CAIRO: Heated debates between Islamic scholars have been running rampant after a religious decree was issued by an Egyptian cleric claiming that nudity during sexual intercourse invalidates a marriage. According to the controversial fatwa by Rashad Hassan Khalil, a former dean of Al-Azhar University s faculty of Shar'ia (Islamic law), being completely naked during the act of coitus annuls the marriage. Khalil's decree was met with outrage, opening the floodgates to public protest. "This is ridiculous, said Mona Amar, a housewife and mother of two. "How can a marriage be considered invalid if a couple see each other without their clothes on? It's rubbish, and it angers me when I hear fatwas as ridiculous as this, especially coming from scholars at Al Azhar, because I believe that they are purposely trying to discredit this religious institution. Khalil is not the only Al Azhar scholar to issue such a controversial decree. Another Islamic scholar, Al-Azhar s fatwa committee Chairman Abdullah Megawar, argued that while married couples can see each other naked, they should not look at each other s genitalia, and suggested they cover up with a blanket during sex, according to news.com. "I don't believe that, said Amar. "A union between married couples is blessed. Most religious scholars and leaders have also dismissed Khalil's fatwa and Megawar s suggestion outright, publicly denying the validity and wisdom in such words. Suad Saleh, who heads the women s department of Al-Azhar s Islamic studies faculty, rejected the claim that nudity during intercourse could invalidate a union, arguing that anything that can bring spouses closer to each other should be permitted, according to news.com. The media, which has garnered publicity for Khalil, has also been quick to denounce Khalil's fatwa. Al-Masri Al Youm, an Egyptian independent daily newspaper, ran the story on their front page while the anchors of Orbit's popular television show, Al Kahera Al Youm, made despairing comments regarding to the fatwa, stating that it had no basis. During a live televised debate on the popular religious talk show of the private satellite network, Dream, Islamic scholar Abdel Muti also dismissed the claim. "Nothing is prohibited during marital sex, except, of course, sodomy, he said. Khalil's fatwa is one of many unfounded decrees made in recent years, which places a question mark on the intention of the sheikhs and religious leaders who issue such decrees. "Sheikhs and religious leaders come out with such fatwas for a few reasons, said Sheikh Khaled Abdallah, a member of the International Center for Islam and Sonna Research to The Daily Star Egypt. "They either get this idea from weak hadiths (hadith's which were said by friends of the prophets who's credibility is not solid), or it is their personal conviction and so they bring it out in the open, or they want to create a splash and become famous. While Khalil later denied issuing such a decree, his initial claim sparked nationwide attention as to what sexual practices are considered acceptable under Islam. According to Islam online, "it is permissible to look and touch every part of (a spouse) from head to foot. Islamic scholars such as sheikh Khaled Abdallah wholly agree with this, adding that the only two sexual practices deemed unlawful by Islam are sodomy and intercourse during a woman's menstrual cycle. "In the end, the Koran said it for us, Sheikh Abdallah said. According to him, the Koran states that a man may enjoy intimacy with his wife in whatever way he wishes, so long as he abstains from the two unlawful acts of sodomy and intercourse during a woman's menstruation. "The fact remains, if such fatwas were true, the Prophet would have told us so instead of letting us go on doing something unlawful without being aware of it, said sheikh Abdallah While other religions tend to shy away from the topic of sex, Islam talks about it openly. "The Koran clearly states what is and is not allowed in terms of sexual acts between a man and his wife, said Sheikh Abdallah. "Islam is not embarrassed to talk about sex.
