The Chief Imam of Area 10 Garki, Abuja Mosque, Sheikh Yahya Al-Yolawi, has cautioned Muslims against ‘forbidden’ sexual intercourse to avoid punishment in this world and in the hereafter.

Mr Al-Yolawi made the call on Friday in Abuja while delivering his Jumma’at sermon on the topic, the “Evil Consequences of Fornication and Adultery”. 

He said fornication and adultery were some of the highly self-destructive and major sins in Islam, adding that an adulterer was one of the three people Allah would not talk to in the day of resurrection.

He said that islam as a religion was very much concerned with establishing decent moral standard in individuals within the community, thus constituted laws that promote chastity and regulate strong sexual desires in a bid to control them.

Mr Al-Yolawi also said that Islam encouraged remaining firm in faith and warned against transgressing the limits of Shari’ah laws by all means.

The cleric said: “Islam has preserved people’s dignity and protected families from being mixed. Therefore, fornication and adultery are forbidden and classified as major and destructive sins.

“Islam has forbidden not only committing fornication but everything that could lead to it, such as mixing of the opposite sexes.

“Others are immoral exchange of looks between the two sexes, immoral words, seductive moves between a man and a woman or being in seclusion in a room, office, car, phone, shop, online and anything else which could lead to this awful sin.”

Mr Al-Yolawi said fornication and adultery had personal, religious, social, economic, and health consequences such as poverty, constant humiliation and disgrace as well as darkness of face that would be obvious to people and darkness of the heart.

He added: “Fornication and adultery combine all evils; weakness in commitment to the religion, as we can see lack of piety, destruction of mind men and women and the decrease of praiseworthy jealousy.

“You will never find an adulterer or fornicator who is pious, fulfills his promises, truthful in his speech, maintains friendship or has protective jealousy over his wife.

“He will be characterized by lies, deception, betrayal, devil- agents and not being mindful of Allah.”

Mr Al-Yolawi condemned the increasing rate of indecent dressing and enjoined Muslims to keep away from anything that might stimulate desire.

He listed those things that might stimulate desire to include: Looking at the opposite sex with desire, talking, touching, shaking, kissing, hugging, watching sex pictures and movies.

(NAN)