The Danger of Mixing of the Sexes in Schools and Universities

Question :

A young man says that he is from a wealthy family and he studies in a mixed school, which has enabled him to form shameful relationships with the opposite sex and he was drowning in acts of disobedience. What should he do so that he may be plucked from his current situation? And is there any repentance for him? And (if so,) what are the conditions of this repentance?

Answer:

In this question there are two issues:

The first is the advice we are required to direct to the authorities in the Muslim countries. For it is they who have made it possible for their children to study in mixed schools: This practice is contrary to the Islamic Law and the Muslims should not follow it. The Prophet said:
"The best rows for the women are those in the rear and the worst of them are those in the front."

This is because the first row is close to the men and the last row is far from them. So if maintaining a distance between men and women and segregating them is desirable even in places of worship such as prayer, in which the worshipper feels that he is standing before his Lord, far removed from matters relating to the life of this world, then how will it be if the mixing is in schools? Is not maintaining a distance and abandoning mixing even more necessary? Verily, the mixing of men with women is a great trial and temptation (Fitnah), which our enemies have made to look attractive to us, so that many of us have fallen into it.

In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is reported on the authority of Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said: "The Messenger of Allah would make the Taslim and the women would stand up when he finished his Taslim and he would remain in his place for a while before standing." She said: "We considerand Allah knows best that this was so that the women could leave before the men encountered them."

Verily, it is incumbent upon the authorities in Muslim countries to make this matter a priority, and protect their people from the causes of evil and temptation, because Allah, Most High will ask them about those of whom they were given charge. And they should know that when they obey Allah, Most High and implement His Law in every matter, great and small, Allah, Most High will unite the hearts (of their people) upon them and fill them with love and good counsel for them, and make their affairs easy for them, and subject their people to them with loyalty and obedience.

The Muslim people must think both rulers and ruled about the evil and corruption which has resulted from this mixing. The clearest example of this and the greatest testament is what this questioner has mentioned regarding the shameful relationships of whose consequences and sins he now seeks to be free from.

The temptation of mixing may be ended by an honest intention, and a firm will for improvement. That is by building schools, institutes, colleges and universities specially for women, in which men are not allowed to work or study. Since the women are sisters of the men, they have the right to learn what is of benefit to them, as do the men. But it is their right upon us that their areas of study be separated from the men's study areas.

It is reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: "A woman came to the Messenger of Allah and said: "O Messenger of Allah! The men have taken your sayings (Hadith), so make for us a day on which we may come to you, so that you teach us what Allah has taught you." He said:
"Gather on such-and-such a day in such-and such place.
So they gathered and the Messenger of Allah came to them and he taught them what Allah had taught him."

It is clear that women should be taught separately in a specially designated place, since he did not say to them: "Why do you not attend with the men?" I ask Allah, Most High that He grant the Muslims in general, success in following the path which the Prophet and his Companions followed in order to attain honor and high rank in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.

As for the second matter, it is the question of the inquirer who mentions that he is drowning in acts of disobedience due to the shameful relationships which he has formed with the opposite. sex: What should he do, is there any repentance for him and what are the conditions for repentance? I would like to give him the glad tidings that the door to repentance is open for every penitent person and that Allah loves the penitent ones and forgives all the sins of those who repent of them. He, Most High says:
"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful."

So if you repent of this deed which you have done, then Allah, Most High will replace your evil deeds with good deeds; Allah, Most High says:
And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then verily, he repents towards Allah with true repentance".

As for the conditions of repentance, they are five:
The first condition: That the repentance be purely and sincerely for Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful without any display for others in it and without fear of any person among the created beings. Rather, it is done desiring Allah's Pleasure, because every deed through which a person tries to approach his Lord, which is not performed purely and sincerely for Him is vain and invalid, because Allah, Most High says, in the Hadith Qudsi:
"I have no need of partners, whoever does any deed in which he associates partners with Me, I will reject him and his Shirk."

The second condition: To regret the sin which he has committed and be affected by it, and to consider oneself to have been wrong in doing so, so that he feels that he is in need of Allah's Forgiveness.

The third condition: To refrain from his sin if he was still doing it. Because there is no repentance as long as one persists in the sin; so if a sinner said: "I repent of the sin," while he is still doing it, that would be considered to be mocking Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. If you addressed any created being saying: "I regret the ill-mannered way in which I have treated you," while you continued to treat him in a bad way, it would be as if you were mocking him. And the Lord, the Almighty, the All- Powerful is Greater and Mightier than that you should claim to have repented of your sins, while you are still committing them.

The fourth condition: To have the firm resolve not to repeat the sin in future.

The fifth condition: That the repentance take place at a time when it is acceptable from the one repenting, being before a person sees death approaching and before the sun rises in the west. Because if it is after the sun rises in the west, it will be of no benefit, according to the Words of Allah, Most High:
"Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord (Allah) should come, or that some of the Signs of your Lord should come (i.e. portents of the Hour, e.g., rising of the sun from the west)! The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith. Say: "Wait you! we (too) are waiting."

and this word "some" refers to the rising of the sun in the west. Likewise, when death approaches, because Allah, Most High says:

"And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: "Now I repent;" nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful torment.

These are the five conditions, if they are achieved by you, then your repentance will be accepted, if Allah wills.