Answer
Short Answer:
- Keep in mind that your purpose in life is to worship Allah and please Him. And remember that Allah is watching everything you do.
- All of this does not mean that you cannot talk to boys and work with them in school, university, or the workplace. It means, however, that you must keep some sort of emotional (and physical) distance from them.
- When you have to talk with a boy about school or work, keep the conversation on track with your work. Don’t talk about personal matters or problems. Make a real effort to not be alone with a boy.
- You can be friendly with male colleagues, but keep that friendliness confined to the school or workplace, don’t focus that friendliness on any one boy, and don’t go out with boys after class or work-even if you’re in a group.
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Asalamu Alaikum Fatma,
Thank you for contacting About Islam with your question.
You are in a difficult position living in a society that allows and even encourages people to have sex outside of marriage.
I can barely imagine the pressures you must feel to be like everyone else and “enjoy yourself,” not having experienced such pressures myself.
I was not a Muslim when I was a teenager, and when I was young (back in the “Stone Age”) pre-marital sex was still frowned upon, although society was beginning to change its attitude.
But at least you recognize that flirting is wrong, and that is the first step to learning to avoid it.
You must remember Allah first and foremost. Remember that He tells us in the Quran:
{And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.} (Al-Israa 17:32)
And He also tells men and women to be modest:
{Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent […] And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment […]} (An-Nur 24:30–31)
Keep in mind that your purpose in life is to worship Allah and please Him. And remember that Allah is watching everything you do.
All of this does not mean that you cannot talk to boys and work with them in school, university, or the workplace. It means, however, that you must keep some sort of emotional (and physical) distance from them.
When you have to talk with a boy about school or work, keep the conversation on track with your work. Don’t talk about personal matters or problems. Make a real effort to not be alone with a boy.
You can be friendly with male colleagues, but keep that friendliness confined to the school or workplace, don’t focus that friendliness on any one boy, and don’t go out with boys after class or work-even if you’re in a group.
You might feel a lot of pressure from other teenagers to date or have sex. Be strong against such pressure. Remember that, while you can enjoy life and have fun, your purpose in life is not to have fun but to obey Allah.
Many people nowadays try to dismiss teenage sex as something “natural”. It’s their hormones or teens can’t control themselves, some say. You should be insulted by such talk; it’s telling you that you (and other teens) are like animals with no self-control.
But you are a human being! Of course you can learn to control yourself.
Remember, too, that you have so many more important things right now to think of in your life. You should be looking into career choices, thinking about whether you will study in the university and what courses you should take, studying for your exams.
Do you really think that you need additional pressures worrying about things like whether so-and-so really likes you? Of course not!
Given all the worries that a sexually active girl must consider: pregnancy, her parent’s finding out, being a single mother, quitting school-being a few among many possible worries, you should be able to see that by obeying Allah you will, in the end, have a lot more enjoyable life than someone who is always looking for “fun and excitement.”
So, by stopping yourself now from even starting with flirting, you will prevent yourself from a lot of pain later on.
If you really feel that you have trouble controlling yourself, take it one day at a time. Try to take time to read Quran and reflect on it before you go out in the morning. Tell yourself early in the morning: “Today, I’m going to have better control over myself”.
At the end of the day, before sleeping, examine yourself to see if you succeeded. Did you flirt? What kind of situation were you in? What made you forget to control yourself? How can you do better? How can you avoid situations where you flirt?
Then resolve to do better the next day. Gradually, this will help you make a big change.
What kind of friends you have can also make a big difference. Maybe you don’t have other Muslim girls close to you, but you should be able to find other girls with good character who don’t flirt or date. Try to befriend them.
Remember also, that as a Muslim you should carry yourself with dignity. You already wear hijab. Let it be a constant reminder to you to behave in such a way that shows that you are a whole person—not just a “piece of meat” with only sexual needs, but a whole person with an intellect and emotions.
And always, always, remember to read Quran every day and never, never neglect your obligatory prayers. Ask Allah for His help, and ask Him to forgive you when you fail.
I hope this helps you. May Allah help you and other Muslims to live according to His guidance.
Thank you and please keep in touch.
Walaikum Asalam.
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Physical Contact Between Friends of the Opposite Sex: Why?
How to Avoid Distance from God