Muslims’ Unfortunate Bragging Rights for Sex Searches! (Sex & the Muslim Ummah)

[mohammed farah]

It should be pretty obvious to most of us, especially the Muslims who still maintain ties/visitations to the “motherlands” that the Muslim world does indeed have a problem with sex. There is a growing level of promiscuity, sexual frustration, intimate problems in marriage, etc. that are causing havoc in the Muslim countries. Tariq Nelson had discussed this topic sometime back in this article.

A quick analysis of google-trends affirms the problem. See the table below, which may be somewhat startling to some people, yet not surprising at all to others. Pakistan has the unfortunate bragging right, atop the list for the most proportional searches of the term “sex” on google (based on all-time searches). Proportionality measures the number of times that the term “sex” is searched, divided by the total number of all searches. Sadly, 7 out of the top 10 “sex”-search nations are Muslim countries, including the countries usually considered the most “conservative” in popular opinion– Saudi Arabia and Iran. Interestingly, while Pakistan and Egypt are firmly entrenched as #1 and #2 respectively, Saudi and Iran have slipped out of the top-ten in the last 2 years. This of course is not voluntary. Thankfully, both Saudi and Iran have installed web filtration that is preventing this feed of mental perversion to the region, likely in the time frame of 2005-2006.



Of course, while internet may have been somewhat effectively blocked (though I reckon that novice users would find their way around the filters) , the steady flow of other sources of pornography, erotica and other destroyers of hearts and minds continues. There is Satellite TV, videos, etc. that provides what internet may have been prevented to.

The crippled, hollow hearts then search for all sorts of ways to engage in what the body is forbidden or does not have the resources to engage in. New technology continues to provide new ways to engage in secret rendezvous, which eventually lead to further corruption. No more need for cell-phone flinging when you can use blue-tooth now. No more need for scribbling cell-phone numbers… as this blog entry from a few months ago highlights.

It begs the question though as to whether bans really do the trick? While I am a proponent of starving the inflow of perversity through any channels to a Muslim populace, the question is why is this populace in so much need for this trash? Why is there this desperation, this hidden desire for haraam? I know many older immigrants from the Muslim countries will insist, and rightfully so, that this is a relatively recent phenomenan, perhaps dating back to the last 20 or so years.

My theory for what it is worth is that the advent of pornography on demand in the form of videos, satellite TV, and then internet has slowly fed sexual perversion into the hearts and minds of the Muslim youth for the last two decades. While on the outside, the norms of Muslim society prevented the actual “practice” of what the corrupted hearts and minds now desired, people have been caught up between two different worlds: a world of sex on their TV sets and computer monitors, and a world of the literal and metaphorical hijab and “parda” on the outside. This of course breeds the underground world of sexual escapades and desperation, to the point of being turned-on by the sight of feet (as in the case where women wear complete jilbab/niqab), secret messages and encounters, and the like.

So, what to do about it? The solution is not and cannot be to open up the society and have a free for all as in the Western world. Yes, if you open everything up, people may not need to search for sex on the internet when it becomes readily available in the physical form. But that of course is worse and not the goal.

Part of the solution, IMHO, is to start with the kids and I already discussed this in the Sex ed. post I wrote before. If children are trained and raised in a way that prevents (to the extent possible) the desire for secret perversions and “secret learnings” where sex is this huge taboo that has to be talked about when parents are not present, then this prevention would be a positive first step. Knowledge is power, even for kids. And pure knowledge of Islam is the most powerful foe of Shaytan’s planned little steps for little kids.

This does not solve the problem for those who are already affected. In this case, early marriage is definitely a help. As Dr. Athar mentions here,

“I am not proposing that all Muslim youth be married at age 16. But I must say that youth should accept the biological instinct and make decisions which will help a more satisfied life devoted to the career rather than spending time in chasing (or dreaming about) the opposite sex. Parents should help their sons and daughters in selection of their mate using Islamic practice as a criteria and not the race, color or wealth. They should encourage them to know each other in a supervised setting.”

And there is no guarantee that marriage will solve the problem. I have heard from enough sources that there is a strong underground swingers movement in Pakistan, revealing not only the level of sexual perversity but also a complete disappearance of a sense of chivalry amongst some Muslims. Thus, not only is there a need for early marriage, but also a need for “continuing education” classes for adults, in the light of Islamic texts. Dr. Heba Qotb is filling some of this need on an Arab Satellite TV (see here and here). I have to admit that I haven’t seen any of her programs, so I am not in a position of evaluating the content. But it does seem that she is approaching it the right way.

There is no doubt that Muslim adults have a lot of questions… about 10% of all questions on the popular Islam-QA site are related to the search term “sex”– in all about 600 questions; more than “basic tenets”, “Quran” and “Hadith” combined! So, my next article will talk more about this subject. Until then, chime in. And to throw in a related curve-ball, I would like you to especially chime in whether you think there should be sex ed. talks at Texas Dawah, separate for men and women?

[Quiet Observer]

Sexually repressive societies do not make questions and urges go away,

it just forces people to use other outlets to get their answers and fulfill their needs.

