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Q: What are the legal
limits in establishing relationships with others?
* Taken from: www.bayynat.org
A: Normally, jurisprudence does not
forbid the human being from establishing relationships with others,
were they Muslims or unbelievers, religious or nonreligious. However,
when it is feared that the person would be negatively affected by the
ethics, habits and thoughts of the other in a way that this social
interaction turns out to be one of the factors leading him to
aberration; in such a case, he would be forbidden from this
relationship or at least too close to forbiddance. Similarly, if
mixing with such people might put the person in a position of
accusation or condemnation for he is socially sharing the atmosphere
of a debauched and atheist person, jurisprudence refuses then for the
human being to be exposed to any risk of indictment.
Forbidding occurs also when such relationships lead to a kind of
accepting the wrong where the person appears to be comfortable with
this wrongdoing. In other words, the human being is allowed to
socialize with others except for the cases when he becomes endangered
by aberration or accusation or when he is dealing with a question of
enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong.
Q: What if I become friends with some
suspicious young men with the purpose of correcting or guiding them,
which, in return, causes me, some embarrassments with people; what
would you say about that?
A: In case a very high possibility of
correcting and guiding this human being is available, then there is no
problem because people will eventually learn about your true
intentions as the good results of this relationship emerge. On the
other hand, if the chances of achieving the desired aim are not that
great imposing on the human being no binding obligation to accompany
this person and guide him, then he should put an end to this
relationship, especially if, for that purpose, it reached the extent
of disgracing him and tearing down his esteem.
The relationship between the two sexes
Q: Do I have the right to establish a
friendship with my female colleagues with whom I chat and converse the
same way I do with my male colleagues, so that we would discuss all
subjects except for those which are legally forbidden?
A: The social interaction between men and
women is not forbidden. However, the nature of the reality that
governs the way men perceive women emotionally and vice versa might
not guarantee that this kind of friendship would remain within the
limits of religion. In fact, some negative consequences might result
from this, especially if those feelings and emotions developed into
intimate ones between the two of them as it usually happens. Actually,
that is what we deduce from the well-known tradition that forbids any
privacy between a man and a woman affirming that Satan would be the
third participant in their seclusion. Any privacy between men and
women would only prepare the external as well as the psychological
elements that make the way towards committing the wrongdoing wide
open. And it is natural that any intimate friendship between a man and
a woman, which varies in its meetings and conversations might lead to
the same end.
Nonetheless, if both sides were certain that they will not fall into
unlawful activity or into anything that incite it, and if their
relationship were governed by the imposed legal limits, then no
problem would occur. So, if the relationship between a man and a woman
did not lead to a wrongdoing, and there were some legal means allowing
the continuance of the relationship (even with the presence of the
intimate emotional relationship) through the legal bonds; in case
certain results came out, the relationship would be setting from the
legal guidelines - such as a contract or anything that can be done in
such a situation - and no problem would rise from the legal
perspective.
Q: Am I allowed to work with someone who
has abandoned prayer?
A: In principle, yes you may unless this
work contravenes the limits of forbidding the wrong. In other words,
if the conditions of forbidding the wrong are not fulfilled - for
example, if this person does not respond to any forbiddance, if some
major damages will be inflicted on the forbidder as a result of his
forbiddance, if some interest depends on dealing and working with such
person such as being employed by him and all other kinds of business
relationships - then there is no problem.
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