it is far greater and more majestic. In His wisdom, Allah — glorified and exalted be He — has laid upon His servants certain obligations, forbidden them certain things, and permitted others. Whatever He has made obligatory is good for them in both their religion and their worldly life, for their present and their future. Whatever He has prohibited is harmful to them in their religion and their worldly life, for their present and their future. Hence, when Allah forbids His servants something, He, Mighty and Majestic, is moved to jealousy if a person infringes upon His sacred limits. How can anyone dare violate the sanctities of his Lord when Allah has only forbidden them for the servant’s own benefit? As for Allah Himself, the servant’s disobedience does not harm Him in the least; yet He is jealous that a person, fully aware that Allah is All-Wise and All-Merciful and that He never withholds anything out of miserliness but only for the servant’s welfare, still goes ahead and disobeys the Almighty — especially in the matter of adultery. May Allah protect us.

It is authentically reported from the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — that he said: “No one is more jealous than Allah when His male or female servant commits adultery.” Adultery is an abomination, a vile and degraded path; therefore Allah has forbidden it and every means leading to it, as He, glorified be He, says: “Do not come near adultery; surely it is an abomination and an evil way” (Q 17:32). When a servant falls into adultery — Allah’s refuge is sought — Allah’s jealousy is more intense and greater than His jealousy over any other of the sacred limits. Even more heinous, by far, is sodomy, the act of approaching a male, for