Do you know the original meaning of 'khalwat'?

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Do you know the original meaning of 'khalwat'?

8 May 2024 • 11:01 AM MYT



Fa Abdul
FA ABDUL is a former columnist of Malaysiakini & Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

Photo credit to Morgan Rovang on Unsplash


Recently, a single mother from Terengganu was charged in the state’s Syariah High Court for khalwat (close proximity) after she was caught being with a man who was not her husband or mahram (a family member with whom marriage would be unlawful) in the middle of an afternoon.


The woman pleased guilty and was sentenced to six strokes of cane and a fine of RM4,000, in default eight months in jail. She had been convicted of a similar offence in 2018.


On the surface, it is very easy for most Muslims to frown upon those accused of close proximity, especially when they admit to the offences. But then again, it is important to know what they were pleading guilty to.


Were they admitting to being in a sexual relationship?


In most cases, when an accused admits to guilt upon conviction, they are merely confessing to being with a person of the opposite gender who is not a spouse or mahram, in a secluded place.


Now, what is so wrong about being in a secluded place with someone of the opposite gender?
Original meaning of khalwat

Derived from the Arabic word khala, meaning empty or secluded place, khalwat initially denoted an act of devotion and spiritual retreat. Following the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who sought solitude in the Cave of Hira to connect with God, the practice of being alone in a secluded place for ibadah (worship) became known as khalwat.


It's intriguing to observe that historically, khalwat also encompassed beautiful, intimate moments between a husband and wife. However, over time, the meaning and perception of khalwat have undergone a significant shift.


Somewhere along the trajectory of its evolution, the once beautiful and revered term of khalwat transformed into a criminal offence. This shift in connotation has led to varied interpretations of the term in our society today.


While some, like me, view khalwat as an infringement upon personal freedoms based on suspicions, many others refer to it as a sinful offence. To them, personal freedoms must always be in conformity with syariah law.


Sadly, as the obsession with moral policing continues, no one really pays attention to the positive, pure, and beautiful meaning that the term khalwat once had. Well, it seems like everyone is simply preoccupied with poking their noses into other people's affairs.
Evil lurking in the dark

The prohibition of khalwat is derived from hadiths such as these:


“A man is not alone with a woman unless the third of them is the satan,” – Al-Tarmizi.


“No person (man) should be alone with a woman except when there is a ‘mahram’ with her,” - Sahih Muslim.


It can be understood from the hadiths that if a man and a woman are alone in a secluded place, it seems that the evil will be there to whisper desires and seduce them into fornication.


As a Muslim woman in this 21st century, I have been alone with a man who is neither my husband nor my mahram on various occasions - inside elevators, cars, gender-neutral toilets and also in meeting rooms. However, I saw no evil lurking in the dark.


In fact, I’ve gone on many holidays with friends of the opposite gender where we had to share a single room - still, I heard no whispers of satan.


The truth is, a man and a woman minding their own business in a secluded place doesn’t necessarily turn the act into khalwat. Any Muslims with working brains on their shoulders would know that various non-sexual acts can take place behind closed doors.


They could be watching movies, dining or cooking together, playing board games, reading, doing assignments / projects, listening to music or even engaged in a deep conversation.


Unfortunately, as far as the syariah law is concerned, being together in a secluded place is enough to raise suspicions of immoral conduct.
Trust and integrity

While Islam places a significant emphasis on trust and integrity in various aspects of life, we have syariah laws that are based on suspicions of others. I find this mind-boggling.


Why can’t we trust a Muslim who shares a secluded space with another, whoever they may be, to carry themselves with dignity, without any suspicion?


Our emphasis on monitoring khalwat situations with high suspicions raises questions about our priorities. After all, why do we give so much importance to maintaining appropriate boundaries between Muslim men and women and avoiding situations that may lead to moral transgressions, compared to the policing of fundamental religious obligations?


The pillars of Islam comprise the essential religious practices - declaration of faith, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca. These pillars form the core framework of Islamic worship and spiritual development, yet the level of enforcement applied to these obligations is less stringent compared to laws governing personal behaviour. Now why is that?


It’s like, “We trust you… but not that much.” It’s almost like having an annoying teacher constantly looking over your shoulder during an exam, making sure you don’t cheat.


But then, when it comes to policing the pillars of Islam, it's like, “Eh, do your prayers, give to charity... or not, whatever floats your boat!”


When you step back and look at it, you can't help but wonder if all this focus on the small stuff is a distraction from the bigger issues. Is Islam more concerned about who you're hanging out with than whether you're actually fulfilling your religious duties?


It's like they're policing our social life instead of guiding our spiritual journey.


At the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves: is this really what religion should be about? Shouldn't it be more about personal growth and spiritual connection than about who we're seen with?



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