9:34 there is a need there…12:26 no one come today to…18:56 it is better for one…19:41 a man should not be…
Family & marriageFrom the masjid's own video, Jun 5, 2026.

Non-mahram boundaries protect believers

Dar Al Sunnah · Mohammed El Mahdi

“A man should not be alone with a woman except that the shaytaan would be the third amongst them.”

The khateeb, at 19:41

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Allah's sharia provides clear guidelines for how non-mahram men and women interact, and adhering to these boundaries protects believers from fitna, sin, and the social harms of unrestricted mixing.

The khutbah in 8 steps

  1. Praise of the sharia as divine guardrails given for our protection and well-being
  2. Framing the topic: guidelines for non-mahram interaction, rooted in the innate attraction between the sexes
  3. Rule one: interact with non-mahrams only when there is a genuine need, and only to the extent of that need
  4. Dress code and hijab, plus the command to stay far from everything that leads to zina
  5. Lowering the gaze and avoiding places where haram is certain to be seen
  6. No physical contact and no khalwa (seclusion), supported by hadith
  7. Assessing and avoiding situations, places, and individuals of fitna, including at family gatherings
  8. The harms of abandoning the guidelines: accumulated sins, loose relationships, heartbreak, and discontent in marriage
Try this week
Limit interactions with non-mahrams to genuine needs and stop at the extent of the need
Observe the Islamic dress code: hijab and loose covering for women, no tight-fitting clothes for men
Lower your gaze and deliberately avoid places where you are reasonably certain you will see haram
Do not shake hands with or physically touch non-mahrams in any form
Never be secluded alone with a non-mahram in a room, office, or vehicle
Avoid specific places, events, and individuals you know will be a source of fitna
Heads of households should establish boundaries at family gatherings, with separate areas for men and women
Repent, seek forgiveness, and teach these guidelines to children and family members
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 17Used to argue believers must avoid not just adultery but all the lead-ups to it
Surah 24Used to establish the obligation of lowering the gaze and guarding chastity
Surah 4Used to show humans are weak before their desires and the sharia removes that burden
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“there is a need there is a purpose the interaction was to the extent of the need but we don't go beyond beyond the need”
Dar Al Sunnah · Evansdale, AB
Play from 9:34
“no one come today to argue this is not a fitna this is not an issue it's an established fitna and we are weak in front of this fitna”
Dar Al Sunnah · Evansdale, AB
Play from 12:26
“it is better for one of you to be to have a needle of steel to your head and to touch a woman that is not permitted for you”
Dar Al Sunnah · Evansdale, AB
Play from 18:56
“a man should not be alone with a woman except that the shaytaan would be the third amongst them”
Dar Al Sunnah · Evansdale, AB
Play from 19:41
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today the khateeb taught that Allah, who created men and women with natural attraction to each other, also gave us loving boundaries to keep that attraction safe. Interactions with non-mahrams should happen only for a real need, and should stop once the need is met. He reminded us to lower our gaze, dress modestly, avoid shaking hands or being alone with a non-mahram, and stay away from places and people we know will tempt us. These rules are not punishments, they are protection, like guardrails on a road. When people ignore them, he said, the result is sin, heartbreak, and relationships that leave us unable to be content. The way back is simple: repent, ask Allah's forgiveness, follow His guidelines, and teach them to our children.

  1. What is one situation at school or work where 'only as much as the need' is hard to practice?
  2. Why do you think Allah made rules about looking and touching instead of only about the big sins?
  3. What is one boundary our family could set at gatherings that would make things easier for everyone?
Where it was given

The masjid

Dar Al Sunnah9228 144 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5E 6A3Jumu'ah Khutbah 1:45 PM (English) & 2:45 PM (Arabic)KhateebMohammed El MahdiMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at Dar Al Sunnah17 khutbahs
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