#Side_Benefits@madrasatunaa

The Difference Between Khalwah and Freemixing Khalwah is when a man is alone with a non-mahram woman away from the eyes of people. This applies to all men, even if they are righteous or elderly, and to all women, even if they are righteous or elderly. Freemixing is the gathering of men and non-mahram women in one place where they can interact with each other through looking, signalling, speaking, or physical contact without a barrier that would deter suspicion and corruption. Thus, a non-mahram man entering upon women is mixing with them, and a non-mahram woman entering upon men is mixing with them. Their entering upon each other is mixing. As for one of them entering upon the other in a confined space where no one else of understanding is present, or if others are present but a substantial barrier separates them, that is Khalwah, which is a specific form of mixing. Freemixing can be divided into two categories: 1⃣. Forbidden Freemixing: Any mixing that takes place in a private space or an environment that invites corruption and suspicion, or involves something prohibited by Shariah. Its reality is that a man mingles with a woman and sits with her as he would sit with his wife or one of his maharim, such that the barrier between them is removed, and he could influence her if he wished. The harm of freemixing increases the longer its duration, the more frequent its repetition, when it involves young people, or when a mahram is absent. The matter worsens if it is continuous, such as freemixing in education or the workplace. Anyone who is afflicted with this knows that it inevitably leads to learning a woman's private matters and to being alone with her. Signs of Forbidden Freeixing: · It leads to the loss of natural shyness and formality between men and women. · It increases the occurrence of forbidden relationships. · It may lead to seclusion with a non-mahram woman. · It may lead to bodies touching and crowding. Examples of Forbidden Freemixing: 1. Mixing of male and female children – even if they are siblings – in beds after the age of discernment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded separation between them in beds. He said: "Command your children to pray when they are seven, and beat them for (neglecting) it when they are ten, and separate between them in beds." (Narrated by Abu Dawud, authenticated by Al-Albani). Since sleep is a time when 'Awrah may become exposed and desires may stir, the perfect and pure Shariah commanded separation in beds. It has been mentioned that leniency in not separating children during sleep is one of the causes of incest, may Allah protect us. 2. Allowing engaged couples to accompany and mix with each other, which leads to seclusion and then to undesirable consequences, resulting in people's honour being toyed with under the pretext of getting acquainted and studying together. 3. A woman receiving her husband's non-mahram relatives or friends in his absence. 4. Mixing in educational institutions such as schools, universities, institutes, and private lessons. 5. Mixing in jobs, clubs, hospitals, visits between neighbours, weddings, and parties. 6. Seclusion in any place, even temporarily, like elevators, offices, clinics, etc. 7. A man and woman gathering even in a public place, if it leads to suspicion or a bad opinion about them, unless they remove any ambiguity that might enter the heart of an onlooker, due to the Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim: Safiyyah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), came to visit him during his I'tikaf in the masjid in the last ten days of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a while, then stood up to leave. The Prophet stood up with her to see her off. When they reached the door of the masjid near Umm Salamah's door, two Ansari men passed by and greeted the Prophet. He told them: "Slow down, it is only Safiyyah bint Huyayy." They said, "Glory be to Allah, O Messenger of Allah!" (finding it hard to think ill of him). The Prophet said: "Indeed, Shaytan flows through the son of Adam like blood.