Islam is the religion of chastity and modesty. It blocks all means leading to sin and evil. It commands Muslims to keep themselves away from what angers Allah and brings them closer to Satan’s traps.

In one of his hadiths, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stated, “Let not a man and a woman be together with no mahram (close relative) lest Satan accompanies them (that is, leads them to sin).”

Sheikh Muhammad Al-Bahyy, former dean of the Faculty of Theology at Al-Azhar University (may Allah have mercy on his soul) states:

Mixed trips that involve males and females grouped together are not totally rejected. However, we need to make it clear that if such trips and camps involve young ones who have not yet reached the age of puberty, they are permissible and fruitful, especially when they aim at increasing mutual respect between the two sexes.

However, when such camps are attended by teenagers and vigorous youth, the so-called mutual understanding between the sexes may lead to a form of sexual deviation and unlawful relations, which will affect not only those young people but their families and the whole society as well.

The Qur’anic guidance directed to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to all Muslim women, clearly calls for keeping away from illegal mixing between men and women in order to avoid the harmful consequences. Allah Almighty says: [O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech] (Al-Ahzab 33:32).

Stressing the fact that preventing such unwanted mixing is better than curing its bad consequences, for prevention is better than cure, Allah Almighty says: [And stay in your houses. Bedizen not yourselves with the bedizenment of the Time of ignorance] (Al-Ahzab 33:33).

The verse clearly shows that Muslim women are not to show their attractions that make them subject to persons in whose hearts there is disease (who are morally corrupt). It is also clear that a woman is permitted to go out of her house if there is a valid reason to do so, that is, to fulfill a need while adhering to her modesty and abiding by chastity.

Commenting on the issues of mixing between men and women, the prominent Muslim scholar Shiekh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi states:

In principle, contacts between men and women are not totally rejected; rather, they are recommendable so long as a noble objective is intended and the subject itself is lawful such as acquiring beneficial knowledge, good work, charitable project, obligatory jihad, or other deeds that require the efforts and the cooperation between the sexes.

However, this by no means calls for transgressing the limits and forgetting about the nature of both sexes. In all their dealings, both men and women are to abide by the teachings of Islam that call for cooperation on the basis of goodness and piety while observing the rules of morality and politeness.

Following are the conditions that must be met when there is a contact between the sexes:

1. Both parties should adhere to lowering the gaze. No lustful look should exist. Almighty Allah says: [Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed] (An-Nur 24:30-31).

2. A Muslim woman should observe the Islamic dress code. The Muslim dress for women, as is well known, covers the whole body save for the face and the hands. It is neither tight nor light in a way that describes the features of the body. [A Muslim man must also follow the Islamic dress code and avoid tight clothes. He must be covered at least from the navel to the knees, and preferably cover his chest, also, in front of women.]

3. General morality should be adhered to. In other words, a woman should be serious in speech and decent in way of walking, nipping in the bud any trial of Satan to spread immorality. Also, she should not wear perfume while being away from home, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Any woman who wears perfumes and then passes by a group of men and they smell it, she is an adulteress.”

4. No man and woman are allowed to be together in a place where there are no other people, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “(Doing so) their third mate will be Satan (leading them to sin).” This applies also to the relatives of the husband, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Beware of sitting with women alone!” They (the Companions) said, “What about the relative of the husband, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “A relative of the husband is death (that is, the cause of death).” This is because a relative of a husband may stay for a long time and thus the danger of sin becomes greater.

5. Finally, we would like to note that all these contacts are not to be given loose rein. They are to be carried out according to need and reasonable interaction. In interacting with men, no Muslim woman is allowed to forget her nature or her role as a woman and instructor of all Muslim generations.