[Malaikah]

Sorry, I didn't actually read the whole article, but does this study take into account the fact that other words can be used to search for the desired content? If not, then the study can't be very representative...

[Keltoi]

It is a human failure. That which is taboo becomes quite a temptation. While I don't know if this study is accurate, I don't think this should surprise anyone. People are people, regardless of what religion or what country they claim.

[Muezzin]

Haven't actually read the article, but since I'm in anal retentive moderator mode, I have to say: It would be nice if you could provide the source, mate.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

i dont see bangladesh on the list, its all good

[mnbvcxz]

It is a human failure. That which is taboo becomes quite a temptation. While I don't know if this study is accurate, I don't think this should surprise anyone. People are people, regardless of what religion or what country they claim.

yes this is true, its the same for western countries and their searching for pedophilic material, of children being abused.

whatever is made a tabbo that is what is searched.


@the original poster
and to be honest the idea that muslim countries rank high in seraching for the word sex, isnt half as bad as if muslim countries every weekend were the scenes of horrific violence and complete depreavity as in many western countries.

so what im saying is that a google search is no where near as important as the realities on the ground.

go to google video and look at the top most search items? all to do with sex, its the whole world that is searching for these things, not just muslims.

[Muezzin]

yes this is true, its the same for western countries and their searching for pedophilic material, of children being abused.

Images of abuse are a lot more (or worse, whatever makes more sense) than taboo.

[mnbvcxz]

Images of abuse are a lot more (or worse, whatever makes more sense) than taboo.

are you saying pedophilia is not taboo in the west?

[Muezzin]

are you saying pedophilia is not taboo in the west?

No, I'm saying that calling it 'taboo' is like calling murder 'taboo'. It's not merely something to be swept under the rug and not talked about (my understanding of the word 'taboo'), it's a serious problem, a crime.

[mnbvcxz]

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) against words, objects, actions, discussions, or people that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group, culture, or society. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent. Some taboo activities or customs are prohibited under law and transgressions may lead to severe penalties. Other taboos result in embarrassment, shame and rudeness.


sex and lew activity outside of marriage is a crime in islam,
so there for it is a taboo.

same goes for pedophilia and rape.


please dont make an issue out of this. we are both in agreement.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

i think pedophelia is still taboo in the spread but its becoming more n more widespread by the day

its kinda scary, im really careful with my nieces and nephews... i make sure i check their contacts/who their with and everything lol. its a scary dunya

[MinAhlilHadeeth]

i dont see bangladesh on the list, its all good

Forgive me akhee, but is that not nationalism? If other Muslim countries are in that list, it should pain us just as much.

“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." (Bukhaaree and Muslim)

[IbnAbdulHakim]

Forgive me akhee, but is that not nationalism? If other Muslim countries are in that list, it should pain us just as much.

“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." (Bukhaaree and Muslim)

i saw this comin, i'll keep jokes aside


to be honest i dont really consider any of those countries to be muslim countries, but blah - wat can we say eh?


oh n wa alaikum ussalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu

[Muezzin]

A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) against words, objects, actions, discussions, or people that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group, culture, or society. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent. Some taboo activities or customs are prohibited under law and transgressions may lead to severe penalties. Other taboos result in embarrassment, shame and rudeness.


sex and lew activity outside of marriage is a crime in islam,
so there for it is a taboo.

same goes for pedophilia and rape.


please dont make an issue out of this. we are both in agreement.

Okay. Just misunderestimated (to borrow Georgie-boy's vernacular) the actual meaning of 'taboo'. I still don't think taboo is a strong enough word to describe the attitude with which paedophillia and rape are (or should be) treated. But yes, we are in agreement in that the act is morally, socially and legally unacceptable.

[czgibson]

Greetings,

I'm not sure where the information in the original post comes from, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it were true. The more sex is repressed the more kinky people will become. It's been a pattern through history, from the secret orgies of Ancient Greek religion through Victorian prudery in Britain right up to this story from the news which has been my particular favourite example of the week:

Sex, Drugs and Italian Politics

Peace

[Amadeus85]

Muslims are normal people, like evrybody else.. I hope that our muslim friends will notice soon enough that surfing on porn sites is the easiest way to catch a troyan or other virus :P :0

[mohammed farah]

Haven't actually read the article, but since I'm in anal retentive moderator mode, I have to say: It would be nice if you could provide the source, mate.

No problem bro, http://muslimmatters.org/2007/07/29/...-sex-searches/

[beespreeteam]

True.. to some extent.

If you look at 'bomb making' or whatever, New Zealand comes up as the most. Even though we're supposed to be the most peaceful place in the world lol!

[Ebtisweetsam]

Muslims are normal people, like evrybody else.. I hope that our muslim friends will notice soon enough that surfing on porn sites is the easiest way to catch a troyan or other virus :P :0

I dont particularly agree with you here. Islam has a very srtong approach to adultry and fornication....unfortunately some of the ignorant non-proper-practising Muslims are the ones in this database.