Islam strongly stresses the significance of one's dignity and self-respect.

Islam strongly stresses the significance of one's dignity and self-respect. One who admits his sins to someone else will in all reality be humiliating himself before another human being. He should do so before his Maker, and only before his Maker, each and every hour of his life. Muslims seek Allah's forgiveness every day before, during, and after their five daily prayers.

Humility before God is what Islam condones, not self-humiliation before another human being, even if such a human wears a collar and is a man of the Church. Ascetic life according to Christianity is a saintly one; Jesus and the saints are models in this regard, and celibacy is preferable over marriage for the attainment of spiritual eminence. Not so in Islam.

Asceticism is unnatural; it clashes with our human nature and deprives us of enjoying the lawful pleasures of this life__including and especially sexual pleasures__so that we may thank the Almighty Who provides us with them. Life is to be enjoyed; it is the greatest gift of the Almighty to the living. Take His gifts and thank Him for them; do not deprive yourself of what is lawful.

“I have not enjoyed of your world,” says Prophet Muh,.ammed, “except three: prayers, perfumes, and women!” Prayers bring one closer to his Maker, provide him with comfort against his worries, and pave the way for his salvation. They also are healthy daily physical exercises.

Perfume, for both men and women, is very highly commended in Islam; one who wears it and thus smells good will not be shunned by others; rather, he or she will be loved, cherished and respected not only by other people, but also by the angels and by God Himself; He surely loves those who are clean (43) physically and spiritually. Sex is one of the blessings of the Almighty on His servants as long as it is lawful and is not followed by remorse.

No pleasure is pleasing if it is followed by remorse or, worse, by AIDS...! Whenever you cohabit with your wife, the Prophet teaches us, you earn a blessing, a good deed... Such is the beauty of Islam. Christianity preaches the separation of the religion from the State, from politics. Islam, contrariwise, provides a socio-political system wherein politics are mixed with religion just as water is mixed with milk; they are inseparable.