Opinion
Do Muslim Children Need ‘Islamic’ Sex Education? As the Government pledged to make Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory in all of England’s primary schools by the end of 2018, Kate Godfrey-Faussett suggests a number of ways to counteract this policy
D
ue to sexual relations and sexual morality comprising a significant aspect of human life, Islam has provided detailed guidance and laws to be followed in all sexual matters. As children reach the appropriate age in their development, it is essential that they are educated in these rulings and in the Islamic values pertaining to the importance of marriage, chastity and modesty and of course in the ongoing teachings of obedience to God. In Islam, educating children about sexual issues should be done within the larger context of Islamic values and principles; not separated from it, as is prevalent in western sex education initiatives. In non-Islamic schools, children are often ‘educated’ in skills such as applying contraceptive methods to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies or in learning how to give sexual consent or arrange an abortion. There is scarce mention regarding the sacredness of their own bodies or of the sexual act, nor of moral teachings such as the importance of chastity and waiting for marriage. In Islam, children should be educated about accountability and responsibility for themselves and their bodies and as they become sexually mature they are taught about the importance of self-control and the importance of marriage for satisfying the sexual urge. Sex education in Islam, therefore, forms an inherent part of a parent’s duty to educate their child in their Islamic duty and faith and should not be viewed separately. The global movement of introducing ‘sexuality education’ into all schools worldwide has somewhat altered how we may ideally educate our children in sexual matters as Muslims. If our children attend school we no longer have the luxury of deciding when our children are ready to be taught certain topics, as the school system has taken that right upon themselves.
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islam today
December 2018
Unfortunately, if our children are in school they will be receiving information regarding sex and related un-Islamic issues at a much younger age than we would like. As parents, we will have less control over how to teach our children about sexual matters and are less free to choose the age at which we decide to educate them. We thus need to rethink and prepare for how and when we teach our children about sex education. It is imperative that we address such topics with our children and start talking to them at a young age, in an age-appropriate way, otherwise, they will form distorted views and assume that un-Islamic practices are acceptable. If we do not educate our children then they will learn about sexual matters either from school or through other means (internet, media, social media, friends etc.). We need to address any counter-messages or un-Islamic sexual ideologies that they may be picking up from school or society and correct where necessary, what they are learning and provide for them an Islamic understanding and perspective. Additionally, we need to be aware that western culture (which has spread throughout many countries worldwide) has become increasingly sexualised. Children are continuously bombarded with sexual images and messages from every angle of society. To address this, even if your child is not at school, it is essential that children are educated by their parents about sex education from an Islamic perspective, so that they can form a proper understanding, and practice their faith correctly in all aspects. As parents, it is imperative that we engage with our children’s school and find out exactly what they are being taught in
