ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ethics in Islam and in the Western World Chapter 6 : Love, Sexual Discipline and Chastity Democratic Morality, Love in Personality Growth That principles of human liberty and democracy should govern morals, too, is both right and correct, as in the case of politics.

The intrinsic meaning is that human beings should cope with their inborn instincts and natural desires, in the same way as a just and democratic government does in respect of the masses of people. Islam treats questions concerning sexual behaviour on the same ethical basis as is commonly recognized today in the regulation of political and economic activites. For, individuals are prone to making genuine and willful mistakes in ordering their sexual lives on the basis of their own moral judgment.

They may, through misconception, or wantonly, ignore the need for maintaining a democratic concern for morality, in coping with their individual problems, arising in circumstances evidencing lack of any personal restraint and overall chaos. In principle, any societal regulation of political and economic activities ought to recognize the relevant human instincts and tendencies. For, the aggression instinct and tendency to dominate others can be instrumental in politics.

Economic activities may be prompted by a desire to accumulate wealth. Likewise, sexual aptitude can lead to indulgence in lustful activities. However, it is not known why the supporters of the proposed new sexual freedom deem a laissez faire policy fit for sexual affairs only, while they seemingly accept the controllability of political and economic activities. One of the important aspects of sexual ethics concerns the emotion of love.

Since the ancient times, the essence of love has been given special attention in philosophy. Ibn Sina (in the Islamic millenium) brought out a treatise on love. Human love has been commonly acknowledged as a wholesome reality, in terms of its all embracing and sublime nature.

In literature, specially the poetic, love has not only been eulogised, with a sense of pride (to the extent of proclaiming the superiority of the heart over the mind), but contrasted with lust's debasingly animal-like nature. Mostly in our literature we find that love has been extolled not only in terms of its Divine connotation, but even in its down-to-earth human emotional context. In either case, there has been no confusion of love with any kind of lust.