Al-Ma'aarij (The Ascending Stairways)

29. And those who guard their chastity.

30. And do not engage in sexual intercourse, except with their wives and female slaves [who are like their wives], but they are not blameworthy for having been engaged in sexual intercourse with them.

31. But whoever seeks beyond that shall be a trespasser [of Divine Bounds].

The preceding blessed Verses treated of four characteristics of the true believers and those who will be the people of Paradise and the blessed Verses in question deal with further characteristics.

The blessed Verses 29 and 30 say:

“They are the people who protect themselves from unchastity and do not engage in sexual intercourse, except with their wives and female slaves and they will not be blamed for such engagement.”

The sexual drive is one of the easily unchecked human drives and the source of many a sin, such that some hold that its trace may be found in all serious criminal cases. Thus, checking the drive serves as a significant token of fear of God Almighty.

It is worthy of note that checking the drive follows acts like establishment of ritual prayers, helping the needy, believing in the Day of Resurrection, and fearing Divine torments.

The exception following the check reflects that the drive is not to be totally removed and people are to move against the laws of creation like monks, nuns, and some priests; it is logically impossible, since many a monk and nun have failed to remove the drive from their lives and even if they do not officially marry, but many of them privately engage in sexual activities.

Such instances of disgrace and ignominy abound in the world and Christian historians, e.g. Will Durant, have unveiled instances of such unchastity and indecency.

The Arabic plural nominal form azwaj comprises permanent and temporary wives. Some have imagined that the blessed Verse negates temporary marriage, since they do not notice that it is also a kind of marriage.

Laying further emphasis on the issue, the blessed Verse 31 says:

“But whoever seeks beyond that shall be a trespasser [of Divine Bounds].”

Thus, the Islamic faith plans a society in which innate natural drives may find vents without entailing unchastity and indecency. It is noteworthy that female slaves used to possess many a legal right of wives, but dealing with such issue is presently out of the question.