legs.”

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Unlawful sexual intercourse is among the gravest sins and most serious offences. After associating partners with Allah and taking a life Allah has made inviolable, no sin is greater. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Among the gravest sins are to set up a rival to Allah when He created you, then to kill your child for fear of having to share your food with him, then to commit unlawful sexual intercourse with your neighbour’s wife.”

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Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has prescribed the fixed punishments for unlawful sexual intercourse for those of His servants who possess ihsān (chastity), according to their respective degrees of ihsān. Ihsān means abstaining from indecencies and keeping away from them. The word derives from expressions such as “an impregnable fortress” and “protective armour”. It has three grounds: Islam, freedom from slavery, and marriage. It thus has three degrees, the first being Islam.

Islam constitutes ihsān because it deters a person from indecencies and restrains him from vile deeds.

Next comes freedom from slavery, because it too restrains a person from indecencies and base conduct. Anyone who possesses free status ought to keep himself above committing an indecency or approaching anything base.

Then comes marriage, since it too is meant to deter a person from indecencies and restrain him from vile deeds.