GARMENT OF COMPASSION: REVIEWER'S NOTE

By

Prof. Abdulwahab Muhammad Jamiu Elesin

Professor of Islamic Law and Head, Department of Islamic Law, 

Faculty of Law, Kwara State University, (KWASU), Malete, Nigeria. 

1st Ramadan, 1446 AH (1st March 2025). 

All Praise is due to Allāh the Exalted. May His peace and blessings be upon the Prophet ﷺ his household, the companions and the entire Muslim Ummah who follow the right path. 

I feel honoured and delighted to be requested to review this book to follow-up the juristic aspect of the book to ensure its accuracy. To achieve this noble assignment, I took it upon myself to first read the learned author’s previous book titled “Ḥalāl Sex and Intimacy” from the beginning to the end before reading the current book. Although it prolonged the period of accomplishment, but the decision is vindicated, and relevant suggestions were made. 

Sexual information is delicate but very important for Muslims. If such information is left undisclosed by trusted Muslim scholars, it may be sourced from untrusted sources and the dangerous consequences of it would manifest. 

Some opined that women do not care about orgasm. Others do not want married people to be enlightened on their sexual rights. This may not be correct in Islam. It may rather be seen as extremism. While it is important for Muslim sex educators to be conscious of the dictates of the Sharīʻah and exhibit high sense of ḥayā’ (bashfulness), Muslim couples need to be well informed about sex and intimacy because one of the main purposes of getting married is to have sex in ḥalāl (lawful) way and be free from temptations of Zina (adultery and fornication). More so, the modern world is filled with filthy and ḥarām (illegal) alternatives. There are plethora aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ clearly pointing to this fact and our Salaf from one generation to another were also proactive on it. 

According to the erudite author, his interactions with couples facing sexual related problems have encouraged him to continue to strive to educate the Muslim Ummah on this important aspect of the Deen. Some people may count these explanations to be shameless and vulgar, but the truth is that many couples need it. 

Therefore, the well-informed author in this book discussed the power of sexual urge in a man and a woman.He affirmed that sexual urge knows neither faith nor religious appearance. The book referred to the medical benefits of sexual satisfaction in ḥalāl ways. In addition to being a means of procreation, sex is rewarding, and it binds the couple together in many ways. The book contains useful Islamic guidelines and moral standards that must be followed to avoid following non-Islamic civilizations and get misled. 

Another necessary but delicate matter discussed in the book is sexual incompatibility between couples. In Islām, there is no way to determine sexual compatibility before marriage because there is limitation to the access a man and a woman can have to each other before marriage. 

Although, reading “Ḥalāl Sex and Intimacy” by the same author is not a prerequisite, it is strongly recommended to be read for more information. This new book is like a continuation of the previous book. For instance, in this book, the author mentioned somewhere that “… some stick permanently to the 'missionary style’ …” Meanwhile the said 'missionary style’ was elaborated in the previous book. Therefore, anyone reading this book should endeavour to also read Halal Sex and Intimacy.

Muslim scholars have realised long time ago the importance of Ḥusnu al-ʻUshratiaz-Zawjiyyah (Good Marital Companionship/Relation). Hence, they ventured into authorship in this field from the earliest developmental stage of Islām. Some of the notable works that have left indelible marks and made ground-breaking impacts in this realm of scholarship include Ādābuaz-Zafāf fī as-Sunnati al-Mutahharah by Shaykh Albaniy (d. 1420AH). The author of this book under review, Abdullateef Lanre Abdullahi (Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori), is undoubtedly working in that direction. 

This book “GARMENT OF COMPASSION: Seduction Tips for Sustainable Marital Intimacy” has come to fill an important vacuum, because the majority of English works on this subject matter are not Sharīʻah oriented. 

The boldness demonstrated by the erudite author in this book to teach sex according to the Qur’ān and the Sunnah would, undoubtedly, save many marriages not just from collapsing, but to keep couples within the limits set by the Sharīʻah. This book is therefore novel in concept and context, unique, apt and trending. The book is written essentially for youth and youth-at-heart, employing those basic tools that are easily accessible, available and adaptable to the youthful population. Hence, it catches the essence of youthfulness. The older class would also find it extremely useful. I hereby, recommend the book to married couples and spouses who are willing to improve their marital life in accordance with the principles of Sharīʻah.