By: M.M. Hassan Abdulhadi Rashid – University of Karbala – Faculty of Islamic Sciences

I feel confused when I am with my female colleagues at college. Some of them see relationships with males as a sign of sophistication and openness, even a sign of strong personality! While I am a girl who grew up in a conservative environment that doesn’t allow mixing with men, and I interact with them within the boundaries set by Islam and its noble values.

This real question often crosses the minds of many righteous girls, especially during university, where mixing has sadly become common. Therefore, we advise these helpful insights for them:

First: It is important to respect the boundaries of intellectual and academic exchanges with males, as long as this is done without crossing into other areas. This doesn’t mean that the way of dealing should lack politeness, respect, and flexibility, which ensures your purity and chastity are preserved.

Second: Never accept the idea of emotional relationships under any circumstances. If any man attempts to open this door, one of you should stop him firmly and ask him to go to her family and propose to her in the traditional way, respecting society’s customs, religious principles, and rules. Otherwise, he is a sly fox, no matter how much he pretends affection and promises sweet words.

Third: Your reputation, then your reputation, then your reputation… Be cautious of girls whose reputation has been tarnished. They are tools of Satan, pulling pure and chaste girls into the swamp of immorality and illegal relationships that stain their character. Be wary of joining their dubious gatherings and being led astray by their reckless ideas, no matter how much they criticize or mock you.

Fourth: Work on creating purposeful groups for exchanging religious, ethical, and ideological thoughts. Set roles for those among you who will spread your message, so you can play an active role in addressing challenges that do not align with religious and ethical culture. Stand firm against any tide that seeks to tarnish the values of chastity and modesty through intellectual and guiding awareness activities, as well as providing mutual psychological support.

Fifth: It is essential to educate yourself with correct and sound ideas that align with religion and ethics regarding emotional life and understanding the concepts of marriage. You must recognize the noble goals of marriage and prepare yourself for this project consciously and more maturely.