The Quest of a Curious Muslim — Page 67
67 maintain a platonic friendship without committing adultery or fornication. However, Islam does not make rules for the minority. Rules are always made for the betterment of the majority. Even regarding alcohol, the Quran states that there are “some advantages” (2:220) in it, but as its dangers are much greater, it is forbidden. The same is the case with platonic relationships. As there are too many dangers involved, Islam has forbidden them and clearly said that women should guard their zeenah or beauty from men who are outside the prohibited degrees. Such men are called ghair mahram , and those to whom women can show their beauty are called mahram. They have been identified in 24:32 of the Holy Quran. The ultimate goal of this teaching is to promote hayaa or modesty, and to safeguard the society from the spread of lewdness and immorality. Discussing this issue, the Promised Messiah as writes, “A fair-minded person will appreciate that the free mixing of men and women and their going about together would expose them to the risk of succumbing to the flare of their emotions…To avoid such untoward situations from arising, the Law-