1) Young Muslims - The Message

of Islam throughout history have fully appreciated this fact. We cansee it evidenced in the writings of the great jurists:Al-Sarakhsi writes: "The judge should try women separately frommen since people tend to crowd together in the courtroom. It isquite obvious that the mixing together of men and women undersuch crowded conditions is conducive to temptation and otherdistasteful consequences." [Al-Mabsut (16/80)]Al-Nawawi writes: "Ibn al-Mundhir and others maintain that it is amatter of unanimous agreement that women are not obligated toattend the Jumu'ah prayers. However, his argument that this isbecause it brings about the mixing of women and men is notcorrect. The attendance of women at the Jumu'ah prayers does notnecessarily bring about such mixing since the women stay behindthe men." [Al-Majmu' (4/350)]Al-Nawawi also writes: "One of the vilest innovations, that someignorant people today are involved in, is the habit of lightingcandles on Mount 'Arafah on the ninth night. This behavior isgravely misguided and is full of improper goings-on such as themixing of men and women." [Al-Majmu': (8/140)]In the law book entitled al-Fawakih al-Dawani, there is a discussionof when it is permissible to refuse an invitation to a wedding party.It says: "An invitation may be refused if there is any clearwrongdoing at the party, like the mixing of men and women." [Al-Fawakih al-Dawani (2/322)]When scholars warn against the free mixing of men and women,they are not talking about the mere presence of men and womentogether in the same place. This is something that is definitely notprohibited by Islamic Law. Men and women gathered in the sameplace at the time of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him)in the mosque and in the marketplace. They walked down the sameroads and public thoroughfares.Young Muslims, What they should know about Islam Page - 177