al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal wa al-Nisa 1

al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal wa al-Nisa (Gender Free-Mixing between Men and Women) is an Islamic legal treatise by the Saudi scholar Saeed bin Ali bin Wahf al-Qahtani (d. 1440 AH / 2018 CE), examining the rulings, harms, and textual evidence regarding the intermingling of unrelated men and women in Islamic jurisprudence al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…+1.

Background and Composition

The treatise was originally composed as a dedicated section within al-Qahtani's broader work, Izhar al-Haqq wa al-Sawab fi Hukm al-Hijab ("Clarifying the Truth and Correctness Regarding the Ruling of the Hijab"), before the author extracted and published it independently to make it more accessible to readers al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…. The author completed the manuscript on Saturday afternoon, 22 Sha'ban 1432 AH al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…. It includes a foreword by Salih bin Fawzan al-Fawzan, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, dated 16 Shawwal 1432 AH, who commended the work for its comprehensive coverage of legal proofs and scholarly positions al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal….

Structure and Content

The full descriptive title given by the author is al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal wa al-Nisa: Mafhumuhu, wa Anwa'uhu, wa Aqsamuhu, wa Ahkamuhu, wa Adraruhu fi Daw' al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah wa Athar al-Sahabah ("Free-Mixing between Men and Women: Its Concept, Types, Categories, Rulings, and Harms in Light of the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Traditions of the Companions") al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…. The book is organized into seven core chapters:

1. Definition of Ikhtilat: Explores the linguistic meanings—encompassing mixing, blending, and physical co-presence—as well as the term's technical legal usage al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal….
2. Types, Categories, and Beginnings of Mixing: Outlines different forms of interaction between sexes and traces the emergence of institutional mixing in the modern Islamic world, attributing its early origins to foreign colonial schools established in Lebanon al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…+1.
3. The Legal Ruling of Mixing: Details the legal prohibition of mixing in workplaces, educational institutions, conferences, and general assemblies, discussing the prevention of avenues leading to moral corruption al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…+1.
4. Textual Evidence for the Prohibition: Collects arguments and proofs from the Quran, the Sunnah, and the practices of the Prophet's Companions prohibiting women from mixing with non-mahram men al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal….
5. Harms and Corruptions of Mixing: Analyzes the social, moral, and religious repercussions of intermingling, arguing that widespread mixing is a modern deviation from thirteen centuries of preserved Muslim social norms al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal…+1.
6. Refutation of Counterarguments: Addresses and deconstructs specific arguments and interpretations raised by advocates of gender mixing al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal….
7. Authoritative Fatwas: Compiles verified legal verdicts by prominent contemporary and classical scholars affirming the prohibition of non-mahram gender mixing al-Ikhtilat bayn al-Rijal….