And he said:

“It is because of Allah’s protective jealousy that He has forbidden shameful deeds, whether openly or in secret.”

This refers specifically to His protective jealousy concerning shameful deeds. Likewise, in the hadith of ‘Ā’ishah:

“No one has greater protective jealousy than Allah when His male or female servant commits unlawful sexual intercourse.”

This, too, is protective jealousy concerning shameful deeds.

Likewise, protective jealousy generally refers to matters of this kind. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that his protective jealousy was greater than that of other believers, that a believer feels protective jealousy, and that Allah loves such jealousy when there are grounds for suspicion. Whoever has no protective jealousy is a dayyūth—a man devoid of protective jealousy. It is stated in the hadith:

“A dayyūth will not enter Paradise.”

Praiseworthy protective jealousy is that which accords with the protective jealousy of Allah Most High. It is aroused when Allah’s prohibitions are violated through shameful deeds, whether hidden or open. A person’s particular protective jealousy, however, concerns another man’s encroachment upon his family. His jealousy over indecency committed by his own family is not like his jealousy over unlawful sexual intercourse committed by others: the former affects him personally, whereas the latter concerns him only insofar as he hates what Allah hates.

Thus, the protective jealousy incumbent upon him concerns his own family, foremost his wife, then his relatives and those under his authority. Accordingly, if his wife commits adultery, he may resort to mutual imprecation with her because of the harm this causes him, unlike when someone other than his wife commits unlawful sexual intercourse. For this reason,