from gratifying his sex appetite till it is possible for him to get a
suitable mate:
And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Allah enriches
them by His grace (24:32).
The drives of hunger and thirst are imperative and must be satisfied
under any circumstances. The satisfaction of the sex drive, however,
can safely be postponed for a fairly long period, or even forever.
Unlike the drives of hunger and thirst, sex appetite never rouses
itself: it is excitable by conscious volition. The point needs further
elaboration. A man, even when busy and deeply absorbed in his
work, will feel thirstily when his system needs water, irrespective
of the fact whether he is conscious about the need or not. At first
the feeling will be mild, but as time passes, it will become unbearable
so much so that he will have to leave aside his work and attend to it if
he wishes to survive. The same will hold good in the case of food.
But the sex urge is quite different. It never becomes a compelling
drive on its own unless it receives a stimulus, mental or physical. The
most important exciting factor is the thought of sex itself which has
to be held in check. This is why chastity is not a physiological or
psychological impossibility. The Qur'an, by emphasising the
importance of chastity, also helps to solve population problem.
Chastity is not only in extra-marital relationship, but even a married
couple should turn towards the sex urge only when they are ready to
welcome an addition to the family. This ideal will benefit both the
body and the human self alike; and also make a sensible check on the
growth of population. Today, with the current state of morals, this
may seem a counsel of perfection. It is so only because the pursuit
of pleasure is the dominant aim. Self-indulgence has dimmed the
vision of the purpose of life which is to befit oneself for a higher
plane of existence. The Qur'anic advice is meant for those who are
alive to the demands of this purpose. It is not just a pious advice.
The Qur'an gives it a practical shape. The first thing is to cultivate
the right attitude towards sex. The way to do this is to bear in mind
that the purpose of the sexual activity is procreation and not mere
pleasure. It will exercise a moderating influence on passion and will
engender a sense of responsibility in us. Knowledge of the possible
consequences of our intended action will restrain us from acting
thoughtlessly and so assuming duties which we cannot properly
Islam: A Challenge to Religion 305