The Tank

What is khalwat?

The short definition of khalwat is: excessive closeness between persons of the opposite sex and/or illicit contact with the opposite sex.

Khalwat should not be confused with Zina (extramarital sex / sex outside of marriage see: http://bbs.troach.net/viewtopic.php?t=385).

Khalwat does not necessarily mean the couple were having sex. It could be as little as holding another person’s hand, giving them a hug or simply talking to a person of the opposite sex in a private area without even touching the other person.

The following is part of The Syariah law of Malaysia regarding Khalwat that reads in part:

Any man who is found together with one or more women, not being his wife or mahram; or any woman who is found together with one or more men, not being her husband or mahram, in any secluded place or in a house or room under circumstances which may give rise to suspicion that they were engaged in immoral acts shall be guilty of an offence.

Note: the suspicion part . . . proof is not needed, it can be totally the opinion of the enforcers that the people were involved in illicit holding of each others hands.

While in this case we quoted Malaysian Islamic law the essence of the law seems to be very similar though out the other Islamic nations we looked at.

You mentioned about excessive or prolonged eye under the zina section can be considered zina, especially if the male is non-Muslim and the female is Muslim.

However you should probably point out that excessive or prolonged eye contact between members of the opposite sex can also be considered khalwat, if both are Muslim.

As I am sure you are already aware, many of the Islamic rules and punishments change drastically depending on if both parties involved are Muslim, if only the male is Muslim or if only the female is Muslim.