by Habeeb Akande,
Writer of A Taste of Honey – Sexology and Erotology in Islam
Sex, Soul, and Islam is a pleasant guide to sexual intimacy for Muslim men and women.
Written by marriage counsellors and sociologists, Osman Sidek and Enon Mansor from Singapore, this easy-to-read book provides practical tips and guidance on marital relationships in Islam. Drawing upon contemporary research and decades of experience of marital coaching, the husband and wife co-authors address common myths and rulings on sexual acts.
Divided into four chapters on; sex in Islam, conjugal rights, Islamic sexual etiquettes, and the sexual experience, the book helps readers understand the spirit of Islamic legal rulings.
According to the Islamic tradition and Sunnah of lovemaking, men should be affectionate and considerate when intimate. Similarly, women are encouraged to fulfil their husbands’ intimate needs. Mutual understanding and sexual satisfaction should be the aim for a fulfilling marital relationship.
The book also addresses contemporary intimacy issues such as wife-beating, masturbation and female dissatisfaction. According to the authors, “many women are still clueless regarding sexual pleasure and their rights to it and even among those who know of their sexual rights, many do not bother to pursue them as they do not miss something they never possessed in the first place.”
The book includes a sound clarification of some sexual hadiths which are often misunderstood by contemporary Muslims as ‘misogynistic’ or ‘permitting marital rape.’ The authors debunk these misconceptions as well as highlighting the problem of Muslim machismo.
“The real reason behind the sexual machismo we see in the Muslim community, past and present, is the obsessive focus by men on the Prophet’s advice to women while ignoring the guidance for men,” writes Sidek and Mansor.
The authors deserve much praise for their efforts in presenting a balanced approach to spiritual intimacy and physical lovemaking from an Islamic perspective. Sex, Soul, and Islam by @enonandosman is a recommended read for Muslims and anyone interested in Islamic sexuality.
Enon and Osman 