16. INSTINCT
As the body of man cannot be maintained except by averting any harm and assaying the benefits; Allah furnished mankind with an innate desirous nature to direct him to bring forth the welfare; and with anger (ghadab) to avert harm.
If not for the innate desire (hawa) to eat, a person would not have ever consumed any food and thus become a feeble person. He was therefore made naturally disposed towards food. But, the desire is quenched as soon as he receives what sustains and nourishes his body. The same can be said about drinks, apparel and sexuality.
The benefit attained from adapting to sexual urges is noted in two aspects: survival of mankind, which is the main benefit, and ridding of the excess element (i.e. semen) that causes harm if remains inside the body.
Was it not for being naturally disposed towards fulfilling sexual needs, none would have even considered it, thus leading to harming one’s inside where semen accumulates, and extinguishing offspring of mankind!
The knower (of Allah and His commands) came to realise the bigger picture contrary to the ignorant ones who gives in to their lusts and desires. The latter could not understand the objective for having natural sexual needs, wasting their life in vain and overlooking the main purpose for which they were created. Not only did their lusts and desires ruin their wealth, honour and religion but caused their destruction also.
We see many affluent persons indulging themselves in constant buying of new female-slaves merely to entice their lust with them, but it was not that long after until they were drained of strength and energy.
As a result, causing their own destruction similar to those whose anger exceeded the limits— causing them to self-ruin and of those whom they loves.
He who comes to realise the fact that sexual urges were created to help the body survive the journey of this life and not for the sensual pleasures per se— because the attained pleasure in what is sought is to pave the road to deliver the benefit—will understand that if the purpose was just to give pleasure, Allah would not have made beasts and animals receive more share of it than humans.
Glad tidings is for those who come to realise this truth and do not let desires make them stray from understanding the reality and truth of the creation.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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