FIRST REMINDER. Yaumu Al-Sabt, 1st day of Jumaadal Aakhir (Saturday 17th February). Islamic Guidelines for Gender Interactions. The Objectives of this topic are 1. To learn the meaning of ikhtilaat. 2. To develop an awareness of the issue of free-mixing between genders. 3. To learn how the Prophet of Mercy controlled mixing between men and women in the mosque and in private places. Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. The Arabic word ikhtilaat means ‘mixing,’ Islamically, it means unrelated men and women mixing, non-mahram men and women being physically at one place.  It results in their meeting, conversing, and looking at each other.  What does Islam say about this? The first point to understand is that not every form of ikhtilaat is forbidden.  Some are permissible and some are forbidden. When Muslim scholars caution against the “free” mixing of men and women, they are not talking about the mere presence of men and women together in the same place.  This in of itself is not prohibited.  Men and women gathered in the same place at the time of the Prophet of Islam, for instance, in the mosque and in the marketplace.  Men and women walked down the same roads and streets. For instance, a Muslim woman is allowed to attend the mosque, even though it is mainly populated by men.  So, it’s a form of ikhtilaat, but the Prophet of Mercy gave guidelines on how to organize and structure it which we will be studying in the next Reminders in Shaa ALLAH. May ALLAH keep guiding us all and protect us from any satanic influences. Aameen.