they see someone whom one of their associates desires or with whom he has an improper relationship, or notice his affection, inclination, yearning, and passion—even if he is their own son—and feel pity for him. They imagine this to be compassion towards others, gentleness in dealing with them, and noble character. In reality, it is condoning sexual immorality, degradation, lack of religious commitment, weakness of faith, cooperation in sin and transgression, and failure to forbid one another from indecency and wrongdoing.

Through this, a person becomes involved in facilitating sexual immorality, the gravest form of condoning it. Such was the wicked old woman who joined her people in approving their practice of approaching males sexually and helped them in it. Outwardly, she professed Islam, following the religion of her husband, Lot; inwardly, she was a hypocrite who followed her people’s religion. She did not detest their conduct as Lot did: he denounced it, forbade them to engage in it, and hated it. Likewise, the women in Egypt helped the wife of al-ʿAzīz in her efforts to entice Joseph into committing sexual immorality with her. For this reason, he said:

“My Lord, prison is dearer to me than what they invite me to.”

This was after they had said:

“Indeed, we see her to be clearly misguided.”

There is no doubt that love of sexual immorality is a disease of the heart, for desire produces intoxication. As the Most High said concerning the people of Lot:

“Indeed, they were wandering blindly in their intoxication.”

In the two Sahīh collections, with the wording given here being Muslim’s, Abū Hurayrah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The two eyes commit adultery, and their adultery is looking.”

And so on to the end of the hadith. Thus, many people seek only some of these